For years, the assumption has been that young adults have simply lost interest in commitment — but a major national survey suggests the diagnosis was wrong.
According to the Institute for Family Studies’ 2026 State of Our Unions report, only about 30% of unmarried young adults ages 22 to 35 are actively dating — even though most say they want a serious relationship and expect to get married someday.
Researchers surveyed more than 5,200 unmarried young adults and found what they’re calling a “dating recession.” While 86% said they expect to marry at some point, only about one in three reported dating at least once a month. Nearly three-quarters of women and almost two-thirds of men said they either hadn’t dated at all or had only gone on a few dates over the past year.
Commitment isn’t the issue. More than three-quarters of respondents said they date to build emotional connection and pursue serious relationships. Only a small minority said fear of commitment or losing personal freedom was keeping them away.
The barriers are more practical. More than half (52%) said they simply don’t have enough money to date. Nearly half cited a lack of confidence, and 48% said past experiences had made it harder to put themselves back out there. Only about one in four said they felt confident approaching someone they were interested in romantically.
Heartbreak compounds the problem. More than half said previous breakups have made them more reluctant to start new relationships, and only 28% said they could stay positive after a bad date or setback.
The report also challenges the idea that young adults have stopped caring about marriage. Nearly two-thirds said it’s an important life goal, and almost half said they’d like to be married now — but many believe they need to hit a certain financial threshold first, making marriage feel perpetually a few years away.
What the researchers describe isn’t a generation that has given up on love. It’s one that wants connection but feels unequipped — and often too broke — to pursue it.
