Social Connection in America

Until recently, no nationally representative survey consistently tracked this fundamental need. Social Connection in America™ helps fill that gap by providing data on social health and well-being to policymakers, organizations, and community leaders trying to improve social connection.

The survey will be administered annually until 2050, yielding 25 years of data on this important topic. Starting in 2026, RAND and The Connection Institute are partnering, with support from founding funder Barnes Family Foundation, to design, assess, and translate Social Connection in America survey findings for national and local action. RAND is working with The Connection Institute to run the survey and associated outreach activities.

United Way Worldwide and YMCA of the USA are strategic partners of Social Connection in America, ensuring that study findings inform strategies to bolster community connection.

The second year of data from Social Connection in America reveals continued concerns about the high state of disengagement, the limited time that people get together, and the limited time that people spend in community organizations.

• Getting together with others is infrequent. Almost 70% of U.S. adults get together with people they care about and feel close to no more than once or twice a month.
• Loneliness is widespread. Four in ten Americans report moderate to severe loneliness.
• Community connection matters. More than half of U.S. adults (58%) perceive their neighbors as willing to help each other, but 62% report never getting together with neighbors to do something positive for their community.

The Social Connection in America website provides the foundational report, key findings from 2026, state level data for 2025 and 2026, and more information on the survey and data sharing.

The Social Connection in America Youth survey is in the field in Fall 2026. Key findings from that survey will be released in winter 2027.

Project Partners