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Charted: Who American Men and Women Spend Time With

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Charted: Who American Men and Women Spend Time With

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Key Takeaways

  • Men spend significantly more time with coworkers during their working years, while women spend more time with children at nearly every age.
  • Time spent alone increases steadily with age, reaching over 8 hours daily in old age, particularly for women.
  • Friendship time peaks in the late teens and drops off quickly after entering the workforce and starting families.

The way Americans allocate their time across relationships shifts dramatically over a lifetime.

This visualization from Our World in Data uses figures from the American Time Use Survey, which has tracked daily activities and social context across age groups from 2010 to 2023.

Here’s a look at how time is spent with others—or alone—by age and gender:

Entity Year Family Friend Co-worker Partner Children Alone
All people 15 4.32 1.58 0.17 0.00 0.36 3.63
All people 16 4.12 1.53 0.40 0.00 0.40 3.87
All people 17 3.71 1.84 0.75 0.02 0.40 4.01
All people 18 3.80 2.04 1.36 0.10 0.49 4.35
All people 19 2.95 1.86 2.09 0.30 0.46 5.09
All people 20 2.95 1.82 2.33 0.39 0.74 5.03
All people 21 2.52 1.85 2.43 0.86 1.02 4.97
All people 22 2.28 1.48 2.72 0.81 1.02 5.28
All people 23 2.07 1.55 3.16 1.35 1.47 4.82
All people 24 1.84 1.47 3.26 1.61 1.48 4.84
All people 25 1.60 1.11 3.13 1.95 1.76 5.07
All people 26 1.41 1.18 3.21 2.30 1.85 5.04
All people 27 1.37 1.09 3.25 2.59 2.36 4.77
All people 28 1.22 0.97 3.25 2.77 2.79 4.78
All people 29 1.32 0.90 3.14 2.87 2.96 4.76
All people 30 1.08 0.78 3.36 3.00 3.13 4.67
All people 31 1.12 0.77 2.96 3.42 3.57 4.70
All people 32 1.00 0.71 3.17 3.30 3.67 4.67
All people 33 1.00 0.75 2.87 3.38 4.23 4.44
All people 34 1.05 0.60 2.89 3.38 4.22 4.65
All people 35 0.93 0.61 2.95 3.41 4.20 4.69
All people 36 0.99 0.61 2.81 3.20 4.18 4.87
All people 37 0.95 0.66 2.94 3.41 4.11 4.75
All people 38 0.94 0.60 3.02 3.32 4.19 4.77
All people 39 0.90 0.49 2.74 3.61 4.32 4.96
All people 40 0.80 0.52 2.92 3.33 3.93 5.07
All people 41 0.91 0.55 2.81 3.31 4.04 5.17
All people 42 0.78 0.60 2.98 3.17 3.67 5.25
All people 43 0.87 0.61 2.66 3.17 3.56 5.57
All people 44 0.88 0.56 2.75 3.27 3.53 5.49
All people 45 0.93 0.54 2.90 3.08 3.43 5.43
All people 46 0.89 0.56 2.67 3.21 3.02 5.84
All people 47 0.91 0.57 2.72 2.92 2.83 6.03
All people 48 0.92 0.46 2.75 3.28 2.56 5.81
All people 49 0.93 0.57 2.92 3.15 2.36 5.93
All people 50 1.03 0.43 2.62 2.90 2.20 6.42
All people 51 1.01 0.54 2.70 3.12 2.05 6.33
All people 52 1.08 0.49 2.76 3.20 1.75 6.51
All people 53 0.93 0.48 2.63 3.04 1.71 6.60
All people 54 0.96 0.52 2.85 2.98 1.48 6.51
All people 55 1.04 0.51 2.43 3.12 1.46 6.68
All people 56 1.07 0.57 2.46 3.33 1.30 6.58
All people 57 0.97 0.47 2.52 3.10 1.27 6.87
All people 58 1.13 0.54 2.25 2.98 1.10 7.03
All people 59 1.07 0.43 2.23 3.34 1.15 7.10
