Singles in the U.S.: The New Nuclear Family

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Executive Summary

• Scope of the Report
• Methodology
• Singles Defined
• Demographics
• Majority Are Younger than 45
• Figure 1-1: Single U.S. Adults: By Age (as % of all singles)
• One Quarter of all Singles are Boomers
• Most Older Singles are Women
• Race, Ethnicity, and Sexual Orientation
• Figure 1-2: Percentage of Adults Who Are Single: By Race/Ethnicity (percent)
• Majority of Singles Own their Own Homes
• Figure 1-3: Owning vs. Renting Among Single Adults (percent)
• Only About a Quarter of Singles Feel Financially Secure
• Less than Half of Singles Work Full-Time
• Single Men Outearn Women
• Figure 1-4: Average Annual Incomes of U.S. Adults: By Marital Status and Presence of Children in Household (dollar)
• Lifestyles
• Single Parents Neglect Their Own Health
• Exercise
• Eating Habits
• Single Parents Tend to Party as Often as Childless Singles
• Media Use and Attitudes
• Figure 1-5: Attitudes Toward TV Commercials and Other Advertising: By Marital Status and Presence of Children in Household (percent)
• Single Parents are Big Radio Listeners
• Figure 1-6: Adults Who Find Online Advertising Useful: By Marital Status and Presence of Children in Home (% who say ads are very useful, useful, or somewhat useful)
• Shopping
• Marketing Tends to Rely on False Stereotypes
• Best Practices and Tips
• Singles with Kids at Home
• Singles Without Kids at Home

Chapter 2: Demographics

• Singles Defined
• Later Marriages, High Divorce Rates Mean More Americans Are Single
• Figure 2-1: Americans' Age at First Marriage by Gender: 1950-2005
• Figure 2-2: Unmarried Adults (Age 15+) as Proportion of Overall U.S. Population: By Gender, 1950-2005 (percent)
• Figure 2-3: Never-Married Adults (Age 15+) as Proportion of Overall U.S. Population: By Gender, 1950- 2005 (percent)
• Married Couples Head Fewer than Half of All Households
• I Just Choose To Be Alone But Society Says No
• Most Singles are Young
• Figure 2-4: Single U.S. Adults: By Age (as % of all singles)
• How Singles Live
• Table 2-1: Single Adults in the U.S.: By Living Arrangement (number and percent)
• Looking at Singles by Generation
• Table 2-2: Number of U.S. Singles Ages 15 and Older: By Generation (number and percent)
• Below Are Key Characteristics of the Five Generations of Single Adults Living in the U.S. Today:
• The GI Generation (born 1901-1924, age 83 and older in 2007)
• The Silent Generation (born 1925-1945, ages 62-82 in 2007)
• Baby Boomers (born 1946-1963, ages 44-61 in 2007)
• Generation X (born 1964-1979, ages 28-43 in 2007)
• Generation Y (Born 1980-2000, Ages 7-27 in 2007)
• Most Older Singles Are Female
• Table 2-3: Unmarried Population Skews Increasingly Female With Age (percent)
• Figure 2-5: Single Women in the U.S.: By Age (percent)
• Figure 2-6: Single Men in the U.S.: By Age (percent)
• Singles Are Racially and Ethnically Diverse
• Figure 2-7: Racial/Ethnic Composition of U.S. Singles Market (percent)
• Figure 2-8: Percentage of Adults Who Are Single: By Race/Ethnicity (percent)
• Singles of Color Are More Likely to Be Parents
• Table 2-4: Living Arrangements of Single Adults: By Age and Race/Ethnicity (percent)
• The Majority of Gays and Lesbians Are Single
• Most Singles Have Never Married
• Figure 2-9: Marital History of U.S. Singles Ages 18 and Older: By Gender (percent)
• Figure 2-10: Marital History of Singel Women (percent)
• More Single Women Than Single Men Live With Kids
• Table 2-5: Singles Who Live Alone with Children, By Gender and Race (percent)
• Singles Are Concentrated in Major Metropolitan Areas
• Table 2-6: Geographic Distribution of Singles: By Market Type (percent)
• Table 2-7: Geographic Distribution of Singles: By U.S. Region (percent)
• Table 2-8: Single Parents and Non-Parents as Proportion of Overall Population in Geographic Regions of U.S. (percent)
• Table 2-9: Geographic Distribution of Singles, by Age (percent)
• Sources

