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Statistics1,400 word read

Loneliness Statistics 2026: How Common It Is and What It Costs

Around one in four adults worldwide report feeling lonely, with young adults and city migrants most affected. Loneliness raises mortality risk by 26–32%, comparable to smoking or obesity.

The full piece is still being written. Here is what it covers.

In this brief

  • The global number
  • India and urban migration
  • Young adults: the surprising peak
  • Health effects, quantified
  • What reduces it (trial evidence)
  • Where Happy First fits

Questions it answers

  • Is loneliness a health risk?
  • Which age group is loneliest?
  • How do you measure loneliness?
Take it with you

Try one small change for seven days.

Come back to this idea tomorrow. Happiness grows better through a practice than a promise.