Many Americans Are Lonely and It Negatively Impacts Their Health

About the Data Insights

This infographic highlights how common loneliness is among adults in the United States, noting that over one in five adults say they often or always feel lonely or isolated. Many of these adults report that their feelings of loneliness and isolation negatively impact their health and well-being, including mental and physical health, personal relationships and ability to do their job. Just under one-third of this population reports that their loneliness and isolation has led to thoughts of self-harm. These personal reports regarding the impact of loneliness are backed up by research suggesting that loneliness raises the risk of premature death as much as smoking or obesity.