Global Love Report – April 8th, 2026
English summary by Margaret
A 2024 survey conducted by Statistics Netherlands revealed that elderly couples aged 60 to 80 are choosing to live apart. This type of relationship is called Living Apart Together (LAT) and entails that the couple remains romantically connected while living in separate homes, allowing them to maintain independence while staying in a partnership.
LAT Relationships Among Seniors Aged 60 to 70
Source: Statistics Netherlands/Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS)
The data also highlights changes from 2014 to 2024 and differences between age groups. Approximately 5% of people aged 60 to 70 are now in LAT relationships, compared to 3% in 2014. At the same time, the number of seniors in this age group who live together with their partner has dropped from 76% in 2014 to 70% in 2024. Men in this group are more likely than women to live with a partner, and slightly more men choose to be in a LAT relationship compared to women.
Relationship Choices Among Seniors in Their Seventies
Source: Statistics Netherlands/Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS)
Shifting to the older segment, among those aged 70 to 80, LAT relationships are less common, with only 3% choosing this arrangement, while about 66% live with their partner. In this age group, men are still more likely than women to live with a partner, and they also choose LAT relationships. However, unlike the 60–70 age group, men and women in this age range show less difference in whether they live with a partner. This is largely due to men living longer, so fewer women end up alone after losing a partner.
Why Older Men Are More Likely to Have a Partner
Explaining this gender difference, men aged 60 to 80 are more likely than women to still have a partner. This is partly because men in couples are usually a few years older than their female partners and tend to pass away earlier. As a result, women more often end up alone after losing a partner, while men are more likely to remain in a relationship longer.
Why Older Adults Choose LAT Relationships
In addition to gender differences, previous marital history also influences older adults’ choice of LAT relationships. This type of relationship is more common among divorced men or widowers, and among divorced women or women who have never married, while widowed women are less likely to choose this arrangement.
Originally published by: Statistics Netherlands/Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS)
