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Seven in 10 Gen Zers feel more lonely and isolated than they ever thought they would (69%), according to new research.
A survey of 1,000 Gen Z respondents looked at their social habits, finding that connection matters to them, but adulthood has made it harder to come by than expected.
Results found that even when around others, the average respondent feels lonely four days a week.
Conducted by Talker Research for Life Time, the survey found that 60% see the lack of a dedicated social environment as part of the problem, agreeing they need a “third space” to make new friends.
One way Gen Z sees opportunity to make more friends is through their health routines. While 52% usually work out alone, 83% say they’d be excited to combine fitness and friends more often.
In fact, many already find that in their workout spot: 59% consider the place where they exercise a third space.
Still, three-quarters of those surveyed also said that having a recurring place to show up would help them stay social (74%) and would also improve their mental wellbeing (72%).
“We hear often from Gen Z that they’re more likely to stay consistent when they find a workout buddy or a group class they enjoy,” said Danny King, director of performance and recovery at Life Time. “It’s encouraging to see so many recognize the value of combining fitness and friends. Showing up regularly with people you know helps build routines and relationships at the same time, and that supports mood, stress, and motivation.”
But connecting can be a challenge. While the large majority are interested in mingling more often (73%) and finding new friends (71%), new challenges seem to present themselves regularly.
The average Gen Zer polled says they have three close friends, but nearly half (43%) say they have even fewer than that.
One in six report seeing those friends just a couple of times per year, with some saying it’s even less often than that.
Cost is the No. 1 factor that gets in the way of Gen Z spending more time in social spaces (37%), with 27% feeling dissatisfied with how much going out can cost.
Half of Gen Z struggles with making new connections (52%), but even more think finding their crowd would be easier in-person (73%).
Time constraints get in the way of socializing, too, with 30% saying they’re too tired after work or school and another 30% prioritizing other responsibilities instead.
In fact, nearly two-thirds of respondents said their weekly routine is primarily, if not entirely, spent on obligations other than socializing (64%), leaving 69% feeling like they simply don’t have time to be out and about.
So far, coffee shops (30%) and bars (36%) are not cutting it, with a third of respondents saying these settings are only helpful for connecting with friends once a week or less often.
As a result, 42% of Gen Zers say they need more social spaces to hang out in.
Finding the time is another hurdle: Seven in 10 respondents agree that even when they want to be social, they don’t feel like they have the bandwidth for it.
While social calendars may be stretched thin, many have already made room for putting fitness first.
Eighty percent of those surveyed have committed to active lifestyles within the past year, most commonly filling their time with an equal mix of outdoor and indoor activities (35%).
Walking or hiking (62%), running (56%), weight training (45%), stretching (38%), and yoga (32%) top the list of ways younger Americans stay active.
“People are looking for somewhere to go that isn’t home, work, or school, and fitness can be that place,” King said. “When a space brings people together around shared goals, it becomes about more than a workout.”
Research methodology:
Talker Research surveyed 1,000 Gen Z respondents who are active who have access to the internet; the survey was commissioned by Life Time and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Sept. 28 and Oct. 5, 2026.
