Most people in these jobs have never been married

For the first time in nearly 20 years, the share of adults in the United States who don't live with a spouse or partner is on the decline, according to a 2025 analysis of Census Bureau data by the Pew Research Center. In 2019, 44% of U.S. adults were unpartnered; in 2023 (the most recent data available), that number dropped to 42%. Pew's report showed that some key factors, including gender, age, and education, appear to contribute to Americans' single status.

Adults under 25 are the most likely to live alone, while those between 40 and 54 are the least likely to live solo. And 30% of people 25 and older with at least a bachelor's degree are unpartnered, compared to 44% of people without a high school diploma. However, a March 2025 Pew Survey found that half of Americans believe age is just a number when it comes to marriage—nearly half (49%) of respondents said there's no best age to get married. Those who believe there's a best age for marriage put that age at 26.5 years old on average.

But there's another factor that may play a role in marital status: what one does for a living. Of more than 500 jobs tracked by the Census Bureau, Stacker identified the 50 with the highest share of single workers who had never married. This analysis uses data from the 2023 American Community Survey, sourced via the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series and Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs were ranked by the share of employees with each job who had never been married.

Nearly a third of the occupations in the top 20 are in the restaurant industry. Several factors may play into this: Most restaurant workers are young and early in their careers. Restaurant employees also tend to work evenings and weekends, which could make it more challenging to find a partner. Many physically demanding jobs requiring hours outside of the 9-to-5 standard and hospitality roles with similarly irregular schedules made the list.

Keep reading to discover the 50 jobs with the highest share of employees who've never been married.

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1 / 50

#50. Riggers

- Share who have never been married: 56.9%
- Median annual salary: $56,000 ($8,000 above the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 24,000 people

Goldsithney // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Psychiatric technicians

- Share who have never been married: 57.3%
- Median annual salary: $40,000 ($8,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 116,000 people

SeventyFour // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Baggage porters and bellhops

- Share who have never been married: 57.6%
- Median annual salary: $35,000 ($13,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 29,000 people

Shakirov Albert // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Tire builders

- Share who have never been married: 57.6%
- Median annual salary: $54,000 ($6,000 above the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 21,000 people

WBMUL // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers

- Share who have never been married: 58.1%
- Median annual salary: $39,000 ($10,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 1.2 million people

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PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Bartenders

- Share who have never been married: 58.5%
- Median annual salary: $32,000 ($17,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 711,000 people

Karolis Kavolelis // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand

- Share who have never been married: 58.6%
- Median annual salary: $38,000 ($10,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 3 million people

Surasak_Photo // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Adhesive bonding machine operators and tenders

- Share who have never been married: 58.9%
- Median annual salary: $44,000 ($5,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 13,000 people

mangpor2004 // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Web and digital interface designers

- Share who have never been married: 59%
- Median annual salary: $99,000 ($50,000 above the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 111,000 people

siamionau pavel // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Cooks, fast food

- Share who have never been married: 59.1%
- Median annual salary: $29,000 ($19,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 673,000 people

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Tetiana Volkonska // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Sailors and marine oilers

- Share who have never been married: 59.5%
- Median annual salary: $48,000 (same as national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 30,000 people

Nejron Photo // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment

- Share who have never been married: 59.7%
- Median annual salary: $34,000 ($14,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 365,000 people

kovop // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Athletes and sports competitors

- Share who have never been married: 59.9%
- Median annual salary: $70,000 ($22,000 above the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 15,000 people

My Ocean Production // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Radiation therapists

- Share who have never been married: 60.3%
- Median annual salary: $98,000 ($50,000 above the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 17,000 people

Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Library assistants, clerical

- Share who have never been married: 61.2%
- Median annual salary: $34,000 ($14,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 84,000 people

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ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Stockers and order fillers

- Share who have never been married: 61.9%
- Median annual salary: $36,000 ($12,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 2.9 million people

matimix // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Coaches and scouts

- Share who have never been married: 62.1%
- Median annual salary: $46,000 ($2,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 239,000 people

Dusan Petkovic // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Food preparation workers

- Share who have never been married: 62.5%
- Median annual salary: $32,000 ($16,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 880,000 people

VGstockstudio // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Food servers, nonrestaurant

- Share who have never been married: 63.2%
- Median annual salary: $33,000 ($15,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 268,000 people

Grusho Anna // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Camera operators, television, video, and film

- Share who have never been married: 63.3%
- Median annual salary: $62,000 ($14,000 above the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 24,000 people

