Americans of all ages are spending less time socializing

Americans are spending less time hanging out than they were 20 years ago — and the trend cuts across every generation, Axios' Erica Pandey writes from new American Time Use Survey data.

Why it matters: It's a fundamental shift in the way we live our lives that has implications for everything from what we believe to how long we live.

By the numbers: Average time spent socializing per day has fallen from 45 to 35 minutes over the last 20 years.

• The decline is steepest among young people: 15- to 24-year-olds went from spending an hour a day hanging out with others to 35 minutes.

Between the lines: Sociologists and psychologists point to several trends driving this phenomenon, which Substack writer Derek Thompson dubbed "The Anti-Social Century" in the Atlantic last year.

• We're all on our smartphones, often interacting through screens instead of face to face — even though social media is no substitute for spending time together in person. Teens, in particular, spend an average of 4.8 hours a day on apps like TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat, according to Gallup.
• The shift to remote work — and life — during the pandemic has persisted, keeping more of us homebound.
• Longer-term trends are reshaping daily life in ways that make isolation easier. Homes are bigger and more comfortable, with larger TVs. Virtually every restaurant is on a food delivery app, making it easier than ever to stay in.

What to watch: Also contributing to the trend is the decline of gathering spaces, Axios' Avery Lotz writes.

• A 2025 report from CU Boulder researchers uncovered widespread closures of all kinds of hangout spots — from libraries to coffee shops to museums — in the last decade or so.
• Churches are also shuttering at unprecedented rates, Axios' Russell Contreras reports.