Chapter 3: Home

• Singles and Home Ownership
• Figure 3-1: Home-Buying Activities in Past Year: By Marital Status and Living Situation (percent)
• Figure 3-2: Home Financing: By Marital Status and Living Situation (percent)
• Single Women Are Biggest Homebuyers After Married Couples
• Figure 3-3: Home Buyers: By Marital Status and Gender (percent)
• Singles’ Dream House Is a Condo
• Figure 3-4: Owning vs. Renting Among Single Adults (percent)
• Most Singles’ Homes Are Modestly Priced
• Figure 3-5: Value of Residence: By Marital Status (percent)
• What Single Home Buyers Want
• Why They Buy-and Where
• Single Women and Men Look For Different Things
• Size Doesn’t Matter to Singles
• All It Needs Is A Little Paint…
• What About the Schools?
• Singles Spend Less Than Marrieds On Home Improvement and Décor
• Figure 3-6: Annual Spending on Home Improvement: By Marital Status and Household Composition (percent)
• Bathrooms, Kitchens, and Walls Are Most Common Remodeling Projects
• Figure 3-7: Major Appliances Bought in Past Year: By Marital Status and Living Situation (percent)
• Figure 3-8: Amount Spent in Past Year on Household Furnishings or Bedding/Bath Items: By Marital Status and Living Situation (percent)
• Singles Garden by Hand, Not Machine
• Where Singles Shop for Home Improvement and Décor
• Table 3-1: Top Home Furnishings Retailers Among Singles (shopped in the past three months)
• Table 3-2: Top Home Improvement Retailers Among Singles (shopped in the past three months)
• Attitudes Toward Home Improvement and Décor
• Solo Adults Are Big Readers of Home Décor Magazines
• Figure 3-9: Attitudes About Home: By Marital Status and Living Situation (percent)
• Figure 3-10: Readership of Home Décor/Improvement Magazines: By Marital Status and Living Situation (percent)
• Figure 3-11: Use of Home Décor/Improvement Media: By Marital Status and Living Situation (percent)
• Real Estate and Home Improvement Marketing
• Specifically Targeting Women
• Sources

Chapter 4: Finance

• Singles: Independent, But Insecure Decision Makers
• Figure 4-1: Attitudes About Finance, by Marital Status Living Situation (percent)
• Presence of Children in Household Affects Singles’ Financial Habits
• Single Parents Are Big Users of Financial Media
• Figure 4-2: Business/Finance Magazines That Are More Popular With Single Parents Than Other Adults (percent)
• Figure 4-3: Readership of Business/Finance Magazines: By Marital Status and Living Situation (% who have read in past 6 months)
• Figure 4-4: Use of Financial Media: By Marital Status and Living Situation (percent)
• Minority Singles Are More Willing Than Whites to Pay for Financial Advice
• Figure 4-5: Singles' Attitudes About Financial Services and Investments: By Race/Ethnicity (percent)
• Marketing to Minority Singles Should Be Respectful and Culturally Relevant
• Singles of Color More Attuned Than Whites to Financial Marketing and Media
• Figure 4-6: Singles' Attitudes About Their Personal Finances: By Race/Ethnicity (percent)
• As Investors, Singles Lag Behind Couples
• Single Parents Favor Online Banking
• More Single Women Than Single Men Hold Credit Cards
• Figure 4-7: Investments Currently Owned: By Marital Status and Living Situation (percent)
• Figure 4-8: Use of Online Financial Services and Financial Software: By Marital Status and Living Situation (percent)
• Figure 4-9: ATM and Credit Card Ownership and Use: By Gender and Marital Status (percent)
• Visa and MasterCard Most Popular Credit Cards
• Childless Singles’ Credit Card Habits Are Like Married Folks’
• Few Black or Hispanic Singles Own Credit Cards
• Figure 4-10: Ownership of Financial cards: By Marital Status and Living Situation (percent)
• Figure 4-11: Credit Card Use in Past Month: By Marital Status and Living Situation (percent)
• Figure 4-12: Credit Card Use in Past Year: By Marital Status and Living Situation (percent)
• Figure 4-13: Credit Card Types Owned by Singles: By Race/Ethnicity (percent)
• Hispanics Least Likely to Use ATM Cards
• Figure 4-14: ATM Card Ownership/Use: By Race/Ethnicity and Marital Status (percent)
• Credit Card Ownership Among Singles Increases with Age
• Figure 4-15: Singles' ATM and Credit Card Use: By Age (percent)
• The Check is in the Mail, But How Big Is It?
• Figure 4-16: Typical Credit Card Bill Payment Habits: By Marital Status and Living Situation (indexed against overall population)
• Minority Singles’ Use of Banking and Investment Products
• Younger Singles Are Most Open to Financial Marketing
• Figure 4-17: Singles' Ownership of Bank/Savings Accounts: By Race/Ethnicity (percent)
• Figure 4-18: Singles' Ownership of Investments: By Race/Ethnicity (percent)
• Figure 4-19: Singles' Attitudes About Financial Services: By Age (percent)
• Figure 4-20: Singles' Attitudes About Their Personal Finances: By Age (percent)
• Singles’ Use of Insurance
• Figure 4-21: Vehicle and Property Insurance Currently Held: By Marital Status and Living Situation (percent)
• Singles Are Not Adequately Insured
• Figure 4-22: Health/Life Insurance Coverage: By Marital Status and Living Situation (percent)
• Figure 4-23: How Adults Obtained Their Health Insurance: By Marital Status and Living Situation (percent)
• Single Parents Have More Loans than Other Singles
• Figure 4-24: Loans Currently Held: By Marital Status and Living Situation (percent)
• Marketing Financial Services to Singles
• Marketing to Singles Focuses Too Much on the Negative
• Some Progress in the Form of “User Friendly” Messages
• Sources