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Pedro Costa Simeao // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. First-line supervisors of gambling services workers

- Share who have never been married: 63.7%
- Median annual salary: $61,000 ($13,000 above the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 25,000 people

Zamrznuti tonovi // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Pharmacy aides

- Share who have never been married: 64%
- Median annual salary: $36,000 ($12,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 44,000 people

Maria Sbytova // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Veterinary technologists and technicians

- Share who have never been married: 64.6%
- Median annual salary: $44,000 ($4,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 122,000 people

Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks

- Share who have never been married: 64.7%
- Median annual salary: $31,000 ($17,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 264,000 people

insta_photos // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Social science research assistants

- Share who have never been married: 65%
- Median annual salary: $56,000 ($8,000 above the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 31,000 people

Atstock Productions // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Telemarketers

- Share who have never been married: 65.3%
- Median annual salary: $34,000 ($14,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 82,000 people

LightField Studios // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Emergency medical technicians

- Share who have never been married: 65.9%
- Median annual salary: $39,000 ($9,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 167,000 people

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28 / 50

#23. Communications equipment operators, all other

- Share who have never been married: 66.2%
- Median annual salary: $49,000 ($1,000 above the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 1,000 people

Inside Creative House // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Counter and rental clerks

- Share who have never been married: 66.5%
- Median annual salary: $37,000 ($11,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 390,000 people

Dean Drobot // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Cashiers

- Share who have never been married: 67.6%
- Median annual salary: $30,000 ($18,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 3.3 million people

U2M Brand // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Dishwashers

- Share who have never been married: 69.2%
- Median annual salary: $31,000 ($17,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 464,000 people

Friends Stock // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers

- Share who have never been married: 69.2%
- Median annual salary: $36,000 ($12,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 116,000 people

Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Recreation workers

- Share who have never been married: 70%
- Median annual salary: $34,000 ($14,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 282,000 people

giocalde // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Print binding and finishing workers

- Share who have never been married: 70.7%
- Median annual salary: $38,000 ($10,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 39,000 people

PHOTOGRAPHY IS ON // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers

- Share who have never been married: 70.8%
- Median annual salary: $64,000 ($15,000 above the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 14,000 people

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Waiters and waitresses

- Share who have never been married: 71.5%
- Median annual salary: $32,000 ($16,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 2.2 million people

aboutsung // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers

- Share who have never been married: 71.8%
- Median annual salary: $31,000 ($17,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 483,000 people

Lucia.Pinto // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Automotive and watercraft service attendants

- Share who have never been married: 72.3%
- Median annual salary: $34,000 ($14,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 93,000 people

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Tutors

- Share who have never been married: 72.7%
- Median annual salary: $40,000 ($8,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 162,000 people

Ververidis Vasilis // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Motion picture projectionists

- Share who have never been married: 75.4%
- Median annual salary: $35,000 ($13,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 3,000 people

Nature's Charm // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other

- Share who have never been married: 77.5%
- Median annual salary: $34,000 ($14,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 86,000 people

NIKCOA // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Medical transcriptionists

- Share who have never been married: 78.2%
- Median annual salary: $37,000 ($11,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 52,000 people

Valentin Valkov // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation

- Share who have never been married: 81.6%
- Median annual salary: $44,000 ($4,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 24,000 people

Vasin Lee // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Residential advisors

- Share who have never been married: 83.6%
- Median annual salary: $38,000 ($10,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 89,000 people

Martin Smith // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Parking attendants

- Share who have never been married: 84.5%
- Median annual salary: $33,000 ($15,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 118,000 people

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers

- Share who have never been married: 85.3%
- Median annual salary: $30,000 ($18,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 118,000 people

Joseph Sohm // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Umpires, referees, and other sports officials

- Share who have never been married: 86%
- Median annual salary: $36,000 ($12,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 15,000 people

BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Fast food and counter workers

- Share who have never been married: 86.4%
- Median annual salary: $30,000 ($19,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 3.7 million people

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop

- Share who have never been married: 86.7%
- Median annual salary: $29,000 ($19,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 425,000 people

Anastasija Vujic // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers

- Share who have never been married: 90.1%
- Median annual salary: $30,000 ($18,000 below the national median for all jobs)
- Employment nationwide: 124,000 people

Additional writing by Paxtyn Merten. Story editing by Jaimie Etkin. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. Photo selection by Clarese Moller.