UNC study shows Americans spend less time with friends on weekends
Data indicates Friday and Saturday social hours have fallen to levels not seen in two decades, with late-night gatherings nearly disappearing.
By Elena Perry ·
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill released findings that track how Americans allocate their leisure time with peers across the weekend. The data covers the period from 2022 to 2024 and compares it to earlier benchmarks from 2003 to 2005 and 2017 to 2019.
Friday evening socialization with friends has dropped to a low of 4% of total time spent that night. This figure represents a decline from 9% in the early 2000s and 7% in the late 2010s. The study indicates that Friday nights no longer function as a distinct social peak but rather as a continuation of the workweek.
The gap between Thursday and Friday social hours has narrowed considerably. The data shows that the share of time spent with friends on Friday evenings now barely exceeds the share recorded on Thursdays. This shift aligns with post-pandemic work patterns where many employees treat Thursday as the primary day for evening outings.
Saturday evening habits show a similar downward trend. The proportion of Saturday evening time spent with friends peaked at 7% in the most recent data. This is a substantial decrease from the 12% recorded during the 2003 to 2005 period.
Late-night socializing has declined to the point of near disappearance. The study found that less than 1% of Americans' time after midnight is currently spent with friends. This metric marks a sharp break from historical patterns where late-night gatherings were a common component of weekend leisure.
The findings were reported in an article titled “Lonely Weak Ends” by Anthony Blair. The piece appeared on page 3 of the New York Post, a section of the newspaper that has recently featured lighter content. Blair’s column contextualizes the UNC data within a broader discussion of changing social norms.
The study suggests that the traditional structure of the weekend is eroding. As Friday and Saturday evening social hours shrink, Americans are moving their peer interactions to other times or reducing the frequency of in-person meetups. The data points to a measurable shift in how the country spends its limited free time.
Researchers at UNC compiled these figures to document the trajectory of American social habits over two decades. The numbers show a consistent decline in evening socialization across all measured weekend days. The most recent data set confirms that the drop in friend time is not a temporary fluctuation but a sustained trend.
