Washington – September 24, 2026 -- Four in ten Americans report moderate to severe loneliness, according to the second annual Social Connection in AmericaTM survey, which found that key indicators of social connection weakened for a second consecutive year.
Nearly 70% of Americans see loved ones no more than once or twice a month
The survey, part of a 25-year national tracking initiative led by RAND and The Connection Institute with founding funder the Barnes Family Foundation, found that one in five Americans meet with people they care about only a few times a year or less. Time constraints are the top barrier to connection, cited by 30.6% of respondents, followed by distance (14.8%), effort (13.3%) and social anxiety (11.1%).
Most Americans reject virtual interaction as a substitute for in-person time
Nearly twice as many respondents disagree (43.9%) as agree (24.4%) that virtual interactions satisfy their need for connection as much as in-person contact. AI companionship remains a niche behavior, with 84.9% of Americans saying they rarely or never use an AI companion.
57% of Americans do not belong to any club or organization
The data show 58% did not volunteer and 49% did not attend religious services in the past year, pointing to a broad decline in structured community participation. Cross-background interaction also lags: only 37% of Americans report engaging often or all the time with people from different backgrounds or viewpoints, while 19% do so rarely or never.
"What concerns me is not any single finding, but the pattern of disconnection across the data, including too little time together, limited participation in community life and persistent loneliness,