10 percent of 15 and older feel strongly lonely in 2024
Statistics Netherlands | CBS
Source published: 25 September 25
10 percent of 15 and older feel strongly lonely in 2024
Almost 10 percent of the Dutch population aged 15 and older felt strongly lonely in 2024.
Almost 10 percent of the Dutch population aged 15 and older felt strongly lonely in 2024. This is virtually the same as a year earlier, and almost equal to 2019, the year before the corona pandemic. Back then, about 9 percent felt strongly lonely. Loneliness is most common among people living alone and parents in single-parent families. This is evident from the latest figures from the research on Social Cohesion and Well-being by Statistics Netherlands (CBS). In the research since 2019, statements have been included about loneliness, such as experiencing emptiness around them, missing people, and feeling often abandoned. This is called emotional loneliness. CBS also asks participants if they have people around them with whom they feel connected, whom they trust, and whom they can rely on in times of trouble. If they do not have that, it is called social loneliness. Overall loneliness is based on statements about both emotional and social loneliness.
Strong feelings of loneliness almost back to pre-corona levels
The percentage of people feeling strongly lonely in 2024 is, after an increase in 2021, again almost equal to 2019. In 2024, like in 2023, about 1 in 10 people aged 15 and older experienced strong feelings of loneliness. 30 percent feel somewhat lonely and 61 percent do not feel lonely. This also differs little from 2023. However, in 2024, more people felt somewhat lonely than in 2019. Almost 61 percent also indicate that they do not feel lonely. This was 66 percent in 2019.
Somewhat lonely
Strongly lonely
%
*No data available for 2020
Youngest age group less often socially lonely
Emotional loneliness, when someone misses a close bond, is relatively common among young people under 25. Older people are less often affected by this.
Social loneliness, when someone needs more social contact, is less common in the youngest age group. Among people aged 45 to 75, social loneliness is most common.
Strongly emotionally lonely
%
People living alone and parents in single-parent families most often feel strongly lonely
People living alone and parents in single-parent families are most often strongly lonely, at 14 and 18 percent, respectively. People who are part of a couple with or without children report feeling strongly lonely the least, at 7 and 8 percent. Home-dwelling children (from 15 years) experience strong emotional loneliness more often than people who are part of a couple. In social loneliness, they do not differ from partners in a couple.
The differences between people living alone, parents in single-parent families, and partners in a couple apply to both forms of loneliness.
strongly emotionally lonely
strongly lonely
%
67 percent of people without regular social contact are not strongly lonely
Little or no (less than weekly) social contact with family, friends, or neighbors is associated with strong loneliness. Nevertheless, 67 percent of people who have contact with their loved ones less than once a week do not feel strongly lonely.
Having little contact is particularly important for social loneliness. Of the people who do not have regular social contact, over 46 percent feel strongly socially lonely, compared to almost 13 percent of people who do see, speak, or message someone every week. In emotional loneliness, this is less common. 23 percent of people who have no weekly contact feel strongly emotionally lonely compared to 9 percent of people who do have weekly contact.
Of the people who are strongly lonely, 33 percent are satisfied with their social life. Of the people who are not or somewhat lonely, 86 percent are satisfied with their social life.
Other data on loneliness
In the ‘State of Public Health and Care’, key figures on loneliness are included, based on the Health Monitor Adults and Elderly, from GGD-en, RIVM, and CBS. This research concerns people aged 18 and older, while the figures presented here concern those aged 15 and older. The research design and execution are not entirely comparable to the figures above; a different version of the loneliness scale is also used.
