Table for two? That’s one too many for the increasing number of Americans choosing to live alone. For the first time, more than 50 percent of the U.S. adult population is single, up from 37 percent in 1976. According to an article in the Washington Post, single adults now account for more than 50 percent of the population in 27 states, with Louisiana and Rhode Island on top at 55.7 percent, and New York, Mississippi, New Mexico and California close behind.

U.S. household sizes are shrinking as a result. There are a whopping 34 million one-person households nationwide today, a number that is expected to climb to more than 36 million by 2020. That accounts for 28 percent of all U.S. households, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, up from 17 percent in 1970.

The greatest concentration is in urban centers, where single-person households run as high as 65 percent in large cities such as Washington, DC and New York City. But the phenomenon is happening everywhere and cuts across all demographics and generations. Interestingly, only 28 percent of single-adult households are under age 45. They are far outnumbered by older adults; 72 percent of one-person households are equally split between the 45-to-64, and 65-and-up age groups.

Why This Trend?

One reason is delayed marriage among Millennials. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 1960 the median age of a first marriage was 20 for women and 23 for men; now it’s 27 for women and 29 for men. This postponement of marriage is a result of myriad and complex factors, many of which are economic. Crippling student-loan debt; a poor job market when many entered the workforce during the recession; and delayed financial independence have forced many more Millennials to continue living with their parents than previous generations.

Women are adding to the single ranks in droves. Once stigmatized as spinsters, today many well-educated, financially independent women are choosing to live as “singularists,” according to Rebecca Traister, author of “All the Single Ladies.” By 2009, the number of American single adult women had outnumbered their married counterparts, and between 2010 and 2014, the count rose by another 3.9 million women. Today, women account for 54 percent of all single-person households, according to Realtor Magazine.

Consumer trends analyst Faith Popcorn calls single women the “new bachelors” in her report, “Single-arity: The Rise of the Solo Citizen.” She says one reason the number of women opting for single life has exploded over the last 30 years is because the lifestyle is “easier and more beneficial” to them.

According to Susan Yashinsky, a consumer-trends expert with Sphere Trending, some women over age 50 decide they don’t want to spend another 30 years in an unhappy marriage and opt out, joining the growing number of divorcing Baby Boomers. As many more women now live to 100 and beyond, a lot of women over 70 are living solo as widows.

Not all “single” women live alone, of course; according to the National Center for Health Statistics, 48 percent of women age 15 to 44 have lived with a partner before marriage. But changing societal norms regarding this and other previously considered “alternative” living arrangements are clearly fueling growth in the ranks of singles.

“People have very different lifestyle choices today, and one of those choices is to remain single,” Yashinsky explains. “For example, 30 percent of Gen Xers – those who are currently between 40 and 49 years old – will never marry,” she says. “At that same age, only 14 percent of Baby Boomers chose to remain single.”

What Is the Impact?

Without the benefit of two wage earners, some single households – particularly those on the younger edge of the trend – have less discretionary income to splurge on things such as fireplaces, premium outdoor furniture, and outdoor kitchens. But, according to Popcorn, “Without the responsibilities and financial commitments of marriage, many singles are able to indulge in luxury purchases without having to justify or feel guilty about their splurges and whims.”

She points out that singles spend 33 percent more on themselves than marrieds-with-children. “They are cultivators of taste and spending on art, new cuisine, hobbies and theater,” Popcorn says. “Singles are becoming the new leading edge.”

“The growing number of single households forces us to change the way we look at things and the way we design and market products, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing for the hearth and outdoor living industries,” Yashinsky says. “Many of the people who are opting to remain single are at their peak earning years, so there are plenty of opportunities here.”

According to Yashinsky, the growth of single-person households is disrupting the status quo for homebuilders. In response, she says, builders are beginning to offer smaller-sized homes with flexible floor plans to accommodate diverse and frequently changing living arrangements, such as friends buying homes together; renting out part of a home for income; or incorporating a work space within the home for the growing number of people who now telecommute.

She says new multifamily developments are often being constructed with shared common spaces such as communal lounges, recreation and fitness areas, and shared outdoor living spaces, where the single residents can gather socially to find a sense of community.

According to Yashinsky, an increasing number of single women over age 50 wish to share a home with another woman for safety, companionship and economic reasons. As a result, they are looking for homes with two master suites. Christie Vanover, author of the grilling blog GirlsCanGrill.com, says fewer women are intimidated by grilling today, but with more of them living alone, they will want good-quality, reasonably priced, portable grills that fit on apartment-sized balconies or in small backyards. “Just big enough for four small steaks or chicken breasts,” she says.

Yashinsky says single-person households are responsible for fueling another growing trend: hardscaping a greater portion of the yard with decks, patios and porches. “Singles don’t want the yard maintenance, for one, and the larger outdoor living space helps to compensate for a smaller indoor living space,” she says.

There’s an opportunity to fill that space with outdoor furniture, grills, decorative accessories, heaters, and fire pits. However, Yashinsky cautions that manufacturers and retailers of these products need to remember the touch points that are important to the different generations within the single-person household trend.

For instance, she says, ergonomics are important to aging Baby Boomers and should be factored into product designs. “The height of patio seating becomes a bigger issue. Low seating is not easy for them,” she says. In addition, the weight of the grill hood and accessibility of the propane tank are key considerations for this generation, and natural gas and electric grills that eliminate the need to lug tanks would also be targeted options.

While it’s true that single-person households often rent, according to Yashinsky, “They might be renting for an extended period of time – maybe six or eight years. So, for them, it’s a ‘home,’ and they want to make it nice,” she says. “Even Millennials, who may not have a lot of money, want a nice home, because entertaining at home is extremely important to them.”

In fact, a New York Times article calls Millennials, “Generation Homebody,” noting the group would prefer staying home to cook, watch Netflix, or entertain friends, rather than going out for a night on the town. The article asks, “Is staying in the new going out?”

For Millennials who can’t afford a full-blown outdoor kitchen and entertaining island, Yashinsky says a smaller-scale outdoor bar cart would serve their “cocktail culture” and facilitate their love of entertaining. Likewise, outdoor furniture chat groupings and fire pits are appealing to this generation.

“It’s very important to understand that the number of single-person households will continue to increase,” says Yashinsky. “But manufacturers and retailers must recognize that this is not a one-size-fits-all trend with a one-size-fits-all strategy. Each generation of singles has its own nuances. If you don’t recognize this growing category of consumers and respond accordingly and appropriately, you will be out of business.”