All people 60 1.07 0.55 2.03 3.32 1.06 7.17
All people 61 0.99 0.47 2.08 3.51 1.12 6.99
All people 62 0.94 0.48 1.49 3.75 1.00 7.30
All people 63 1.08 0.51 1.35 3.71 0.95 7.45
All people 64 0.97 0.52 1.35 3.77 0.93 7.55
All people 65 1.09 0.52 0.99 3.94 0.92 7.62
All people 66 1.13 0.57 0.82 4.17 0.95 7.46
All people 67 0.92 0.56 0.65 4.30 0.93 7.45
All people 68 0.92 0.62 0.64 4.21 0.91 7.55
All people 69 0.98 0.59 0.45 4.49 1.04 7.51
All people 70 0.91 0.67 0.47 4.22 0.88 7.62
All people 71 0.93 0.61 0.33 4.52 0.96 7.53
All people 72 0.89 0.61 0.31 4.23 0.74 8.06
All people 73 0.86 0.51 0.31 4.41 0.89 7.82
All people 74 0.92 0.53 0.22 4.23 0.81 7.87
All people 75 0.88 0.58 0.27 4.26 0.86 7.75
All people 76 0.80 0.56 0.24 4.61 0.73 7.64
All people 77 1.05 0.50 0.17 4.45 0.73 7.68
All people 78 0.94 0.59 0.06 4.42 0.73 7.73
All people 79 0.81 0.62 0.10 4.17 0.61 7.93
All people 80 0.98 0.53 0.11 3.86 0.73 7.96
All people 85 1.07 0.55 0.05 2.63 0.75 8.44
Men 15 4.07 1.64 0.22 0.00 0.27 3.88
Men 16 3.82 1.53 0.39 0.00 0.28 4.17
Men 17 3.27 1.95 0.86 0.00 0.25 4.49
Men 18 3.19 1.96 1.59 0.09 0.34 4.95
Men 19 2.52 2.04 2.19 0.29 0.20 5.59
Men 20 2.69 1.84 2.64 0.23 0.38 5.51
Men 21 2.13 2.26 2.72 0.63 0.51 5.53
Men 22 2.02 1.70 2.83 0.65 0.54 5.91
Men 23 1.92 1.84 3.20 1.25 0.76 5.31
Men 24 1.70 1.82 3.80 1.36 0.63 5.36
Men 25 1.49 1.38 3.67 1.73 1.00 5.61
Men 26 1.36 1.32 3.68 1.98 0.98 5.73
Men 27 1.29 1.21 3.57 2.36 1.52 5.44
Men 28 1.10 1.16 3.93 2.53 1.62 5.47
Men 29 1.07 1.05 3.82 2.83 1.69 5.37
Men 30 0.98 0.91 4.19 2.89 1.72 5.23
Men 31 1.07 0.83 3.56 3.49 2.50 5.28
Men 32 0.83 0.85 3.87 3.29 2.33 5.34
Men 33 0.94 0.85 3.52 3.53 3.16 4.90
Men 34 1.04 0.66 3.76 3.26 2.97 5.29
Men 35 0.79 0.64 3.54 3.61 3.20 5.19
Men 36 0.85 0.76 3.50 3.17 3.06 5.36
Men 37 0.73 0.77 3.69 3.62 3.16 5.08
Men 38 0.78 0.74 3.68 3.41 3.34 5.25
Men 39 0.85 0.48 3.09 3.90 3.54 5.47
Men 40 0.71 0.54 3.64 3.52 3.14 5.42
Men 41 0.93 0.44 3.41 3.46 3.26 5.45
Men 42 0.69 0.65 3.37 3.46 3.06 5.47
Men 43 0.72 0.63 3.19 3.16 2.81 6.07
Men 44 0.68 0.60 3.12 3.53 2.93 5.93
Men 45 0.80 0.53 3.62 3.36 3.03 5.42
Men 46 0.81 0.59 3.12 3.19 2.51 6.32
Men 47 0.72 0.61 3.17 3.23 2.32 6.24
Men 48 0.81 0.46 3.19 3.50 2.27 6.03
Men 49 0.82 0.67 3.07 3.18 2.17 6.28
Men 50 0.82 0.41 2.81 2.82 1.86 7.01
Men 51 0.83 0.46 2.96 3.22 1.82 6.63
Men 52 0.87 0.51 3.05 3.28 1.36 6.92
Men 53 0.76 0.39 2.92 3.12 1.52 6.90
Men 54 0.79 0.47 3.16 3.02 1.27 6.93
Men 55 0.81 0.52 2.83 3.23 1.12 7.03
Men 56 0.77 0.52 2.51 3.44 1.12 6.93
Men 57 0.65 0.45 3.13 3.13 0.94 7.04
Men 58 0.81 0.55 2.64 3.30 0.83 7.25
Men 59 0.96 0.47 2.32 3.46 1.00 7.40
Men 60 0.87 0.54 2.27 3.56 0.91 7.32
Men 61 0.83 0.49 2.46 3.66 0.97 7.00
Men 62 0.69 0.46 1.63 3.84 0.70 7.87
Men 63 0.96 0.53 1.45 3.82 0.72 7.82
Men 64 0.73 0.51 1.52 3.96 0.69 7.75
Men 65 0.81 0.55 1.25 4.15 0.77 7.86
Men 66 0.91 0.63 1.02 4.49 0.74 7.58
Men 67 0.76 0.56 0.74 4.55 0.76 7.69
Men 68 0.72 0.54 0.80 4.90 0.77 7.33
Men 69 0.81 0.62 0.47 4.86 0.80 7.62
Men 70 0.69 0.72 0.60 4.83 0.78 7.55
