Solo Households: Analyzing Where And How Single Householders Live

Over time, the traditional U.S. household has evolved. Gone are society’s expectations of buying a house as a married couple. Today, nearly half of American households are “zero-couple” or single households.

Zero-couple or single households, also known as solo households, don’t simply refer to single homeowners living alone. This term also includes a married person who lives apart from their spouse or any person who lives with tenants, roommates, friends or relatives. Basically, a zero-couple household is any household without a cohabiting couple, regardless of marital status.

In this article, we’ll analyze data from the American Community Survey (ACS) to understand the distribution of zero-couple versus couple households across the U.S. We’ll also break down where zero-couple households are most common and discuss homeownership and renting trends for this demographic. 

Zero-Couple Vs. Couple Households In The U.S.

Zero-couple households make up 45.4% of all households in the U.S. These single households consist of both homeowners and renters. Out of these zero-couple households, 34.4% are women who live alone and 28.6% are men who live alone.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of people living alone has increased each decade since 1940. Believe it or not, the number of solo households equaled only 7.7% of all households back in 1940. Fast-forward to today and nearly half of households in the U.S. are single households.

The increase in solo living is also evident when looking at the characteristics of home buyers across the country. According to the National Association of REALTORS^Ⓡ (NAR, Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends Report, 17% of home buyers in 2023 were single women, 9% were single men and 10% were unmarried couples.

It’s important to note here that the solo households with no spouse present are defined by the U.S. Census as households with householders who are married with at least one other relative in the household, but their spouse is absent because of separation or other reason where the spouses maintain separate residences. This also includes householders who are widowed, divorced or single with at least one other relative in the household.

Zero-Couple Households By Region

Where are zero-couple households most common? Washington, D.C., has the highest percentage of single households at 67%. The next highest percentages hover around 50% in states across the country, including Mississippi, Louisiana, New Mexico and New York. Utah, on the other hand, has the lowest percentage of single households (35%) and the highest number of couple households (65%).

Utah also saw the largest increase in single households at 27.9% from 2012 – 2022. Texas saw the second highest at 23.3%, followed by Idaho, with a 21.4% jump over the same decade.

To understand why these states are seeing a jump in zero-couple households, it’s helpful to gather additional context about these locations. For example, Utah is home to St. George – one of the fastest growing cities in the U.S. Round Rock, Texas was #4 on that same list. Harlingen and McAllen, Texas are also on our list of cheapest places to live in the U.S., which could make Texas even more appealing to someone on a single income. Texas also had the second highest migration rate based on our study of American migration patterns in 2022.

Zero-Couple Households By City

Hartford, Connecticut, tops the list of highest number of zero-couple households at 79% of the city’s total population. Santa Clarita, California, has the lowest percentage with only 33% of its total population being solo households. Two other California cities – Simi Valley and Rancho Cucamonga – can also be found on the list of five cities with the lowest zero-couple household ratios. Roseville, Green Bay and Little Rock have seen the biggest increase in solo households from 2012 – 2022.