People living alone are more likely to report feeling depressed compared to those living with others, according to a new study by the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics. And that effect is particularly stark for people living alone who say they have little or no social and emotional support.
“The most interesting takeaway from this study was the importance of feeling supported,” says social scientist Kasley Killam, who wasn’t involved in the new study. “And this is consistent with other evidence showing that social support and emotional support really play a pivotal role in people’s overall health and well-being.”
The new study comes at a time when the number of single person households in the U.S. has skyrocketed. In the decade from 2012 to 2022, the number of Americans living alone jumped by nearly 5 million to 37.9 million.
The average rent for a 1-bedroom in the US is around $1149/month.
Most rentals require a renter to make 3 times the amount of rent to be able to rent the property.
Income that equals three times $1149 is around $21.50 an hour.
National minimum wage is $7.25/hour. District of Columbia has the highest minimum wage at $17/hour. Washington State comes in a close second at $16.28/hour.
Even in both of these instances of higher minimum wage, there is a deficit between $4 and $5 dollars per hour that leaves people in minimum wage jobs either working multiple jobs to afford a one-bedroom, or are forced to co-habitate with roommates or domestic partners. For people making the Federal minimum, there is a $14.25/hour deficit to be able to afford a one bedroom apartment. (The deficit is almost double what they actually make)
I’m not convinced cohabitation is any better when you can get stuck with crazy, abusive roommates/partners that can be hard to separate from without spending a lot of time, money, and effort that minimum wage earners don’t have. The number of women I’ve known who are stuck living with abusive male partners is too damn high, and they were all stuck because without those men’s income, they would be on the street.
So long story short: Who the living fuck can afford to live alone anyway??
Keep in mind:
There is clearly a lot of people who can afford to live alone, and for some reason they appear to be at a higher risk of depression.
Dismissing the existence of this group is not going to solve that problem.
The rent for my trailer is $230 a month and my mortgage is $300, after ten years this trailer will be mine and I can move it to a plot of land to never pay rent again. All alone.
So basically, lonely people in flyover country.