Americans' Social Lives Have Collapsed Over the Past 30 Years

Americans' Social Activity Has Steeply Declined in the Past 30 Years

A new Data for Progress survey of 1,098 U.S. adults finds steep, double-digit declines in social activities from 1995 to 2026: entertaining at home dropped from 88% to 67%, club meetings from 45% to 26%, and church attendance fell 20 points. Meanwhile, internet use surged 90 points and home video gaming rose 22. The findings echo Robert Putnam's Bowling Alone and suggest Americans are retreating from shared spaces.