Men 71 0.69 0.61 0.49 5.15 0.76 7.54
Men 72 0.66 0.54 0.48 5.08 0.50 7.79
Men 73 0.74 0.47 0.41 5.36 0.85 7.37
Men 74 0.67 0.46 0.24 5.20 0.52 7.59
Men 75 0.70 0.64 0.32 5.37 0.67 7.08
Men 76 0.67 0.39 0.28 5.79 0.63 7.15
Men 77 0.96 0.48 0.28 5.77 0.62 6.90
Men 78 0.62 0.46 0.07 5.73 0.54 7.09
Men 79 0.47 0.51 0.16 5.55 0.41 7.44
Men 80 0.78 0.49 0.11 5.24 0.45 7.30
Men 85 0.80 0.47 0.08 4.49 0.65 7.42
Women 15 4.58 1.53 0.12 0.00 0.46 3.38
Women 16 4.45 1.54 0.41 0.00 0.53 3.52
Women 17 4.17 1.73 0.64 0.03 0.56 3.51
Women 18 4.43 2.12 1.13 0.11 0.64 3.73
Women 19 3.37 1.68 2.00 0.32 0.72 4.62
Women 20 3.27 1.80 1.93 0.58 1.20 4.42
Women 21 2.89 1.48 2.18 1.08 1.47 4.46
Women 22 2.54 1.26 2.60 0.99 1.51 4.63
Women 23 2.20 1.30 3.13 1.43 2.09 4.38
Women 24 1.99 1.11 2.71 1.86 2.33 4.31
Women 25 1.70 0.84 2.56 2.19 2.54 4.51
Women 26 1.47 1.04 2.75 2.63 2.72 4.35
Women 27 1.46 0.97 2.93 2.82 3.18 4.11
Women 28 1.34 0.78 2.57 3.00 3.94 4.10
Women 29 1.57 0.74 2.46 2.92 4.23 4.15
Women 30 1.17 0.64 2.52 3.12 4.56 4.10
Women 31 1.18 0.72 2.39 3.36 4.61 4.14
Women 32 1.18 0.58 2.44 3.31 5.05 3.98
Women 33 1.05 0.65 2.26 3.25 5.22 4.01
Women 34 1.07 0.54 2.04 3.50 5.44 4.02
Women 35 1.07 0.58 2.38 3.21 5.18 4.20
Women 36 1.12 0.47 2.20 3.23 5.16 4.43
Women 37 1.15 0.55 2.22 3.21 5.01 4.44
Women 38 1.08 0.47 2.38 3.23 4.99 4.30
Women 39 0.97 0.51 2.34 3.28 5.21 4.38
Women 40 0.89 0.50 2.19 3.15 4.72 4.72
Women 41 0.90 0.64 2.27 3.18 4.73 4.92
Women 42 0.88 0.55 2.57 2.87 4.30 5.02
Women 43 1.00 0.60 2.17 3.18 4.27 5.09
Women 44 1.08 0.53 2.40 3.02 4.11 5.06
Women 45 1.05 0.55 2.19 2.80 3.82 5.45
Women 46 0.97 0.53 2.24 3.23 3.51 5.38
Women 47 1.10 0.52 2.28 2.62 3.33 5.82
Women 48 1.03 0.47 2.31 3.05 2.86 5.58
Women 49 1.02 0.48 2.80 3.12 2.52 5.64
Women 50 1.24 0.46 2.43 2.97 2.54 5.83
Women 51 1.18 0.62 2.46 3.01 2.26 6.04
Women 52 1.27 0.48 2.49 3.12 2.11 6.13
Women 53 1.09 0.56 2.35 2.97 1.88 6.31
Women 54 1.13 0.58 2.54 2.93 1.69 6.09
Women 55 1.25 0.51 2.07 3.03 1.77 6.37
Women 56 1.35 0.62 2.42 3.22 1.48 6.26
Women 57 1.28 0.49 1.93 3.06 1.60 6.70
Women 58 1.42 0.54 1.90 2.68 1.34 6.84
Women 59 1.18 0.40 2.15 3.23 1.29 6.80
Women 60 1.26 0.56 1.81 3.10 1.20 7.03
Women 61 1.14 0.45 1.71 3.37 1.27 6.97
Women 62 1.16 0.49 1.37 3.66 1.27 6.80
Women 63 1.19 0.50 1.27 3.61 1.16 7.11
Women 64 1.19 0.54 1.19 3.59 1.15 7.36
Women 65 1.35 0.48 0.75 3.75 1.07 7.40
Women 66 1.32 0.52 0.65 3.91 1.12 7.37
Women 67 1.07 0.56 0.57 4.08 1.08 7.24
Women 68 1.10 0.69 0.49 3.59 1.03 7.76
Women 69 1.14 0.57 0.42 4.15 1.26 7.41
Women 70 1.10 0.64 0.36 3.65 0.97 7.68
Women 71 1.14 0.61 0.19 3.99 1.12 7.52
Women 72 1.07 0.67 0.17 3.55 0.95 8.29
Women 73 0.96 0.55 0.22 3.61 0.93 8.20
Women 74 1.12 0.59 0.21 3.41 1.05 8.10
Women 75 1.02 0.54 0.23 3.41 1.00 8.27
Women 76 0.89 0.67 0.22 3.81 0.80 7.97
Women 77 1.11 0.51 0.09 3.38 0.82 8.31
Women 78 1.19 0.69 0.04 3.39 0.87 8.24
Women 79 1.10 0.72 0.05 3.00 0.78 8.34
Women 80 1.12 0.57 0.11 2.85 0.93 8.44
Women 85 1.23 0.60 0.04 1.53 0.81 9.05

