Study Finds High Concentration Of Lonely People In Austin

AUSTIN, TX — Residents of Austin wear the city's self-described status as the "live music capital of the world," like a badge of honor. But for many Austinites, it's the sounds of silence that surround them as a new survey tabulating the concentration of people feeling lonely or disconnected from others would seem to indicate.

The new survey prepared by health insurance giant Cigna found Austin has a higher-than-average concentration of lonely people – 60 percent experiencing loneliness compared to the 54 percent national average. The finding is the result of a 20-question survey polling 20,000 people across the U.S. in February that Cigna then collated from 17 regional profiles of loneliness in major cities.

Cigna researchers found that two out of five Austinites experienced loneliness while one of out of five rarely, if ever, felt included. Most striking is the predominance of younger people affected by loneliness. Researchers found that those between the ages of 19 to 34 registered a loneliness score – a widely used metric devised by UCLA researchers in 1978 – that was 6.2 points higher than those over 55.

Those feelings of isolation were attributed partly to a lack of physical activity or social interaction, according to the findings. Also reported along this range of loneliness were respondents reporting the lack of someone with whom they could talk to substantively.

Among the study's other findings were:

• Just over half of Austinites surveyed sometimes or always feel either alone or "left out."
• Nearly half (47 percent) of Austinites reported being in relationships not considered to be meaningful.
• A full half of Austin respondents reported feelings of isolation.
• Sixty percent of Austinites sometimes or always feel like nobody knows them well, according to the findings.

Of the cities gauged for loneliness, only Tampa, Fla. emerged with a score below the national average. Of the metro areas surveyed, only Houston and Austin had scores above the national average.

“We view a person’s physical, mental and social health as being entirely connected,” David M. Cordani, president and chief executive officer of Cigna, said in a prepared statement. “It’s for this reason that we regularly examine the physical, mental and social needs of our people and the communities they live in. In analyzing this closely, we’re seeing a lack of human connection, which ultimately leads to a lack of vitality – or a disconnect between mind and body."

But amid the gloomy findings are glimmers of hope: The findings reinforce the social nature of humans and the importance of having communities, researchers noted. People who are less lonely are more likely to have regular, meaningful, in-person interactions; are in good overall physical and mental health; have achieved balance in daily activities; and are employed and have good relationships with their coworkers, according to analysts.

To read the full report, click here.

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