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One in five lives alone: alarming statistics on loneliness!
The number of people living alone in Germany rises to 17 million. Reasons, social inequality and effects are considered.
One in five lives alone: alarming statistics on loneliness!
In Germany, around 17 million people live alone, which corresponds to a remarkable proportion of 20.6 percent of the population. This trend has increased remarkably, especially in the last 20 years - from 14 million in 2004 to today's level. Mirror reports that the sociologist Alexander Langenkamp also associates this increase with reunification and the change in social norms. More and more people are choosing to live alone.
The reasons for this development are diverse: demographic change, an increase in individual mobility and educational expansion have led to more and more people living in single households. Loud daily news A particularly large number of older people live alone - more than 34 percent of those over 65 live alone, and among those over 85 the figure is even more than half. This leads to an alarming finding: 29 percent of these people living alone are at risk of poverty, while the average for the overall population is 15.5 percent.
Loneliness is an issue
Another aspect that often comes up in the discussion about people living alone is the topic of loneliness. A time use survey from 2022 shows that around 26 percent of people who live alone often feel lonely. This compares to just 16.3 percent of the total population. However, Langenkamp emphasizes that loneliness is not necessarily associated with living alone.
The proportion of people living alone is particularly high among young adults between the ages of 25 and 34, at 28 percent. Women live alone slightly more often than men - 21 percent of women versus 20 percent of men. No wonder, given the higher mortality rate among men in old age.
Germany in international comparison
The international comparison is also exciting: While in Germany 20.6 percent live alone, the EU average is 16.2 percent. In some northern and northeastern European countries such as Lithuania, Finland and Denmark the rates are even higher. On the other hand, things look completely different in countries like Slovakia (3.5 percent) or Ireland (8 percent). daily news emphasizes that this development represents not only a societal but also a social challenge.
This makes it clear: Living in a single household has become a reality for many, with both opportunities and challenges hidden underneath. In any case, the topic is definitely worth keeping in focus because, as we know, there is something going on.