Teenage years are dominated by family and friends, but that balance shifts sharply after high school. Men spend more time with friends early on, while women log more time with family throughout life.

One of the most striking transitions is how coworkers, partners, and children become central during adulthood, then fade again in later years.

From Childhood to Career

In adolescence, time with family steadily declines, replaced in part by more time with friends—peaking at nearly 2 hours per day for both genders. But once people enter their twenties, time with friends drops off, and work enters the picture.

Men spend more hours with coworkers than women, especially during prime working ages (25–55). Conversely, women consistently spend more time with children across all ages, peaking at over 5 hours per day in their mid-30s.

Partners also take a growing share of social time from age 25 onward. Both men and women spend around 3–5 hours daily with their partners by retirement.

Later Life: Time Alone and With Partners

By the time Americans hit their sixties, social circles shrink. Coworker time drops sharply, and children are mostly out of the house. What replaces it? For many, it’s time alone.

Time spent alone increases with age, reaching 8–9 hours per day by age 80. While this doesn’t necessarily equate to loneliness—many people enjoy solitude—it does highlight the social transformation of aging.

Interestingly, partner time remains steady into older age, especially for men, many of whom spend more time with their partners in their 70s than at any other life stage.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If this kind of insight piqued your interest, you may also enjoy our interactive post on how much time you have left to live—a data-driven look at mortality, life expectancy, and how we prioritize our remaining time.

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