The number of unmarried men in the United States has risen sharply over the past several decades, with the Institute for Family Studies reporting that the gap between married and unmarried men ages 20 to 39 has expanded substantially. The organization’s latest research also finds that marriage remains an important goal for many young men, despite growing obstacles in the dating and relationship market.

A 2026 Institute for Family Studies survey of 2,000 American men ages 18 to 29 found that 68% of unmarried men want to get married, while another 21% were unsure. At the same time, 59% of the young men surveyed were not in a romantic relationship. Among young men who were not dating, fear of rejection was one of the reported barriers to pursuing relationships.

The research suggests that the issue is not simply a rejection of marriage. Many young men continue to express traditional aspirations for marriage and fatherhood, but economic uncertainty and difficulties entering the dating market can make those goals harder to reach. The Institute for Family Studies found that young men frequently connect adulthood with financial independence, steady employment, marriage and parenthood.

Economic conditions can also affect when men feel prepared to marry. Housing costs, employment stability and income are among the circumstances researchers examine when looking at marriage patterns. A separate Institute for Family Studies analysis found that only 32% of single men ages 30 to 39 and 19% of single men ages 22 to 29 had personal incomes of at least $60,000, illustrating the financial circumstances facing many unmarried men.

The dating environment itself has also become less active. In a nationally representative 2025 survey of 5,275 unmarried Americans ages 22 to 35, the Institute for Family Studies found that only about 30% were dating either casually or exclusively. Among men in that age group, 64% reported that they had either not dated or had dated only a few times during the previous year.

The changing role of marriage has also contributed to the broader shift, as greater access to education and employment has reduced women’s financial dependence on marriage and placed greater emphasis on compatibility and companionship. Together with changing household patterns and later marriage, these trends have created a growing disconnect between young men’s desire for marriage and their ability to form long-term relationships, leaving many outside romantic relationships during the years when previous generations more commonly began families.