Fewer young people are coupling up
Jan de Wild / Alamy
The decline in relationships among young adults appears more significant than previously thought. It was known that fewer members of Gen Z maintain steady relationships compared to millennials at the same age. However, earlier studies often overlooked partnerships where individuals lived separately. Including these, it seems even fewer Gen Z individuals are in relationships than initially believed.
The reasons for this trend are varied, ranging from the influence of social media to the challenging housing market. Researchers are still investigating whether long-term singlehood impacts well-being positively or negatively. “We should be cautious to not pathologise this potential choice to be unpartnered,” says Maximiliane Uhlich of the University of Basel in Switzerland, who did not participate in the study.
Katherine Twamley from University College London and her team examined data from two rounds of a UK national survey that recorded people’s relationship statuses, considering various types of relationships and living arrangements. In the first round, conducted from 2010 to 2012, millennials born between 1981 and 1996 were aged 16 to 29. The second round, from 2022 to 2024, focused on Gen Z within the same age range.
The findings showed that 57 percent of millennials reported being in any steady relationship, whereas only 49 percent of Gen Z did at the same stage in life. “This seems a bit unprecedented,” notes Uhlich.
The researchers attribute the decline largely to fewer Gen Z individuals living with their partners compared to millennials at the same age. This suggests the relationship downturn is more pronounced than previously thought, says Twamley, who presented these findings at the Love, Actually and in Theory conference in Edinburgh, UK.
The changes in relationship patterns likely stem from multiple factors. “Gen Z is the first generation to grow up with social media and smartphones, and this affects their interactions,” says Uhlich.
The impact of the covid-19 pandemic is also significant. “It was during such a sensitive developmental period [for Gen Z],” explains Uhlich. “Suddenly, social contact was prohibited, and research suggests this might have affected their social skills and ability to form friendships or peer relationships.”
Additionally, rising housing and rental costs are compelling Gen Z to stay with their parents longer, which might hinder their ability to build stable relationships, according to Twamley.
On the other hand, Gen Z might be more selective in their relationships. “Perhaps they have witnessed high divorce rates among their parents and wish to be more discerning, finding the right person before committing,” Uhlich suggests.
The researchers plan to delve into these potential reasons further, Twamley states, and intend to follow up on another analysis indicating that Gen Z participants not in stable relationships reported poorer mental well-being. “They might feel lonely because they’re not in a relationship, or they are not in a relationship because they feel lonely,” she explains.
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