A single person is defined as someone who is not in a serious committed relationship or who is not part of a civil union under legal definitions of interpersonal status. Singles may engage in dating and other activities in order to find a long-term companion or spouse. Single people are those who are eligible but not married, divorced, separated, or in a similar situation. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2014, an estimated 79 million Americans were single, comprising about 23% of the population. Of these singles, about 1 in 4 (25 million) were 65 years of age or older. The number of single women exceeded the number of single men in 2014 for the first time since 1970. There are several different categories of individuals who, according to census data, are single: never married, divorced, separated, and widowed. In addition, there are also individuals who report that they are involved in a civil union or domestic partnership but who are not legally married. Finally, there are those who report that they are members of another religious sect or group who do not practice marriage. In terms of age, one third of Americans are aged 15 to 24, while only 7% are over 65. This means that most people are either in their prime childbearing years or close to it. This is why having no partner by young adulthood is so unusual; indeed, it is rare.