Number of single men reaches highest in US history: 30.4 million

THE WASHINGTON STAND—More young men in America are remaining single than ever before, with the rate almost doubling over the last quarter century, according to concerning new data released earlier this week.

Statistics compiled by the Institute for Family Studies revealed that there were 30.4 million single men aged 18 to 39 in 2025 in the U.S., amounting to almost 10 million more bachelors than there were in 2000 (20.7 million). The Institute for Family Studies further estimated that there were 15 million more single men than husbands in this age group in 2025. In 2000, there was only a 2.6 million difference.

This rise in male singleness has translated to fewer married men. Over the last 25 years, the number of wedded men has plunged from 18.1 million to 15.4 million, a 15% drop.

Experts say the sinking numbers are extremely troubling for the future prospects of the country in a host of ways. Sociologists like Institute for Family Studies fellow Brad Wilcox point out that single men are “more likely to be lonely, prone to deaths of despair and unhappy,” adding that “it’s never good for a society to have large numbers of unattached, dispirited and unhappy young men.” Data shows that unhappiness is rising among single men, from 16% in 1980 to 23% in 2020. Comparatively, the rate of unhappiness among married men has stayed steady, hovering between 8%-7% over the same time span.

https://www.dailysignal.com/2026/09/14/singe-men-us-record-high/