Study finds many young men feel lonely, disconnected, shut out of the American dream
August 5, 2026
More than half of U.S. young men report feeling lonely or isolated at least some of the time, nearly half lack a sense of community, and many say the American dream feels increasingly out of reach, according to a report from the Institute for Family Studies.
The second installment of the institute’s “America’s Demoralized Men” study, based on a nationally representative YouGov survey of 2,000 men ages 18 to 29, examined young men’s social lives, mental health, civic engagement, and online habits. Researchers said the findings revealed a generation that still desires marriage, fatherhood, and meaningful work but often struggles to achieve those goals.