Chapter 5: Work and Income

• Singles Are Less Likely To Be Employed Full-Time
• Hispanic Singles Work Most
• Singles More Likely to Attend College
• Figure 5-1: Work Status of U.S. Adults: By Marital Status and Living Situation (percent)
• Figure 5-2: Work Status of U.S. Singles: By Race/Ethnicity (percent)
• Figure 5-3: Work Status of Unmarried Adults: By Age (percent)
• Work Habits by Age
• What They Do All Day
• Hispanics Most Likely to Work in Labor Jobs
• Figure 5-4: Job Types: By Marital Status and Living Situation (percent)
• Figure 5-5: Job Types Held by Singles: By Race/Ethnicity (percent)
• Few Singles Live in Dual-Income Households
• Attitudes About Work
• Men vs. Women
• Figure 5-6: Attitudes About Work: By Marital Status and Living Situation (percent)
• As Time Goes By
• Boomer Singles Are Not Shy, Retiring Types
• Asian Singles Are Most Ambitious
• Hispanic Singles Want to Be Business Owners
• Bringing Home the Bucks
• Single Men Outearn Women
• Almost A Third of Single Mothers Are Poor
• Individual Income vs. Household Income
• Figure 5-7: Singles' Attitudes About Work: By Age (percent)
• Figure 5-8: Singles' Attitudes About Work: By Race/Ethnicity (percent)
• Figure 5-9: Average Annual Incomes of U.S. Adults: By Marital Status and Presence of Children in Household (dollar)
• Figure 5-10: Singles' Annual Incomes: By Gender and Presence of Children (percent)
• Figure 5-11: Employment Income: By Marital Status and Gender (percent)
• Figure 5-12: Household Income: By Marital Status and Gender (percent)
• Age and Income
• Figure 5-13: Employment Income Among Unmarried Adults: By Age (percent)
• Figure 5-14: Household Income Among Unmarried Adults: By Age (percent)
• Income and Race/Ethnicity
• Figure 5-15: Employment Income Among Unmarried Adults: By Race/Ethnicity (percent)
• Sources

