Washington, DC tops list of most people living alone in US
Story at a glance
- The Chamber of Commerce analyzed census bureau data.
- Among more than 170 cities with a population of at least 150,000, Washington, D.C. ranked first among percent of one-person households.
- This was followed by Birmingham, Ala.; St. Louis, Mo.; Atlanta, Ga.; and Cleveland, Ohio in fifth.
Washington, D.C. topped the list of the cities with the most one-person households, according to census bureau data analyzed by the Chamber of Commerce.
Among more than 170 cities with a population of at least 150,000, Washington, D.C. ranked first among percent of one-person households, followed by Birmingham, Ala.; St. Louis, Mo.; Atlanta, Ga.; and Cleveland, Ohio in fifth.
In Washington, about 48.6 percent of the 326,970 households are single-person residences, meaning 158,840 residents lived alone, according to recent data. This represents a 3 percent year-over-year increase, the data showed.
Birmingham similarly had nearly half (48 percent) of its 88,889 households occupied by one person. This city saw a dramatic spike in residents living alone – 11.4 percent – increasing by more than 3,800.
In St. Louis, 47.5 percent (70,513) of households were occupied by one person – a 6.3 percent increase from the previous year. In Atlanta, 44.5 percent of households (110,979) were occupied by one person. In Cleveland, 46.2 percent of households were occupied by only one person.
The Chamber of Commerce broke down the one-person households by gender, too. And the Washington metropolitan area more broadly was well represented on the list.
Washington was ranked in third for the city with the most men living alone, and second for the most women living alone. Alexandria, Va. topped the list for the city with most women living alone and came in eighth for the city with most men living alone.
The Chamber of Commerce acknowledged there are a variety of factors that contribute to single-person households – a trend that has continued to grow since the pandemic.