CHICAGO (WLS) -- Valentine's Day is Friday and if you don't have a sweetheart, don't fret; more people than you might imagine prefer it that way.

According to a study conducted by the Survey Center on American Life, 41% of single people say they aren't looking for a date and prefer to stay single. Among the reasons they cited for being on their own were personal freedom, unsuitable candidates for dating and higher priorities in their lives.

The marriage rate in the United States has declined steadily since 1990, from 67% to 53%, a 15-point drop according to Pew research. And studies continue to dispel the myth that single people are less happy than their married counter parts.

"They love their solitude. So for them, when they have time to themselves, that's something to cherish. It doesn't scare them that they're going to be lonely," said social scientist and author Bella DePaulo.

She advised people living the single life to invest in themselves and do the big things you want to do, like traveling, moving across the country and changing jobs.