Two-thirds of single men in SC aren’t friends with any women, study reveals. Here’s why

Can women and men just be friends?

The age-old question seems silly, considering plenty of men and women have platonic relationships without any romantic strings attached, but a new study suggests it may not be so simple to answer, especially for men.

A significant number of young single men in South Carolina say that they don’t have female friends, or that it feels impossible to become friends outside of dating.

Cherry Data Signals, a survey data provider, polled over 7,000 single men in the U.S. aged 18 to 25 about their relationships, such as friendships, dating habits, use of dating apps and social lives.

After it was all said and done, the results revealed that for many young men, dating is a struggle, but a lack of everyday friendships with women is an even bigger issue. The survey found that 60% of single men say they have no female friends, and 73% of single men who are not currently using dating apps say they have simply given up trying to find a romantic partner.

“The results suggest that for many young single men, the issue is not just that dating feels harder. It is that everyday social connection with women may be disappearing too,” says Sara Conway of Cherry Data Signals.

In SC, the struggle is just as prevalent for young single men.

How many men in SC don’t have female friends?

An even higher percentage of young single men in SC don’t have any platonic relationships with other women, the study revealed.

Here are the stats for SC:

• Men aged 18-35: 606,042
• Estimated single men aged 18-35: 381,806
• Percentage of men with no female friends: 64%
• Estimated number of single men aged 18-35 with no female friends: 244,356

Why are men struggling to have platonic relationships?

Respondents to the survey listed multiple reasons why they believe it’s harder to keep friendships with women. Some men reportedly struggle to juggle their romantic and platonic feelings.

Here’s what men said makes friendships so difficult to keep, and what they believe they’re missing out on:

• Percent of men who say they would find it difficult to maintain a close friendship with a woman they were attracted to: 39%
• Percent of men who say they have mistaken friendliness from a woman for romantic interest: 33%
• Percent of men who say men with close female friends are probably better at understanding women: 58%
• Percent of men who say having female friends would make dating feel less intimidating: 46%

This points to one of the central tensions in the findings: many men recognize the value of female friendships, but still find them difficult to form or maintain.

In fact, 44% of men with no female friends said they would like to have at least one female friend, suggesting the issue is not always hostility or a lack of interest. For many, it may be awkwardness, isolation or simply not knowing where those friendships would come from.

Tips to make more friends

Guys don’t just struggle to make platonic relationships with women, but friendships altogether. According to the American Institute for Boys and Men, 15% of men don’t have any close friends, and men spend around 5.5 hours alone every day.

Male loneliness is an ongoing public health crisis, and it’s important to try to make more connections. Here are tips from Headspace for both men and women to meet more people:

• Make space in your head and your heart: Try to let go of where you were and accept where you are. Allow yourself to be open to new experiences and new people
• Look for interests, not individuals: Rather than looking for a specific person to befriend, look for social clubs or classes to join, like a book club or a cycling studio
• Be consistent: Schedule coffee dates. Sign up for a volunteer shift. Take a class. Get it on the calendar and stick to it
• Hedge your bets: It can be better to spread your time across a few friendships than to pin all efforts (and hopes) on one
• Say yes and mean it: Accept invitations and actually show up. A night out or a dinner party can lead to great discoveries—restaurants, music, hobbies, neighborhoods, and additional friendships

This story was originally published May 16, 2026 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Two-thirds of single men in SC aren’t friends with any women, study reveals. Here’s why."