Jobs where you’re most likely to be single at 40
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Jobs where you’re most likely to be single at 40
Bartender mixing drink
Ever felt like your job was holding you back from meeting that special someone? You may be right.
To determine jobs where you’re most likely to be single at 40, Stacker analyzed data from the 2021 American Community Survey, powered by the Census Bureau. The percentage of never-married respondents was calculated by dividing the number of respondents who had never been married by the total respondents for a given occupation; this metric ranks the list.
Similarly, the percentage of single respondents was calculated by dividing the sum of the respondents who reported they were never married, widowed, divorced, or separated into the total respondents for a given occupation. Inevitably, there is overlap between those who said they were never married and those who are considered “single.”
Perhaps not surprisingly, many of these occupations are in the service industry, likely because employees in the service industry work long hours, evenings, and weekends and may not have time outside of work to find a partner. However, some blue-collar jobs also made the list.
The reality is that more people than ever are choosing to remain single longer, regardless of occupation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the marriage rate fell from 8.2 marriages per 1,000 people in 2000 to 5.1 marriages per 1,000 people in 2020. People delay marriage for numerous, wide-ranging reasons, from feeling unprepared financially to not wanting to settle down.
Meanwhile, the number of unpartnered people continues to grow. The Pew Research Center found in 2019 that nearly 1 in 3 adults between 40-54 were unpartnered, compared to 1990 (almost 1 in 4).
Keep reading to discover the jobs where you’re most likely to be single at 40.
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#30. Cooks
Two cooks in commercial kitchen
– Percent never married: 56.96%
– Percent single: 70.45%
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#29. Food servers, nonrestaurant
Person carrying drinks to table
– Percent never married: 57.27%
– Percent single: 70.38%
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#28. Bartenders
Bartender mixing drink
– Percent never married: 57.5%
– Percent single: 73.1%
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#27. Tour And travel guides
Tour guide leading hike
– Percent never married: 58.19%
– Percent single: 66.59%
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
#26. Transportation service attendants
Air transportation attendant
– Percent never married: 58.91%
– Percent single: 69.92%
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#25. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
Person washing vechile
– Percent never married: 59.14%
– Percent single: 71.05%
Yevhen H // Shutterstock
#24. Parking attendants
Parking attendant in lot
– Percent never married: 59.37%
– Percent single: 70.06%
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
#23. Stockers and order fillers
Person working in shipping room
– Percent never married: 60.3%
– Percent single: 71.93%
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#22. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
Two people holding dog in veterinary office
– Percent never married: 60.84%
– Percent single: 67.19%
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
#21. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
Person buying movie tickets
– Percent never married: 61.38%
– Percent single: 73.53%
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#20. Telemarketers
Telemarketer speaking with client
– Percent never married: 61.45%
– Percent single: 74.78%
ephyr_p // Shutterstock
#19. Helpers, construction trades
Construction worker carrying ladder
– Percent never married: 62.48%
– Percent single: 70.51%
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
#18. Food preparation workers
Person chopping vegetables
– Percent never married: 62.52%
– Percent single: 75.17%
Bumble Dee // Shutterstock
#17. Military-enlisted tactical operations and air/weapons specialists and crew Members
Soliders stand and salue
– Percent never married: 62.8%
– Percent single: 67.08%
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#16. Food preparation and serving-related workers, all other
Person preparing hamburgers
– Percent never married: 63.76%
– Percent single: 70.03%
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#15. Cashiers
Cashier working grocery checkout
– Percent never married: 65.88%
– Percent single: 78.08%
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#14. Recreation workers
Recreation coach speaking with kids team
– Percent never married: 66.2%
– Percent single: 75.92%
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#13. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
Woman cleaning tables
– Percent never married: 66.83%
– Percent single: 77.07%
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#12. Solar photovoltaic installers
Man installing photovoltaic panels
– Percent never married: 67.%
– Percent single: 76.26%
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#11. Tutors
Tutor assisting student
– Percent never married: 67.04%
– Percent single: 72.93%
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Mangostar // Shutterstock
#10. Unemployed, with no work experience in at the last 5 years or more
Person filling out job application form
– Percent never married: 68.88%
– Percent single: 79.78%
Note: This refers to those unemployed with no work experience in the last five years or earlier or those who never worked
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#9. Waiters And waitresses
Close up waitress taking order
– Percent never married: 69.95%
– Percent single: 79.64%
Evgeniy Kalinovskiy // Shutterstock
#8. Dancers And choreographers
Dancers rehearsing at bar
– Percent never married: 70.63%
– Percent single: 78.34%
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#7. Dishwashers
Dishwasher cleaning in commercial kitchen
– Percent never married: 70.95%
– Percent single: 81.66%
Oleksandr Nagaiets // Shutterstock
#6. Other entertainment attendants and related workers
Man adjusting stage light
– Percent never married: 71.16%
– Percent single: 79.38%
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#5. Umpires, referees, and other sports officials
Umpire on sports field
– Percent never married: 71.62%
– Percent single: 77.28%
FXQuadro // Shutterstock
#4. Residential advisors
Students gathered in dorm kitchen
– Percent never married: 80.53%
– Percent single: 87.76%
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#3. Fast food and counter workers
Man working in food truck
– Percent never married: 82.68%
– Percent single: 87.63%
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#2. Hosts And hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
Baristas in coffee shop
– Percent never married: 83.88%
– Percent single: 89.06%
Bigflick // Shutterstock
Protective service workers
Prison attendant
– Percent never married: 90.1%
– Percent single: 92.13%
