Loneliness: A Public Health Crisis – Part 4: The Economic Implications of Loneliness
Loneliness and the Socioeconomic Divide: When Connection Becomes a Privilege
Loneliness isn’t just emotional—it’s deeply economic.
From financial stress to social mobility, our lives are inherently shaped by what we earn, where we work, and the opportunities we can access. For millions of Americans, economic hardship doesn’t just limit opportunity, it also narrows the lanes of human connection. While loneliness impacts individuals at every level, socioeconomic status can widen the gap in experience and exposure to loneliness.
See all insight in the “Loneliness: A Public Health Crisis” series here.
The Cost of Connection
Disconnection is baked into the structure of economic struggle. When someone is juggling multiple jobs, long commutes, or unstable housing situations, there is little time, or energy, left for human connection; thus, forcing low-income individuals to miss out on everyday moments where relationships form and community takes root.
Loneliness’ connection to economic hardship is not unusual. In fact, nearly 40% of low-income adults report feeling isolated from others, compared to just 27% of higher-income peers.[1] Higher-wage workers are more likely to enjoy flexible schedules, collaborative environments, and workplace cultures that support social engagement. By contrast, for those living below the poverty line, everyday social participation becomes a logistical challenge: inconsistent work hours, lack of paid leave, and limited access to transportation or gathering spaces often make opting out of social connections the only option, not by choice but, because barriers are too high to overcome.[2]
One major driver of loneliness is time poverty, which is the lack of discretionary time for anything beyond basic survival.[3] One study found that 28% of lower-income laborers work mostly evenings, nights, or weekends, which are the times when family and friends are typically free.[4] Additionally, researchers from the Shift Project at Harvard University found that over 70% of service-sector workers experience unstable and unpredictable scheduling, with little advance notice, meaning making plans becomes even more challenging. Workers facing the most erratic schedules reported twice the rate of psychological distress compared to those with more stable hours.[5]
These conditions don’t just drain time—they erode mental health and make it harder to build or sustain meaningful relationships. Even when the desire to engage is there, the time, energy, and emotional resilience often are not. Chronic financial stress has well-documented mental health consequences. For instance, approximately 31% of individuals living in poverty reported having been diagnosed with depression, compared to 15.8% of those not in poverty.[6] In turn, the increase in lower income individuals with mental or behavioral health concerns adds additional financial strain to state healthcare costs, with Medicaid being the largest payer for mental health services in the country.[7] Over time, loneliness becomes both a symptom and a consequence of economic instability, reinforcing a cycle that is incredibly difficult to break.
Education and Access to Belonging
Education also plays a critical role in the dichotomy between who is or isn’t lonely. Individuals with lower levels of education report significantly higher rates of loneliness. It’s reported that 36% of adults without a high school diploma state they frequently feel lonely, compared to just 15% of those with a college degree.[8] This reflects the broader social infrastructure, such as lasting friendships and professional networks, that education provides.
Without access to these structured environments, many people miss out on the natural opportunities to build support systems that higher education can offer.
These disparities often run alongside a digital divide. Adults with lower levels of education are also less likely to have reliable internet access or to use digital communication tools regularly.[9] While virtual connection cannot substitute meaningful in-person interaction, a gap in digital access in a world where interaction is increasingly playing out online widens the disparity for those with lower levels of education.
Conclusion
Loneliness is structural. For millions of Americans, the conditions of daily life quietly determine who gets to feel connected—and who’s left out in the cold. Across income, education, and employment, the conditions that foster social connection are unevenly distributed. Addressing the structures sustaining America’s loneliness epidemic requires more than individual fixes; rather, it demands systemic change. Investments in affordable housing, reliable transportation, equitable access to education, digital access, and workplace flexibility are essential to rebuilding the infrastructure of connection. As public health leaders, employers, and policymakers rethink what it means to foster well-being, loneliness must be part of the conversation. These reforms can, in turn, reduce state spending on mental health services and encourage and encourage a system that fosters true connection regardless of socioeconomic status.
About the Series
In the “Loneliness: A Public Health Crisis on a Mental Health Revolution” thought series, FTI Consulting experts delve into the pervasive impact of loneliness, examining its physical, psychological, and societal dimensions. The series aims to illuminate the nuanced challenges of loneliness and advocate for collaborative, targeted interventions to combat its effects and foster stronger, more connected communities. The first installment explores loneliness as a global challenge and its profound effects on mental and physical health, and its growing recognition among global policymakers. The second installment focuses on how loneliness impacts different age groups, highlighting the male loneliness epidemic that is growing by the minute. The third installment highlights the geography of loneliness and how the urban and rural divide contributed to the feeling of isolation. The fourth installment discusses the socioeconomic impact of loneliness and how it’s both a symptom and a consequence of economic instability. The final installment explores solutions to address the loneliness epidemic. See all insights in the series here.
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[1] Bianca DiJulio, Liz Hamel, Cailey Muñana, and Mollyann Brodie, “Loneliness and Social Isolation in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan: An International Survey,” KFF (August 30, 2018), https://www.kff.org/report-section/loneliness-and-social-isolation-in-the-united-states-the-united-kingdom-and-japan-an-international-survey-section-1/
[2] Wesley Jenkins, ”The Unequal Commute,” Urban (October 6, 2020), https://www.urban.org/features/unequal-commute
[3] Dalberg Advisors, ” Time Poverty: Why it Matters and What To Do About it,” Dalberg (March 8, 2018), https://dalberg.com/our-ideas/time-poverty-why-it-matters-and-what-do-about-it/
[4] Maria E. Enchautegui, ”Nonstandard Work Schedules and the Well-being of Low-Income Families,” Urban Institute (July 31, 2013), Nonstandard Work Schedules and the Well-being of Low-Income Families | Urban Institute
[5] Daniel Schneider and Kristen Harknett, “It’s About Time: How Work Schedule Instability Matters for Workers, Families, and Racial Inequality,” Shift (October 16, 2019), It’s About Time: How Work Schedule Instability Matters for Workers, Families, and Racial Inequality – The Shift Project
[6] ”Mental Illness and Poverty,” The Recovery Village (November 24, 2021), Exploring The Relationship Between Poverty, Mental Illness, and Addiction
[7] ”Behavioral Health Services,” Medicaid.gov (N/A), https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/benefits/behavioral-health-services#:~:text=Medicaid%20is%20the%20single%20largest,of%20substance%20use%20disorder%20services
[8] Daniel A. Cox, ” The College Connection: The Education Divide in American Social and Community Life,” Survey Center on American Life (December 13, 2021), https://www.americansurveycenter.org/research/the-college-connection-the-education-divide-in-american-social-and-community-life/
[9] Risa Gelles-Watnick, ”Americans’ Use of Mobile Technology and Home Broadband,” Pew Research Center (January 31, 2024), Americans’ Use of Mobile Technology, Home Broadband | Pew Research Center
