A major study has identified the key factors that make people more likely to remain single into adulthood, with higher education emerging as one of the strongest predictors.
Researchers from the University of Zurich analysed data from more than 17,000 participants in the UK and Germany who were tracked from the age of 16 to 29. All participants had no prior romantic relationship experience at the start of the study and were surveyed annually on their personal characteristics, wellbeing, and socio-demographic background.
The findings showed that individuals with higher levels of education were more likely to remain single for longer periods. Other factors linked to prolonged singlehood included living with parents, living alone, lower levels of happiness, and being male.
“Our results demonstrate that both socio-demographic factors, such as education, and psychological characteristics, such as current wellbeing, help predict who will enter a romantic relationship and who will not,” said co-lead author Michael Krämer.
The researchers also found that living arrangements played a role. Young adults living alone or with their parents were more likely to remain single compared to those living with friends or flatmates, suggesting that shared living environments may offer more opportunities to form relationships.
In a further analysis, the team examined how prolonged singlehood affected mental health. Young adults who remained single for extended periods experienced greater declines in life satisfaction and increasing levels of loneliness. These effects became more pronounced in the late 20s, when symptoms of depression also began to rise.
The pattern was similar for both men and women. However, researchers noted that wellbeing improved soon after individuals entered their first romantic relationship.
“Overall, our findings show that remaining single for a prolonged period in young adulthood is associated with moderate risks to wellbeing,” Krämer said.
While long-term singles and those who eventually partnered showed few differences during adolescence, the gap widened significantly the longer individuals remained single. The researchers suggested that entering a first romantic relationship may become more difficult in the late 20s, particularly as declining wellbeing can further reduce the likelihood of forming a relationship.
Writing in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, the researchers concluded that young adults with lower wellbeing, male gender, higher education, and those living alone or with parents were more likely to remain single for longer.
