Rise of Single Adults Challenges Faith

Religious institutions across the United States are grappling with a significant demographic shift: the rise of single adults. With 42% of adults in the United States unmarried or not living with a partner in 2023, up from 38% in 2000, faith communities are finding their traditional family-centric structures challenged. Studies by the Pew Research Center and the Survey Center on American Life show a widening gap in religious membership between married and unmarried Americans. Many institutions, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and evangelical Christian churches, have historically built their infrastructure around married families, leading to feelings of exclusion among single members. Leaders like M. Russell Ballard and Dallin H. Oaks have addressed these concerns, with some, like Pope Francis and the Southern Baptist Convention, reasserting marriage as the expected path. However, other communities are adapting, with initiatives like the Single Friendly Church Network and Table for One working to create more inclusive environments for single adults. This societal shift, termed the 'solo economy' by Peter McGraw, has broader implications for workplaces, taxes, and consumer markets.