Who do American men and women spend time with over the course of their lives?

Who Americans spend time with changes a lot over the course of their lives and differs between men and women.

First there’s childhood, when friends and family (parents, siblings, and other relatives) dominate. Men tend to spend more time than women with friends earlier in life. Women spend more time with family across their lives.

Then the appearance of coworkers, partners, and children. Women at every age spend more time than men with children, while men spend more time with coworkers during their careers.

Finally, there are the retirement years, when partners and time alone become the mainstays of daily life. Both men and women spend more time alone as they get older, but surveys show this does not necessarily mean they’re lonely.