Humans are meant to be social. Whether that means hanging out with friends or gathering every week for Sunday dinner with family, we rely on human contact. Unfortunately, not everyone has a circle of friends or family nearby that they can rely on, and even those who do can still feel lonely sometimes. As it turns out, where you live could also play a part in that. So, what is the loneliest state in the U.S.?
With the COVID-19 pandemic adding social precautions and curbing in-person interaction, loneliness has become something of an epidemic over the past couple years. A new study looks at multiple factors to determine which state has the loneliest residents. Aging in Place identified states using data on the percentage of people living alone, divorced or widowed, or using apps to find a relationship, romantic or otherwise. Each state received an overall ranking out of 10, with one being the least lonely and 10 being the most.
Curious if your state made the cut for the loneliest? Read on to discover the 10 loneliest states based on the most recent data.
RELATED: This Is the Worst State to Live in If You're Single.
10 | Michigan
ShutterstockSecuring the number 10 ranking is Michigan. With a decently sized population of 9,992,427 people, the Great Lakes State scored a 5.68 out of 10 on the loneliness scale. Michigan's divorce and widowed rates come in high as well, at 12 percent and 6 percent. According to the Aging in Place study, more people are also looking for romantic relationships over friendships.
9 | Delaware
ShutterstockThis East Coast state scored an even 6 out of 10 with a population that's under one million people. The percentage of single-person households in Delaware from 2019 to now is 28.8, and over 2,500 people per 10,000 are looking for relationships.
8 | Rhode Island
ShutterstockUp next is another small state: Rhode Island. We might be sensing a bit of a pattern here. The state scored an overall 6.2 out of 10. While the divorce rate of 11 percent isn't as high as in other states, it's still contributing to the loneliness of Rhode Island residents.
7 | Oregon
Beth Dixson / AlamyTied with Rhode Island is Oregon, netting a 6.2 out of 10. The Pacific Northwest state, which has a mid-sized population of 4,289,439, has almost 600 people per 10,000 who are looking for friendships.
RELATED: These Are the Saddest States in the U.S.
6 | Pennsylvania
ShutterstockEven though Pennsylvania is home to the bustling city of Philadelphia, loneliness still runs rampant here, according to the Aging in Place study. The heavily populated state of over 12 million scored a 6.24 out of 10 in the rankings.
5 | Vermont
ShutterstockAnother small state, Vermont has an especially high number of single-person households at almost 32 percent. That helped it earn a score of 6.28 out of 10, making it the fifth loneliest state in the U.S.
4 | New Mexico
ShutterstockIn fourth place is none other than New Mexico: The Southwestern state is inching closer to 10 with a score of 6.60. For every 10,000 people, almost 2,300 are actively looking for a relationship on dating apps.
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3 | Ohio
ShutterstockSeeing Ohio in the top three loneliest states might be a surprise given the population. Nonetheless, the state earned a 6.68 out of 10, in part because more than 30 percent of the 11,714,618 people living there are living by themselves. Widowed people also make up 6.4 percent of the population.
2 | Florida
Grindstone Media Group / ShutterstockThe second-loneliest state, Florida got an even 7 out of 10. The Sunshine State—despite a population nearing 22 million and home to "the happiest place on earth"—has a 13 percent rate of divorce and 2,888 people per 10,000 looking for relationships or friendships.
1 | Maine
DejaVuDesigns / ShutterstockThe gorgeous views and delicious seafood offerings can only go so far: Maine's relatively small population is the loneliest in the country, per the Aging in Place study. The state ended up with the highest score of 7.6 out of 10. In particular, Maine has the highest rate of divorced people at 14 percent, as well as more than 3,000 people per 10,000 looking for relationships.
