Two New Themes in American Society

A new study has found Americans are spending way more time at home, and less time with friends. (NYT)

The homebody trend: From 2003 to 2022, the time spent at home by the average American adult increased by 1 hour 39 minutes per day.

• People aged 15 to 34 spent 2 more hours at home per day in 2022 compared to 2003.

• For every additional hour spent at home, people spent an extra 7.4 minutes with family, 21 minutes alone, and 5 fewer minutes with friends.

• Loneliness, especially among young people, has been increasing for decades, studies show.

The mental health epidemic: Negative mental health outcomes have been on the rise for years, particularly among teens.

Bubba’s Two Cents

We’re not saying these two things are necessarily linked. But together they definitely paint a picture of American life that’s quite different than what we’ve seen the past several generations, for better or worse.