Chapter 6: Lifestyles

• Activity-Packed Lifestyles
• Having Kids Affects Singles’ Health Habits and Use of Healthcare
• Where They Get Their Information
• Singles Younger Than 55 Most Likely to Get Health Info Online
• Figure 6-1: Health Habits and Attitudes: By Marital Status and Presence of Children (percent)
• Figure 6-2: Attitudes About Medications: By Marital Status and Presence of Children (percent)
• Figure 6-3: Where Adults Get Health Information: By Marital Status and Presence of Children (percent)
• Figure 6-4: Where Singles Get Health Information: By Age (percent)
• Use of Dietary Supplements
• Who’s Healthier: Singles or Married Couples?
• Figure 6-5: Use of Vitamins and Supplements: By Marital Status and Presence of Children (index)
• Figure 6-6: Ailments (A-F) Had in Past Year: By Marital Status and Presence of Children in Home (index)
• Figure 6-7: Ailments (G-Z) Had in Past Year: By Marital Status and Presence of Children in Home (index)
• Use of Medications
• Figure 6-8: Use of Medications in Past Year: By Marital Status and Presence of Children in Home (percent)
• Singles Spend Less Time in Doctors’ Waiting Rooms
• Staying Fit
• Figure 6-9: Exercise Habits: By Marital Status and Living Situation (percent)
• Singles Are Sporty and Adventurous
• Figure 6-10: Top 10 Sports Among Avid Single Participants (% who participate every chance they get)
• Table 6-1: Sports in Which Singles Are More Likely Than Other Adults to Participate: Ranked by Index (percent and index)
• Single Parents Go for Team Sports and Activities They Can Share With Kids
• For Men, Marriage Breeds Laziness
• Figure 6-11: Sports in Which Single Parents Are More Likely Than Married Adults to Participate (index of 100 = average for all adults)
• Figure 6-12: Top 10 Sports Among Single Parents (% who participated in past year)
• Figure 6-13: Top 10 Sports Among Childless Singles Who Live Alone (% who participated in past year)
• Figure 6-14: How Often Women and Men Work Out: By Marital Status (percent)
• Women and Men Exercise in Different Ways
• Having Kids Makes Singles Less Health-Conscious At Mealtime
• Figure 6-15: Eating Habits and Dieting Behavior: By Marital Status and Presence of Children in Home (percent)
• White Singles Are Most Concerned With Eating Healthfully
• Single Women Are More Diet-Conscious Than Single Men
• Figure 6-16: Singles' Eating Habits and Dieting Behavior, By Race/Ethnicity (percent)
• Figure 6-17: Singles' Eating Habits and Dieting Behavior: By Gender (percent)
• Childless Singles Try to Eat Healthfully
• Age Brings Healthier Eating Habits
• Singles Like to Have Their Dinners Delivered
• Singles Use Casual Dining Carry-Out More Frequently Than Couples Do
• Singles Are Bigger Restaurant Goers Than Couples
• Singles Like to Cook But Do Less Entertaining Than Couples
• Figure 6-18: Types of Foods Bought When Watching Diet: By Marital Status and Presence of Children in Home (percent)
• Figure 6-19: Adults Who Try to Eat Healthy Foods/Balanced Diets: By Marital Status and Age (percent)
• Figure 6-20: Readership of Cooking Publications: By Marital Status and Presence of Children in Home (percent)
• For Singles, Dinner Should Be Social or Simple
• Singles Like to Eat Out With Friends
• Figure 6-21: Attitudes About Food: By Marital Status and Presence of Children in the Home (percent)
• Figure 6-22: Meals Eaten Out With Friends or Coworkers: By Marital Status and Presence of Children in Home (percent)
• The Importance of Friends
• Figure 6-23: How Single And Married Adults Feel About Their Friends (percent)
• Figure 6-24: Singles Who Say Their Friends Are More Important Than Their Families: By Age (index of 100 = average for all adults)
• Dating and Social Life
• Most Older Singles Are Dating
• Gen Xers Most Likely to Use Online Dating
• Figure 6-25: Singles Who Feel It' s Important to Be Attractive to Members of the Opposite Sex: By Age (percent)
• Single Parents Like Online Dating, Too
• Urban Singles Are More Likely Than Rural Singles to Use Online Dating
• Social Networking Sites Can Sources of Potential Dates, As Well
• Some Singles Worry About Safety in Online Dating
• Figure 6-26: Singles Who Have Used Online Dating in Past 30 Days: By Age and Living Situation (percent)
• Figure 6-27: Singles Who Have Used Online Dating in Past 30 Days: By Size of Metro Area (percent)
• Figure 6-28: What Matters Most to Singles When Looking for Dates Online (percent)
• Figure 6-29: Reasons Singles Don' t Use Online Dating (percent)
• No Time to Meet for Dinner
• Time Off
• Singles Like to Take Classes and Make Art in Spare Time
• Supporting the Arts
• Table 6-2: Singles’ Participation in Leisure Activities in Past Year: Ranked by Index (percent and index)
• A Sense of Belonging
• Religion Plays Smaller Role in Singles’ Lives
• Singles Travel Less Often Than Married Couples
• Figure 6-30: Memberships in Clubs/Organizations: By Marital Status (index of 100 = average)
• Figure 6-31: Domestic and International Travel: By Marital Status and Presence of Children in Household (percent)
• Figure 6-32: Attitudes About Travel: By Marital Status and Presence of Children in Household (percent)
• Sources

