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Is The Rate With Which Adults Are Staying Single Forever Increasing?

Are you thinking about staying single forever? You're not alone. With marriage rates decreasing, more people worldwide are choosing the single life. Statistics show that one in four adults will remain single by age 50.

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Rudrani Gupta
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Are you debating the idea of being single for the long haul? You're not alone. With marriage rates on the decline, an increasing number of men and women worldwide are opting for singlehood. This societal shift has led to a substantial economic gap between those who are unpartnered and those in relationships. Despite this imbalance, the prevalence of singlehood continues to surge annually. Why am I sharing this? Let's delve into some recent research on the topic of singlehood.

Singlehood On Rise

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According to Pew Research shared by Wealth, it is projected that one in four adults will be single by the time they reach 50. This research also indicates that single adults are more likely to experience higher levels of self-determination and personal growth compared to their married counterparts. Similar findings have been noted in past research.

A 2022 study by Morgan Stanely, says that 45 per cent of women of 25-44 years of age will be single by 2030. Half of the women of childbearing age will be single by 2030. The major reasons behind this are said to be: 

Reasons why women want to be single

The changing preferences of women are clear: they are prioritizing self-development and career over early marriage. Additionally, advancements in conceiving methods, birth control, and infertility treatments are reducing the pressure on women to have babies at a young age.
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Sharp rise in singlehood in the US

A 2021 Pew Research said the the number of men and women staying single in the US has seen a sharp rise from the '90s to 2019. As per the research, four in ten adults aged 25-54 age were single in 2019. This means that 38 per cent of the adults in the age range were single which is a sharp rise from 29 per cent in 1990. 

Only 53 percent of adults of the same age group are married which is a huge decline from 67 per cent in 1990. Even though there is a gender gap between men and women who are unpartnered, it is not so huge. As per the report, in 2019, 39 per cent of men were unpartnered compared to 36 per cent of women. 

According to the 2022 Current Population Survey (CPS), 40 per cent of adults were single in 2022.

As far as the gender gap of men and women being single is concerned, it has also decreased. As per a study, the gender difference of people being single (men and women) has decreased from 25 per cent around 2014 to 10 per cent around 2021. Among adults aged 18-29, the gender difference is big with 75 per cent being single compared to 66 per cent of women.

As individuals age, particularly in their thirties, more women (35 percent) than men (30 percent) find themselves single. In the 40-49 age group, both men and women experience similar rates of singlehood, but in the 50-59 age group, the percentage of single women surpasses that of men. Let's now delve into the economic and educational implications of being single.
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Educational consequences of singlehood

As per Pew Research, Only 26 per cent of single men had a bachelor's degree compared to 37 per cent of partnered men who had finished their education. On the other hand, 33 per cent of single women had finished a Bachelor's degree and 43 per cent of partnered women. 

Economic consequences of singlehood

As far as the economic aspect is concerned, 73 per cent of unpartnered men were employed while 91 per cent of partnered men were employed. In the case of women, 77 per cent of single women were employed as compared to only 74 per cent of married women.   

So what do you think about the overall conclusion? Is being single worth it? 

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