U.S.: Some Gen Z Still Living in COVID-Era Isolation, Report Finds

A Financial Times investigation and data from the American Time Use Survey indicate that a notable minority of Generation Z in the United States continue to live with very limited in-person contact—an apparent hangover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The research shows roughly 10% of 23–29-year-olds reported no daily in-person interactions in 2023, compared with just 3% before the pandemic in 2019. The rate rose to about 9% after restrictions eased in late 2021, peaked around 2023, and eased slightly through 2024–25. While most young adults have returned to outside activities and social life, a smaller group remained socially withdrawn.
Clinical psychologist Dr. Minya Bhattacharya says people rarely choose long-term social isolation deliberately; instead, they can gradually become accustomed to it. She points to online alternatives, education and career pressures, and constant social comparison as forces that changed how young people relate. Dr. Bhattacharya recommends supporting isolated young people without shaming them—reintroducing simple face-to-face experiences such as shared meals, spontaneous conversation, and screen-free time.
She also warns that because many tasks proved possible remotely during the pandemic, the psychological barrier to re-engaging grew. Effective responses, she says, should include gentle encouragement, small step social exposures, and strategies to reduce harmful online comparison.