Which Age Group Has the Most Lifelong Singles? Not 27–31! The Age With the Highest Rate of People Who've Never Dated — And Women Surpass Men

With the Qixi Festival just passed, the romantic lives of unmarried men and women have become a popular focus. The Facebook fan page 'National Science and Technology Council Taiwan Empirical Survey Data' recently shared long-term empirical research findings, offering an in-depth analysis of the 'lifelong singles'—those who have never had a romantic relationship since birth.

According to the 2024 survey statistics, among respondents who have never married, the proportion of 'lifelong singles' reached 28.90%, meaning nearly 3 out of every 10 unmarried individuals have never entered a romantic relationship. Additionally, the group with past relationship experience but currently single accounted for the highest share at 40.78%, while those currently in a relationship made up 30.32%.

Is there a gender difference in the rate of lifelong singleness? What common patterns emerge across age groups?

In terms of gender distribution, 28.26% of unmarried men are lifelong singles, compared to 30.11% of unmarried women—slightly higher among women, though the overall difference is not significant.

Notably, age-group distributions show a remarkably consistent trend. Among those aged 27–31, the lifelong single rate is 30.1%; 32–36 years: 27.8%; 37–41 years: 27.7%; 42–46 years: 29.2%; 47–51 years: 30.8%; and those over 51: 28.6%. Overall, from young adulthood through middle age, the proportion of lifelong singles remains steadily around 30%.

What research methodology underlies this survey? How have netizens responded to these statistics?

This study stems from the long-running 'Panel Study of Family Dynamics', launched in 1999, which builds an empirical database by longitudinally tracking family samples across different birth cohorts. The 2024 survey collected 5,412 valid responses, with the research team employing both face-to-face interviews and online questionnaires for rigorous data collection.

After the data release, it sparked widespread discussion on social media platforms. Many users commented, 'I felt down after being reminded of couples during Qixi, but reading this was comforting,' and 'Lifelong singles aren't alone.' The consistently high rate of around 30% across all age groups has also prompted discussions such as 'If you haven’t dated by age 27, are your chances of lifelong singlehood very high?'—becoming a trending topic online.