Interactive Chart
[OC] I recreated and refined this data from Our World in Data's chart (link) using Flourish for improved readability and emphasis on the solitude trend.
Notes from source: Activities like sleeping, grooming, and personal care are excluded. Time with multiple people counts toward all relevant categories (e.g., a party with friends + partner counts for both).
Based on ATUS (American Time Use Survey) from BLS (Bureau of Labour Statistics) we can see how people aged between 15 and 29 will be spending more time alone than previously. In 2010, on average young adults spent about four hours each day alone while they are awake (excluding time spent for sleeping or grooming) and in 2023 that number increased to just shy of six hours per day (45 to 50% increase since 2010).
The rise started gradually in the late 2010s and jumped sharply during the COVID-19 Pandemic (2020-2021) and has remained high since. Although the most recent statistics from BLS for 2024 show a small rebound in social time, but still above the pre-pandemic level: Among 15 to 19 year-olds now spend about 5.18 hours alone per day; for 20 to 24 year-olds about 5.73 hours; and for 25 to 34 year-olds, about 5.84 hours alone per day. (note: this extends slightly beyond 29 but overlaps heavily with the 15 to 29 group).
In the past few years, the amount of time individuals spend with family members (including their families), friends, spouses, and coworkers has stayed the same or decreased. This is seen to be caused by an increase in the number of hours spent on an individual basis. Younger people are more affected by this trend than older generations, because the increase in solitary activity has been the greatest in younger people.
The data show growing solitude amongst Gen Zs and young Millennials; time spent alone can also mean time for rest/relaxation and/or concentration, but sustained increases at this scale raise questions about social connection and mental well-being.
One category that has continuously and consistently shown decline is with children. In 2010, young adults averaged approximately 1.7 hours per day with children. By 2023, that number dropped to about 0.9 hours; this is the lowest average of time spent in that category over the 2010 to 2023 timeframe. Nearly cut in half
Personally, I have seen it through a lot of people revert to being alone; scrolling through social media/playing video games/working from home, instead of reaching out to others. Many established those habits during the pandemic.
Though time alone can be rejuvenating, the steady decline in shared time, especially with children, makes me wonder whether we are quietly building future generations that have ultimately lost social connectedness.
Data source & citation:
Raw data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics American Time Use Survey (ATUS) Link
Processed visualization inspiration: Our World in Data chart (filtered to 15–29 years) Link
.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2025). Link