When we look at the numbers regarding today's single population, we don't consider the glass half-empty-we think it's half full. And we want you to as well. There are many great opportunities ahead for you to meet the right person. And it's our job to make sure you meet the right one for you.

In 1995, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, there were

• 34.2 million single men in the U.S. and
• 40.6 million single women living in the United States.

Of that group, nearly 80 million people strong, 29 million of them are between the ages of 25 and 44.

• The bureau also predicts that over the next few years, single female households will grow by 11%, and single male households will grow by 16.6%. By the year 2010, nearly one-fourth of our nation's population will be in the category "never married."

You might also be interested to know:

• There are more than 2,344,000 marriages each year
• Median age at first marriage - women - age 25.0
• Median age at first marriage - men - age 26.8
• Median age at re-marriage after divorce - women -- age 34.2
• Median age at re-marriage after divorce - men - 37.4
• In 1997, 19.3 million adults were currently divorced.

Today's Singles

With numbers like this, it's easy to understand why so much research has been done on America's single population. They are a very significant group. A marketers "dream".

For example, thanks to marketing research we know that:

• The average income for a single person, age (18 and over) is $21,033
• 45% are homeowners
• 37% have a minimum of a high school education
• 52% have attended or graduated from college
• 72% own at least one vehicle
• Spend more than 50% of their food budget on "food prepared away from home"
• Spend nearly $1,000 per year on clothes
• Spend nearly as much on vehicles as they do on entertainment

The Differences between Single Men and Single Women

Now, as you might imagine, there are definitely some differences in the way single men and women live. (Note: single women earned 29% less than men did.)

• Women spend 47% less than men on eating out
• Women spend 46% more on sweets
• Men and women spend approximately the same amount on housing
• Men spend 31% less than women do on clothes
• Men spend 47% more on purchasing vehicles than do women
• Women spend a little less than men on entertainment
• Men spend 69% more on alcoholic beverages than do women
• Women spend 46% less on entertainment than do men

http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/ms-la.html.

The report, Marital Status and Living Arrangements: March 1996, P20-496, contains historical data on marriage, divorce, living arrangements of adults and children, and unmarried households by age, race and sex. Other highlights of the report include:

• The median age at first marriage has been rising since the mid-1950s,to 24.8 years for women and 27.1 years for men in 1996.
• Between 1970 and 1996, the proportion of 18- to 24-year-olds who were family householders or their spouses decreased from 38 percent to 20 percent; for 25- to 34-year-olds, the proportion decreased from 83 percent to 61 percent.
• Between 1970 and 1996, the proportion of children under 18 years of age living with one parent grew from 12 percent to 28 percent.
• The number of unmarried-couple households (couples of opposite sexes) grew from 523,000 in 1970 to 4 million in 1996.
• Between 1970 and 1996, the number of women living alone doubled from 7.3 million to 14.6 million, while the number of men living alone tripled, from 3.5 million to 10.3 million.

Data are from the March 1996 Current Population Survey. As in all surveys, the data are subject to sampling variability and other sources of error.

Year	Men	Women
1997	26.8	25.0
1996	27.1	24.8
1995	26.9	24.5
1994	26.7	24.5
1993	26.5	24.5
1992	26.5	24.4
1991	26.3	24.1
1990	26.1	23.9
1989	26.2	23.8
1988	25.9	23.6
1987	25.8	23.6
1986	25.7	23.1
1985	25.5	23.3
1984	25.4	23.0
1983	25.4	22.8
1982	25.2	22.5
1981	24.8	22.3
1980	24.7	22.0
1979	24.4	22.1
1978	24.2	21.8
1977	24.0	21.6
1976	23.8	21.3
1975	23.5	21.1
1974	23.1	21.1
1973	23.2	21.0
1972	23.3	20.9
1971	23.1	20.9
1970	23.2	20.8
1969	23.2	20.8
1968	23.1	20.8
1967	23.1	20.6
1966	22.5	20.5
1965	22.8	20.6
1964	23.1	20.5
1963	22.8	20.5
1962	22.7	20.3
1961	22.8	20.3
1960	22.8	20.3
1959	22.5	20.2
1958	22.6	20.2
1957	22.6	20.3
1956	22.5	20.1
1955	22.6	20.2
1954	23.0	20.3
1953	22.8	20.2
1952	23.0	20.2
1951	22.9	20.4
1950	22.8	20.3
1949	22.7	20.3
1948	23.3	20.4
1947	23.7	20.5
1940	24.3	21.5
1930	24.3	21.3
1920	24.6	21.2
1910	25.1	21.6
1900	25.9	21.9
1890	26.1	22.0