The bar graph illustrates the proportion of people living alone across five distinct age cohorts in the USA from 1850 to 2000.
Overall, it is clear that all age categories witnessed an increase in the percentage of people who lived alone throughout the timeframe, with the most noticeable growth could be observed in the figure for the oldest age demographic. Notably, the figures for individuals aged under 36 only appeared from 1900 onwards, hence, its rate rose considerably until the end of the period.
Regarding the second youngest age groups, the percentage of people who lived alone aged 27-36 only revealed in 1900, constituting a mere of approximately 2%. In 1950, just under 2% of the youngest age brackets was reported to live alone, which was almost similar to their 27-36 counterparts. The figures for 17-26 and 27-36 age categories had exhibited a minimal increase by 2000, with corresponding figures being 5% and 8%.
In terms of the three remaining age demographics, in the first year, the figures for people aged from 37 to 54 living alone were identical, accounting for just over 2% for each. The share of people aged from 55 to 64 living alone was slightly higher, reaching about 3% in 1850. From 1850 onwards, there was a steady rise in the percentage of individuals living alone across all three age groups, with the most pronounced growth could be seen in the oldest age bracket, making an overall surge of nearly 14%. The figure for the 37-46 age group had risen to around 8% by 2000, which was doubled by that of the oldest age cohort. Roughly 13% of individuals aged 47-54 was reported to live alone by the final year.