A Growing Problem No One Can Ignore

Many people in their early twenties say they feel alone. Gen Z, the group born between the late 1990s and early 2010s, talk about this more than others. One reason might be that these young adults spent important years of their lives stuck indoors during the 2020 lockdowns.

Data from the United Kingdom shows that about 85 out of 100 Gen Z adults say they feel lonely. Young people with low incomes are more likely to feel it strongly. Even outside the UK, loneliness among this age group stands out. A large global study from 2022 found that young adults between 19 and 29 were lonelier than those over 65.

Why this is happening has many reasons. Some people point to too much time on phones. Others point to a lack of public places to meet. And some say dating apps may have made the problem worse.

When Apps Don’t Help Anymore

Dating apps were supposed to help people feel more connected. But now, many people feel burnt out. According to a health survey, over three-quarters of young Americans using dating apps like Hinge or Tinder said they felt worn down by them. Many said they couldn’t find good matches. They also said they spent too much time swiping without much to show for it.

Usage numbers suggest people are pulling back. A 2024 report from Ofcom said that Hinge lost over 100,000 users in a single year in the UK. Tinder’s numbers dropped far more. Bumble also saw fewer active users.

Some apps are trying something new. Bumble started offering in-person events in 2022. The events focus on things like food, music, and shared interests. Grindr, an app mainly used by LGBTQ+ communities, partnered with a London music festival to organize shows related to queer themes.

Other apps are following. Some are small platforms based around community dinners or hobby meetups. TimeLeft is one app helping people meet over group meals. Another, Cliq, focuses on casual group settings.

Different Roads to Connection

Not everyone seeks the same kind of relationship or friendship. Some people join local clubs, attend hobby-based meet-ups, or go to activity nights arranged by dating apps trying to expand beyond their original purpose. Others meet online through shared interests and meet in person afterward. There are those who look for casual conversations, long-term partnerships, or something more specific like finding a sugar daddy in San Diego.

These choices come from different needs, comfort levels, and personal goals. What one person finds fulfilling might not work for another. The important part is that people are trying. They’re reaching out, often in new or unexpected ways, to feel less alone.

What Hinge Is Trying to Do

To make socializing easier, Hinge has started giving money to groups organizing local meetups. The fund will now support activities in London, as well as in New York and Los Angeles. These events are planned with one goal in mind—getting people off their phones and into rooms with other people.

Jackie Jantos, a leader at Hinge, said that Gen Z missed out on real-life contact during important years. Many of them spent their late teen years and early twenties inside because of safety restrictions. That loss is still being felt today. She explained that organized events with low or no cost allow more people to feel comfortable showing up and trying to connect.

Hinge’s $1 million fund supports events built around food, reading, outdoor walks, and creative projects. They are not using standard speed-dating setups, either. These gatherings are more relaxed. The focus is on shared interests and fun, not forced interaction.

Making Things Easier for Anxious Young Adults

Josh Penny, the person in charge of Hinge’s social projects, said that many in Gen Z don’t feel ready to socialize as older generations once did. He points out three main reasons: remote learning during a critical time, fewer public social spaces, and too much screen time replacing real contact.

Penny says that socializing is like any other skill. If you stop using it, it gets harder. Getting back into the habit takes effort. But money is also an issue. Every time a young person leaves their home, they may think about how much it will cost. Between rising prices and job worries, that alone can keep people home.

That’s why activity-based events are planned this way. Penny says it’s hard to show up when the goal is “make friends.” That kind of pressure puts people off. But if the event is centered around something simple—like skateboarding, cooking, or writing—it feels more relaxed. Meeting others becomes a side benefit, not the main goal. That helps people attend without so much stress over what to say or do.

What Young Adults Say They Need

The survey by Hinge gathered input from 2,000 Gen Z adults in the U.K. The most common responses make one thing clear: many young people want more affordable ways to meet others. Around half of them said that cost alone stops them from going out to socialize. And two-thirds said that personal anxiety plays a big role too.

These results match with real-life trends. Many older Gen Z adults are working in entry-level jobs or balancing part-time work with school. Adding social spending to that budget becomes hard. So when events are free or low-cost, and planned around shared fun—not forced small talk—young adults are more likely to show up.

Face-to-Face Still Matters

Phones and apps are not enough. That point is made again and again in the surveys and reports. In-person events are not new, but they matter in a new way now. For those who spent a lot of their young adult life indoors, being invited to a fun and friendly real-life event is something they want more often.

As more companies begin to plan these kinds of meetups, the types of events will likely change—some focusing on outdoor adventures, others on quiet shared hobbies. What stays the same is the need for spaces where real human interaction isn’t pressured or expensive. That need has grown stronger, not weaker.

Apps alone cannot repair loneliness, especially when they cause it too. But creating easy ways to meet face-to-face, even with small groups, can give people something real. Many young adults are ready for that. They just need more ways to try.