Chapter 7: Media Use And Attitudes

• The Changing Media Landscape
• Singles Are Hooked on the Tube, Especially Cable
• Childless Singles Favor Arts and Comedy; Single Parents Watch Shows With Their Kids
• Figure 7-1: Cable TV Subscriptions: By Marital Status and Presence of Children in Household (percent)
• Figure 7-2: Premium Cable Channel Subscriptions: By Marital Status and Presence of Children in Household (index of 100 = average for all adults)
• Table 7-1: Cable Channels Singles Are More Likely Than Average to Have Watched in Past 7 Days: Ranked By All Single Adults (index of 100 = average)
• Table 7-2: Top 20 Cable Networks Among Singles: Ranked By All Single Adults (% who have watched in past 7 days)
• When They Watch
• Figure 7-3: When Adults Watch TV: By Marital Status and Presence of Children in Household (average daily cume)
• Controlling When They Watch
• Drama, Sitcoms, Reality TV Are Biggest Draws
• Mixing Media
• Figure 7-4: Simultaneous Media Use: Single vs. Married, Primary Medium TV (percent)
• Figure 7-5: Simultaneous Media Use: Single vs. Married, Primary Medium Internet (percent)
• Figure 7-6: Simultaneous Media Use: Single vs. Married, Primary Medium Radio (percent)
• Figure 7-7: Simultaneous Media Use: Single vs. Married ,Primary Medium Magazines (percent)
• Figure 7-8: Simultaneous Media Use: Single vs. Married, Primary Medium Newspaper (percent)
• Single Parents Less Critical of TV Content and Advertising
• Figure 7-9: Attitudes Toward TV Commercials and Other Advertising: By Marital Status and Presence of Children in Household (percent)
• Singles Are Avid Moviegoers
• Singles Flock to Opening Weekends
• Singles Are Receptive to In-Theater Advertising
• Figure 7-10: Effectiveness of In-Theater Advertising: Single vs. Married Adults and Singles by Age (percent)
• Singles Buy and Rent More Videos Than Anyone Else
• Figure 7-11: Adults Who Have Bought or Rented Videos in Past 12 Months: By Marital Status and Presence of Children in Home (percent)
• Singles’ Taste in Video Depends on Whether They Have Kids
• Singles Are Frequent Video Renters and Purchasers
• Singles Are Major Magazine Readers
• Figure 7-12: Where Adults Have Rented Videos in Past 12 Months: By Marital Status and Presence of Children in Home (percent)
• Table 7-3: Top 10 Magazine Genres Read by Singles: Ranked by All Singles (percent of gross readers)
• Table 7-4: Top 20 Magazines Read by Singles (% who have read in past 6 months)
• Childless Singles Are Bigger Newspaper Readers Than Single Parents
• Figure 7-13: Readership of English-Language Newspapers: By Marital Status and Presence of Children in Household (% who ever read)
• Single Parents Are Biggest Radio Fans
• More Singles Than Marrieds Are Radio Night Owls
• Figure 7-14: When Adults Listen to the Radio: By Marital Status and Presence of Children in Home (% who ever listen - cume)
• Non-traditional Forms of Radio
• Singles Say the Internet Has Changed How They Socialize
• Most Singles Are Online
• Figure 7-15: Impact of the Internet on Lifestyle: By Marital Status and Presence of Children in the Home (percent)
• Figure 7-16: Where Adults Access the Internet Most Often: By Marital Status and Presence of Children in Household (percent)
• Young Singles Most Likely to Have Broadband
• More Single Parents Than Childless Singles Are Internet Newbies
• Youngest and Oldest Childless Singles Are Miles Apart in Internet Use
• Figure 7-17: Time Childless Singles Have Spent on the Internet (Non-Email) in Past 7 Days: Ages 18-24 vs. 55+ (percent)
• Singles Spend Lots of Time Online at Home
• Figure 7-18: How Much Time Spent on the Internet at Home in Past 7 Days: By Marital Status and Presence of Children in Household (percent)
• When They’re Online at Home
• Figure 7-19: Weekday Times Adults Are Online at Home: By Marital Status and Presence of Children in Home (% who were online in past 5 weekdays, excluding email)
• Figure 7-20: Weekend Times Adults Are Online at Home: By Marital Status and Presence of Children in Home (% who were online last weekend, excluding email)
• Youngest Singles Are Most Active Online, But Not in the Morning
• Online Activities
• Table 7-5: Online Activities: By Marital Status and Presence of Children in Household (in the past 30 days)
• Married Folks Outshop Singles Online
• Figure 7-21: Top 5 Categories of Online Purchases Among Singles (% who bought online in past 12 months)
• Single Parents Are Receptive to Online Marketing
• Use of Technology
• Single Parents Are Early Adopters
• Figure 7-22: Adults Who Find Online Advertising Useful: By Marital Status and Presence of Children in Home (% who say ads are very useful, useful, or somewhat useful)
• Figure 7-23: Attitudes About Technology: By Marital Status and Presence of Children in the Home (index of 100 = average for all adults)
• Sources

