Celebrated on the Saturday during National Singles Week, National Singles Day is a holiday designed to recognize the people who make up almost half of the U.S. population: singles. It’s a day on which people can celebrate their achievements and recognize that they are as vital to society as married couples.

After all, statistics show that single people are more likely to deal with sick or aging parents or perform charitable acts in the community. This day should not be confused with Singles Awareness Day, which is celebrated in February.

The History of National Singles Day

This holiday was officially started in the 1980s when it was observed for the first time in Columbus, Ohio. It was created by the Buckeye Singles Council but was celebrated on a different day than it is today.

In 2017, the holiday was moved so that it would coincide with National Singles Week, and it has been on that Saturday ever since.

Facts About U.S. Singles

Now that we know about National Singles Day, we might want to discuss some fun facts about singles living in the United States. Some of these statistics might be surprising to some people, while others might be expected.

Singles Make Up Over 45% of the U.S. Population

The first fact to discuss is that singles now make up almost half the U.S. population. It was reported in 2017 that approximately 110 million adults over the age of 18 were single in the United States. And the population of singles is growing each year.

For example, the U.S. Census reports that singles accounted for only 24% of the population during 1960, a stark contrast to the 45% of the population being single nowadays. This is a trend that is estimated to extend into the future as fewer people find the need to marry.

Never Married Singles Account for Over Half of All Singles

If you consider the entire population of singles in the U.S., you’ll notice that a whopping 61% of them over the age of 18 have never been married. The rest of them are either divorced (24%) or widowed (14%).

The Elderly Account for Over 16% of Single People

There are over 16.4 million singles over the age of 65. This is over 16% of the population of all single people over the age of 18 in the United States. This figure is expected to rise as the population ages.

Celebrating National Singles Day

Celebrating this holiday is as simple as showing some appreciation to a single person you know. Married couples should make sure to make room in their lives for their single friends, and everyone should remember to include single people in their lives.

This holiday can also be celebrated by using the hashtag #NationalSinglesDay on social media. This hashtag can be used in conjunction with the hashtag #NationalSinglesWeek to bring more awareness to these holidays.