What you need to know

As the population grows and the marriage rate declines, single adults represent a growing consumer segment. From 2006-16, the share of unmarried individuals increased from 45.2% to 48% of the population aged 15+, resulting in 123.5 million singles. Singles are looking for ways to improve their lives, specifically by focusing on their physical health, career, and finances. Getting married is not an immediate goal for most, as just about one quarter hope to marry in the next five years. Understanding that singles’ priorities tend to be less family-centered, successfully reaching them will likely come by appealing to their desire to focus on themselves.

Definition

For the purposes of this Report, Mintel has used the following definitions:

Singles: adults 18+ who self-identify as single. The use of “singles” excludes adults who are married or living with a partner or identify as separated, widowed, or divorced.

Coupled: adults 18+ who self-identify as married or living with a partner.

The Report builds on the analysis presented in Mintel’s Single Lifestyles – US, February 2012. Readers may also be interested in Mintel’s Marketing to Millennials – US, May 2016.

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