Community & Connection

About

This page provides data and resources on U.S. youth and adult feelings of loneliness as well as social connection and support. Data come from surveys that represent youth and adults at the state and national levels and are available by age, sex, and race and ethnicity for recent years.
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What to know

  • The majority of U.S. youth and adults say they always or usually get the social support that they need.
  • Social connection is key to well-being and overall life satisfaction. Social connection is the size and diversity of one's social network and roles, the functions these relationships serve, and their positive or negative qualities.1
  • Strong social connections can protect both mental and physical health. Social connections can help us live longer, healthier lives and reduce the risk of chronic disease, serious illness, and mental distress.1

Adult loneliness data

By state: Adults reporting loneliness

Percentage of adults by U.S. state or territory who always or usually felt lonely.

These percentages are classified into four groups: 0-25th percentile, 26-50th percentile, 51-75th percentile, and 76-100th percentile. The percentiles allow for comparison between states or territories.

Addressing loneliness across the lifespan

2023 Surgeon General's loneliness advisory cover page

Loneliness is the feeling of being alone, disconnected, or not close to others.2 A 2023 Surgeon General's report highlights growing rates of loneliness and actions we can all take to increase and strengthen connections from youth to older adulthood.

Youth social and emotional support data

National: Youth receiving social and emotional support

Most recent 2021-2023 data show 58% or 3 in 5 U.S high school students felt they received the social and emotional support they needed.

Strengthening parent-teen relationships

Essentials for Parenting Teens logo

Strengthening connections between youth and their families, schools, peers, and other adults can help protect and improve youth mental health. CDC's Essentials for Parenting Teens offers parents and caregivers tools and strategies to build positive parent-teen relationships.

Adult social and emotional support data

National: Adults receiving social and emotional support

Most recent 2021 data show 82% or 4 in 5 U.S. adults felt they received the social and emotional support they needed. The percentage was higher in 2021 than it was in 2020.

By state: Adults receiving social and emotional support

Percentage of adults by state or territory who always or usually received the social and emotional support they needed.

These percentages are ranked and classified into four groups: 0-25th percentile, 26-50th percentile, 51-75th percentile, and 76-100th percentile. The percentiles allow for comparison between states or territories.

Adult social activity data

National: Adults unable to participate in social activities due to health

Most recent 2023 data show 12% or 1 in 8 U.S. adults had difficulty participating in social activities due to a physical, mental, or emotional condition. Social activities included visiting friends, attending clubs and meetings, or going to parties.

Older adults

Still Going Strong campaign image

CDC's Still Going Strong campaign encourages healthy habits to ensure older adults maintain their ability to connect and remain socially active. Strong connections may help support and improve mental and physical health for adults as they age.

Notice

CI = Confidence interval of 95% indicates that 95% of the time, the value is expected to fall within this estimated range.

For statistical tests used, refer to data notes.

Explore original data source tools

Design elements from CDC data systems
CDC supports national and state level data systems to help us understand mental health in the U.S. This page features data excerpted from select systems.
Keep Reading: Mental Health Data Sources

Resources

Ready to take action?

CDC promotes a population health approach that addresses the drivers of well-being and mental distress. Individuals, organizations, and communities can adopt strategies to promote well-being and prevent mental health conditions before they develop or worsen.

Resources for Population Mental Health
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Content Source:
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Social Connection. Retrieved on March 3, 2025 from https://www.cdc.gov/social-connectedness/about/index.html
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Health Effects of Social Isolation and Loneliness. Retrieved on March 3, 2025 from https://www.cdc.gov/social-connectedness/risk-factors/index.html