New National Survey Finds Widespread Social Isolation Across the U.S.
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Asia Tabb
AIRED; January 29, 2026
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A new national report on social connection reveals a sobering picture of life in America: millions of people are not only feeling lonely — they are increasingly disconnected from one another in tangible, measurable ways.
The research, funded by the Barnes Family Foundation and led by Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad, one of the nation’s leading experts on social connection, aims to establish the first consistent, long-term measure of social connection in the United States.
According to Dan Barnes, the foundation’s mission is rooted in the belief that human connection is essential to a thriving society.“We know that a fundamental building block — if not the fundamental building block — for this is a strong, vibrant human social connection,” Barnes said. “Social connection is the bedrock for creating a prosperous and thriving, vibrant future for everyone.”
Barnes explained that while many organizations are working on solutions to improve connection, there has never been a standardized way to track social connection nationwide.“When we started this work, we discovered that not only was there no consistent and systematic measurement of social connection in America, but there wasn’t broad agreement on the measures that there should be,” he said.
To address that gap, the foundation committed to funding this annual survey through 2050, providing policymakers, community leaders, and organizations with long-term data to understand trends and guide solutions.
What Social Connection Really Means
Dr. Holt-Lunstad emphasized that social connection is more complex than simply counting friends or followers.“We wanted to make sure that we were able to capture all the important components of social connection,” she said. “Not only the size of our networks… but also the functions that these relationships serve in our lives and the quality of those relationships as well.”
The study examined both individual relationships and broader community engagement, offering a more comprehensive look at how connected — or disconnected — Americans truly are.
The Findings: Isolation Is Widespread
One of the report’s headline findings shows that social isolation is affecting a majority of Americans.“Roughly three quarters of Americans — 72 percent — are rarely getting together with the people that they care about,” Holt-Lunstad said.
The data also points to a sharp decline in community involvement:
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More than two-thirds of Americans never participate in clubs or organizations
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Over half never volunteer
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Many report never taking collective action with neighbors
“That’s not just rarely — that’s never,” Holt-Lunstad said. “So what we’re seeing is that not only do we have small social networks, but we’re not interacting with them, and we’re not engaged in our communities.”
Loneliness and Disconnection Go Hand in Hand
While loneliness has long been recognized as a public health concern, Holt-Lunstad said the scope of this study revealed something even more troubling.“It was a little bit more widespread than I had expected,” she said. “It’s not just that we’re feeling alone — we are objectively alone, and to an even larger extent.”
The study found that about 41 percent of Americans experience loneliness, a figure consistent with previous research. However, the level of objective isolation — fewer interactions, fewer gatherings, and less participation — was significantly higher.
Economic Barriers to Connection
The research also uncovered disparities tied to income.“Those who are earning less than $75,000 a year are faring worse than the national average,” Holt-Lunstad said. “And this equates to roughly 100 million Americans.”
She noted that barriers to social participation may include financial costs, time constraints, transportation, and internal factors such as social anxiety.“Economics may be playing a role in the types of barriers that may be contributing to participation,” she said.
Moving Toward Solutions
Barnes said the ultimate goal of the research is action — not just awareness.“We cannot strengthen social connection at scale if we’re not tracking it consistently over time,” he said. “This survey is designed so leaders across all sectors can understand the trends, target solutions, and ultimately help more people thrive and flourish.”
As social isolation continues to shape public health, civic engagement, and overall well-being, the findings highlight an urgent need to rethink how communities foster connection — and how society measures what truly makes people feel connected.
