More than half of American singles say they are happier on their own than they were in past relationships, according to the nation’s most comprehensive and longest-running annual study of single adults. The finding sits alongside a renewed surge in interest in marriage, pointing to a dating landscape defined less by urgency than by deliberate choice.
The 15th annual snapshot of American single life
Match, in partnership with researchers from the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University, released its 15th annual Singles in America study on September 10, 2026. It is described as the nation’s most comprehensive and longest-running scientific study of single adults, based on a survey of approximately 5,000 US singles, with 120 questions examining how Americans are approaching singlehood, relationships, and social issues today.
Conducted between March and April 2026, the demographically representative survey included single adults aged 18 and older, with findings further analyzed by age and gender.
Among respondents, 52.4% reported being happier single than in past relationships, with the survey also indicating improvements in confidence and reduced stress. Nearly half said they had gone on no in-person dates during the previous year.
Yet the picture is more complicated than a wholesale retreat from romance. While just 16% said they were actively seeking a committed relationship, another 45% said they were not actively looking but would welcome a relationship if the right person came along.
Marriage interest at a 15-year high, dating logic shifting
Respondents who said they would like to get married in the future increased from 33% in 2010 to 45% in 2026. Approximately a third (30%) of respondents said they would be open to long-term committed relationships with no intention of marrying.
After steadily rising to a peak of 32% in 2021, the share of respondents who said they don’t want a relationship declined to 24% in 2026.
Singles also appear more willing to try a second date if the first isn’t exciting, rising from 35% in 2021 to 41% in 2026.
Belief in love at first sight increased from 41% in 2010 to 62% in 2026, yet nearly half of singles (49%) said they have fallen for someone they did not initially find attractive, up from 30% in 2010. The top reasons include having great conversations, sharing common interests, and becoming best friends.
That patience coexists with greater selectivity. The share of singles with a defined checklist for a long-term partner rose from 25% in 2021 to 34% in 2026, while fewer reported falling in love with someone who did not meet most of their checklist.
“There’s an interesting tension in the data: singles today have clear expectations for a partner, but love still has the ability to surprise them,” said Dr. Justin Garcia, Executive Director of the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University and co-lead for this study.
Economy, AI and pre-date research reshape the search
Financial pressure is shaping the search for connection, with 52% of singles saying the economy makes them more interested in finding a partner, while others are delaying commitment and parenthood until they feel financially secure.
That economic weight lands on a dating landscape where the cost of going out is already top of mind for many singles, as covered in earlier GCN reporting on date-night spending.
AI use in dating is also growing: 39% of singles have used it for dating-related purposes, including 67% of Gen Z, though 66% said it could not replace human connection.
Pre-date vetting has become standard practice among younger adults. Half of Gen Z respondents reported screening or researching dates online before meeting them in person, most commonly through social media (60%), but also via Google search (37%) and background checks (29%).
The pattern of singles withdrawing from the noisiest corners of digital life echoes a broader mood. The same population that is cautious about dating apps is also second-guessing its phone habits more broadly, a theme GCN documented when Pew found roughly half of US adults consider their smartphone use excessive.
Children, fertility and shifting expectations
Only 38% of singles ages 18 to 49 say they want children, and financial stability is a top parenting consideration for half of respondents.
Appetite for alternative paths to parenthood has narrowed sharply in a decade. Willingness to consider fertility treatments such as IVF fell from 44% in 2017 to 18% in 2026, and willingness to consider adoption also fell from 53% to 27% over the same period.
The Singles in America study is now in its 15th edition and has surveyed more than 80,000 people across the United States, creating one of the richest datasets available for understanding shifting relationship patterns and social trends. The 2026 full findings are available through the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University and the Match press release.
