The Fact
U.S. Census Bureau data show that one-person households accounted for 19% of U.S. households in 1974 and 29% in 2024. In 2024 there were 38.5 million one-person households.
What This Means
Living alone has become much more common during the lifetime of Gen X. A larger share of households now has only one adult available to absorb housing costs, utilities, household work, emergencies, and the ordinary logistics of daily life.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, Families and Living Arrangements, 2024; Current Population Survey historical household series.