The bar chart illustrates the proportion of individuals living alone in the United States across five age categories, ranging from 17 to 64, between 1850 and 2000.
Overall, the percentage of people living alone rose steadily over the 150-year period. While the figures in the earlier years were minimal and fairly similar across groups, by 2000, older adults accounted for the largest shares.
In 1850, only around 2-3% of Americans lived alone in each age group, with those aged 55-64 slightly higher at just over 3%. By 1900, the situation had changed little, as most groups remained close to 2-3%. The 27-36 category first appeared at this point but accounted for less than 3%, the lowest compared to the other cohorts.
By 1950, the proportion of people living alone had begun to climb, with the 55-64 group reaching nearly 9%, while the remaining categories still stood below 4%. In 2000, the increases were far more dramatic: almost 17% of those aged 55-64 lived alone, followed by around 13% of the 47-54 group. Younger groups also grew markedly, with 17-26-year-olds reaching about 5%, those aged 27-36 rising to 8%, and those in the 37-46 age group ending at roughly 7%.