: 01, 2026 1:10 pm : [Hot] Single women in 40s 2026
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Article:
With a masters degree in Journalism
I’m a former BBC news reporter and newsreader. But around 8 years ago I swapped the studio for a life on the open road. Lisbon
Portugal is currently where I call home.
My personal development articles have featured in Huffington Post
Elite Daily
Thought Catalog
Thrive Global and more.";"Is being single at 40 normal? Here’s the truth. For the most part
I genuinely enjoy my relationship status. But occasionally being single at 40 can feel like a social disease. At those times you may wonder whether being single at 40 is normal
or if it means there’s something wrong with you. Is being single at 40 “normal”? If you’ve ever pondered this question
I think you need to hear this… Is it OK to be 40 and single? I think you can guess what I’m about to say. I’m unlikely to tell you that no
it’s totally weird and we’re clearly freaks of nature. Deep down I think we kind of know that it’s ok to be 40 and single. I think what most of us singletons in our 40’s really want is some reassurance that: So let’s address the elephant in the room (or the fearful voice in our head)… Being single doesn’t mean that you’re broken or defective as a person. It doesn’t mean you are unwanted or unloveable. I think part of the problem is that we have such a performance-related culture. Being single at 40 can feel like some sort of failure. It’s a bit like not getting picked for a sports team at high school. You worry you’re on the bench because all the best people get picked first. And so not being paired up by now must be some sort of reflection on you. Above all else
I hope that if you take away nothing else from this article you take away this reminder… The mind can play tricks on you to make you feel like an outsider or downright freak for being single at 40. But the statistics say otherwise. What percentage of 40-year-olds are single? Before we go any further
don’t take my word for it
let’s start with some stats to highlight just how normal being single at 40 (or any age) is. The picture is obviously going to change depending on the country and culture. But according to 2020 figures from the Pew Research Center
31% of Americans are single
compared to 69% who are “partnered” (which includes married
cohabiting
or in a committed romantic relationship). Perhaps unsurprisingly most singles are aged between 18 and 29 (41%). But 23% of 30 to 49 years olds are also single. That’s almost one in four people who aren’t in a couple. And the number of single people gets even higher after that
with 28% of 50-64-year-olds and 36% of 65+ single. Another stat to come from the Pew Research Center is that 21% of never-married singles age 40 and older also say they have never been in a relationship either. Even if you find yourself perpetually single at 40 and have never been in a committed relationship
it’s also more common than you may imagine. So I think it’s safe to say that if around a quarter of the adult population is single
it should be considered normal. Single at 40: How I really feel about it. Being 40 and single myself
here’s what I really don’t want to do in this article
and that’s to put a sickly spin on things and reel off ‘why being single in your 40s is great.’ Not because I’m unhappy being single
because I genuinely am. But because I think that’s an oversimplification. Like most things in life
it’s neither good nor bad
it’s what you make it. For me at least
being single at 40 is the same as being single at any age of my life. It brings with it pluses and minuses at times. I do think that the older I get the more I understand about myself and life — maybe that’s what they call maturity. I certainly feel more well-rounded and happy as an individual. In that sense
being single at 40 puts me in a great position. What I really like about being single at 40. I love my independence. Call me selfish but I really enjoy shaping my days around what suits me the most. I put my well-being
health
and desires first in life and that brings me countless benefits. I enjoy not answering to anyone and deciding what I do and when to do it. I’m less stressed. I’m not suggesting that romantic relationships are stressful
but let’s face it
they can be. I’ve had several long-term committed relationships throughout my life and at some point
they have all brought upset
challenges
and heartbreak (to some extent at least). That’s not to say they didn’t also bring many wonderful things too. But there is no doubt that my single life feels less complicated and more peaceful on a very practical level. Maybe it’s vanity
maybe it’s not having kids and a husband to look after
but I suspect one of the reasons I’m in better shape is because of my single status. One survey seems to back my assumption up
as it found single people exercise more than married folk. Research has also found single gals like me have lower BMIs and other health risks associated with smoking and alcohol. I have time for friendships. Being single has meant I’ve developed strong and supportive friendships. I think this in turn has created a fuller and funner life in general. I enjoy the variety of singledom (and not knowing what is to come) I’m not going to lie
dating and meeting new people can be a pain in the ass (I think most of us singletons have felt fed up with online dating). But personally
I do get kind of excited by the idea that I don’t know what is still to come romantically. I’m open to meeting someone special and I know it will happen at some point again. And that is kind of exciting. I actually believe there are plenty of married and partnered-up people who miss the thrill of single life. What I don’t like about being single at 40. Not sharing with a partner. There is an undeniable intimacy in being in a couple. Sharing your life with someone and building a life together is a unique feeling. Yes
it brings challenges
but it does bring connection too. Perhaps rather ironically
I think the worst thing about being single is actually an illusion — and that’s the pressure you can end up feeling about being single. It’s the pressure you put on yourself to find someone (if that’s what you ultimately want). And also the external pressure from family
friends
or society that makes you wonder if you’re doing something wrong. Hack Spirit’s senior editor
Justin Brown
brings up these same points about what he doesn’t like about being single at 40 in the video below. Why being single at 40 sometimes doesn’t feel “normal” We’ve established that being single at 40 is common and so must be normal. So why does it not feel this way sometimes? For me
it’s that pressure I just mentioned. Even though it’s a bit of an illusion
it can feel very real at times. 3 common pressures we can feel about being single in our 40’s are: 1) Time. “If it hasn’t happened by now
then maybe it never will.” I can’t help but suspect this is a thought that has gone through every single person’s head at some point or another.
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