Chapter 8: Shopping

• Singles and Shopping
• Single Parents Think Shopping Is Fun
• Figure 8-1: Retail Outlets Shopped in Past Month: By Marital Status and Presence of Children in Home (percent)
• Figure 8-2: Internet, Mail, or Phone Orders Placed in Past 12 Months: By Marital Status and Presence of Children in Home (percent)
• Childless Singles Shop More Like Couples Than Like Single Parents
• Single Men and Women Have Different Views on Shopping
• Figure 8-3: Retail Outlets Shopped: By Single Men and Women (percent)
• Are Retailers Picking Up on Singles’ Preferences?
• Targeting Boomer Grandparents
• Figure 8-4a: Singles' Shopping Behavior and Attitudes: By Gender (percent)
• Figure 8-4b: Singles' Shopping Behavior and Attitudes: By Gender (percent)
• Targeting Young Singles
• The Forgotten Middle
• Sources

Chapter 9: Marketing

• The Change In Social Norms
• Backlash Against Pro-family Policies
• Heightened Awareness Will Lead to Increased Marketing
• The Current State of Singles’ Marketing
• Figure 9-1: Representation of Single Adults in Primetime TV Ads (percent)
• Figure 9-2: Representation of Single Adults in Daytime TV Ads (percent)
• Ads Showing Single Parents Are Rare, But Some Are On Target
• Stereotypes of Singles Persist
• Comparing Marketing and Media Portrayals With Singles’ Reality
• Marketing Focuses on the Youngest Singles-But Older Singles Have More Money
• Retailers and Marketers Are Targeting Singles on Valentine’s Day
• Best Practices for Marketing to Singles
• Single Parents Are Receptive to Marketing
• Tip 1: Use A Variety Of Media To Communicate With Them
• Tip 2: They May Be Adults, With They’re Into Kids’ Stuff
• Tip 3: Make Your Message Clear, And Help Them Follow Up
• Tip 4: Show What Their Lives Are Like, But In A Positive Light
• Tip 5: Get Them To Interact
• Childless Singles Are Arts Patrons and Participants
• Tip 1: Use Multiple Media To Capture Their Attention
• Tip 2: Target By Age-And Don’t Overlook Older Singles
• Tip 3: Younger Childless Singles Are Best Reached By Viral Methods
• Tip 4: Reflect Their Interests and Project Positive Images
• Tip 5: Childless Singles Get Out There, So Marketers Should, Too
• Sources