They want to get married, but they're still single: Singlehood is on the rise among young American men
The number of men between the ages of 20 and 39 who are unmarried has increased by 47% since 2000. Various studies point to economic difficulties, problems finding a partner, and a growing "dating slump" among young people.
A lone man walks along a pier
The country is seeing a marked increase in the number of young men who remain unmarried, although research shows that most have not given up on marriage or starting a family.
In 2025, there were 30.4 million unmarried men between the ages of 20 and 39, compared to 20.7 million in 2000, according to data compiled by the Institute for Family Studies (IFS). This represents an increase of nearly 47% over 25 years.
Conversely, the number of married men in that same age group fell from approximately 18.1 million in 2000 to 15.4 million in 2025. The difference between the two groups, which stood at about 2.6 million a quarter-century ago, now stands at around 15 million men.
The trend does not appear to be driven simply by a rejection of marriage.
Society
Charlie Kirk's legacy: Faith, family, and the battle for the minds of a generation
Carlos Dominguez
Most still want to get married
A separate study published by the IFS in March 2026 found that 68% of the single men aged 18 to 29 surveyed said they wanted to get married someday. Another 21% were undecided, and only 10% ruled out that possibility.
Among those who wish to marry, 82% also want to have children. Conversely, 90% of young people who expressed a desire to become parents also said they hoped to get married.
The problem, according to the researchers, seems to be more closely related to the obstacles to turning those aspirations into stable relationships.
Only 30% of the single men surveyed were in a romantic relationship, while the remaining 70% were single. Despite this, approximately three out of every four single men said they were interested in dating.
Nearly half said they found it difficult to find someone willing to go on a date, and nearly six in ten acknowledged that the fear of rejection made them hesitate when it came to taking the first step.
Employment and financial stability before marriage
Financial difficulties also emerged as one of the main factors.
Among young people who were hesitant about marriage or did not want to get married, one in three noted that they were not yet financially independent, and approximately one in four cited the lack of a stable job.
Another 44% said they found it difficult to find the right person to marry, while 36% stated that they did not yet feel ready to make that commitment.
The report's authors argue that material and personal obstacles appear to be having a greater influence on the decline in marriages than a general loss of interest among men in getting married.
People in the U.S. are also getting married later and later
The official data from the United States Census Bureau also reflect the progressive delay in marriage.
In 2025, the estimated median age at first marriage reached 30.8 years for men and 28.4 years for women. In 1975, the ages were 23.5 and 21.1 years, respectively.
The Census also found that 58% of adults aged 18 to 24 were still living in their parents' home in 2025, while among those aged 25 to 34, the proportion was 16%.
A "dating recession"
The survey, conducted among 5,275 unmarried adults aged 22 to 35, found that 86% hoped to get married someday, but many went on few or no dates.
Among the men surveyed, 64% said they had not gone on any dates in the past year or had only gone out with someone a few times. The researchers also found low levels of confidence among young people regarding their ability to navigate romantic relationships.
The data thus reveals a paradox: millions of young men remain unmarried in the United States, while a large majority continue to view marriage and starting a family as part of their life plans.
LATEST
