Share of Americans hosting guests fell to 67% in 2026, analysis finds
A smaller share of U.S. adults reported hosting people in their homes in the past year, a 2026 analysis by Data for Progress found, reflecting what the think tank described as a long-term decline in at‑home entertaining.
Data for Progress reported that 67% of Americans said they entertained people in their homes at least once in the past year, down from 88% in 1995. The group compared its 2026 survey with a similar 1995 survey and said the two used different methods, offering an indication of a trend rather than a precise measure of change.
The Atlantic reported that the share of Americans who host friends or family at least once a month fell from 42% in 1975 to 12% in 2026.
Experts quoted by Fox News Digital and by The Atlantic pointed to several possible contributors, including busier schedules, increased parenting demands, shrinking friendship networks and the availability of at‑home entertainment. Florida‑based psychotherapist John Puls told Fox News Digital that working and caregiving can leave people feeling burned out and without the social energy to host.
Other experts cited social media pressure to present picture‑perfect gatherings, the added cost of feeding guests amid rising grocery prices, and smaller or more expensive housing that makes hosting less practical. Daniel Schatz, Ph.D., told Fox News Digital that housing costs and smaller living spaces make hosting feel financially and practically harder.
Data for Progress also reported a drop in close friendships, saying the share of Americans with five or more close friends fell from 63% in 1990 to 38% in 2021. The U.S. surgeon general’s 2023 advisory described loneliness and social isolation in America as an epidemic.
Experts further warned that declining in‑person social contact can contribute to depression and anxiety. Fox News Digital quoted Shebna N. Osanmoh I and Wildaliz Caro, Ph.D., on how time pressures and expectations around hosting can make gatherings feel stressful rather than restorative.
As a possible response, Schatz told Fox News Digital that lowering the threshold for gatherings — for example, simple coffee, a takeaway meal, a walk or a regular casual evening — could help rebuild ordinary habits of seeing one another.
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