Is it happier to be single or married?

A July 2022 Pew Research study found that 69% of American adults said they were married, while 22% had never been married.

Gallup surveyed more than 2.6 million adults between 2008 and 2023 to examine the relationship between marital status and happiness. Using the Cantril scale, a measure of subjective well-being, researchers assessed participants' current and anticipated life satisfaction.

The results showed that married people, especially those aged 25-50, had higher levels of happiness than single people, regardless of race, age and gender.

The link between happiness and marriage may extend to entire communities. Research shows that people in urban areas are more likely to be married and happier.

Can we conclude that getting married makes people happier? The answer is “not exactly”.

In the latest issue of the journal Family Relations, psychologist Nicole Watkins and colleagues conducted a study that looked at the importance of romantic relationships based on a survey of more than 900 adults aged 18-35.

The study measured three indicators of happiness: love life satisfaction, general satisfaction, and fulfillment, as all three factors contribute to happiness.

The researchers found that, overall, single young adults had lower levels of happiness than those with partners. But among singles, those who did not value romantic relationships had higher happiness scores and were on par with married people.

In other words, the pressure to “have a romantic relationship” can backfire and make a person's life worse.

Experts say it is important for parents, relatives or even friends to understand the goals and priorities of young people in their lives, instead of imposing their own wishes. They should help them invest time in pursuing meaningful goals such as academic, career, sports and personality development aspirations.