While the United States may not rank high on the "World Happiness Report," residents in some states experience higher rates of loneliness than others, according to a recent study.
According to a new study from Plus, an artificial intelligence (AI) productivity platform, some states were far more likely to search keywords related to loneliness than others.
Based on 152 keywords related to loneliness and the number of monthly searches per 100,000 residents, the study discovered some trends in geography. Vermont took the prize for loneliest state, with 744 average monthly keyword searches related to loneliness. Per 100,000 residents, that number came in at 114.98, the most searches of all states.
Meanwhile, Wyoming and Rhode Island came in shortly after, bringing in 104.52 and 101.71 keyword searches per 100,000 residents, respectively. Alaska and Delaware rounded up the top five loneliest states with 98.59 and 95.08 searches, respectively.
When it came to the least lonely states, the South was far more likely to shine, with the least lonely states ranked as follows: Mississippi, Wisconsin, Alabama, Louisiana and Texas.
Mississippi saw only 54.39 searches monthly per 100,000 residents, with "How to make friends as an adult" one of the most searched terms. The other least lonely states saw somewhere between 54 and 55.4 monthly searches per 100,000 people, with Louisiana and Texas tied for fourth place.
The brains behind Plus' study said the surge in loneliness across the U.S. could lead many to rely on AI to mimic human relationships.
"The fact that so many people feel the effects of loneliness is a sad reality," Daniel Li, CEO and co-founder of Plus, said in a statement. "It's clear from the data that there's a widespread struggle across America, with the top ten loneliest comprised of states from all corners of the country. With advancements in artificial intelligence, many people experiencing loneliness are now seeking comfort from virtual relationships such as AI girlfriends and chatbots."
Reports of loneliness have surged in recent years following the coronavirus pandemic when people were unable to see their family, friends and colleagues on a regular basis.
A 2021 Harvard study discovered 36 percent of Americans feel serious loneliness, and this was especially true among young people. For those between 18 and 26, 61 percent said they felt lonely "frequently" or "almost all the time or all the time."
The states that see higher rates of loneliness could for a wide range of reasons. Some states see higher incidence of divorce or more single person households, contributing to loneliness.
Wyoming had one of the highest divorce rates in the country at 11 percent, but there are other cultural and geographical factors that can play a role, according to Alexandra Cromer, a Richmond-based therapist with Thriveworks Counseling.
"In the South, there is a large concentration of the population and many people in the South tend to live together and close to one another," Cromer told Newsweek. "Further, in the South, the climate does not tend to be harsh and cold. It tends to promote outdoor activities more than in the Northern climates where being outdoors is not always suitable."
Southern states were also more likely to center activities around group events like tailgating and team sports, while Northern climates favor more individual activities like skiing or snowboarding.
"Further, there is a sparse population in the Northern states, and a lot of people in those states who are listed as being lonely tend to be more geographically isolated in climates that are not typically desirable or temperate and do not lend themselves to time spent outside engaging in shared activities," Cromer said.
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English (US) ·