By Adam McCann
Finding love can be tough, especially during a year of high inflation that has left many people strapped for cash. The average date costs over $90 and 19% of people in Gen Z and 22% of millennials report going into debt for dates. Therefore, it certainly pays to live in a place where dating activities, such as dining out or watching a movie, are relatively cheaper.
More entertainment choices and a low cost of living don’t matter much, however, if the number of potential mates to meet are limited in your area. Nearly 50% of the U.S. adult population is unmarried (never married, divorced or widowed), according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau estimates. The share may be higher or lower in an individual city, though, and the ratio of women to men also will differ in each. Some singles may boost their chances of meeting others through online dating, which got a boost in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
To help America’s singles find love, WalletHub compared more than 180 U.S. cities across 36 key indicators of dating-friendliness. Our data set ranges from the share of the population that is single to the number of online dating opportunities to the average price for a two-person meal.
Best Cities for Singles
Overall RankCityTotal ScoreEconomicsFun & RecreationDating Opportunities1Seattle, WA64.77167722Madison, WI62.62802913Denver, CO62.051381934San Francisco, CA61.53176195Portland, OR60.3214913106Minneapolis, MN59.241223357Austin, TX59.2010718238Honolulu, HI59.151732379San Diego, CA59.0117091410Atlanta, GA58.92147141911Las Vegas, NV58.9115157112Tempe, AZ58.7429462413Reno, NV58.6654371514Tucson, AZ58.3287233515Boise, ID57.9846412516Rapid City, SD57.8131122217Missoula, MT57.41221131218Pittsburgh, PA57.00105254019Colorado Springs, CO56.9745384420Manchester, NH56.92104129421Portland, ME56.92141203922Las Cruces, NM56.913888723Fargo, ND56.86111392724Phoenix, AZ56.4956622825Burlington, VT56.3312773826Orlando, FL56.21143611027Columbia, SC56.0760752928Cincinnati, OH56.0285265729Tampa, FL55.86121177230Lincoln, NE55.8035923131Wilmington, DE55.7811567632Los Angeles, CA55.61179103333Columbus, OH55.4130496634Chicago, IL55.3317786334Tacoma, WA55.33150711136Chandler, AZ55.082806937St. Paul, MN54.9152833638Salt Lake City, UT54.9071317839Miami, FL54.85175310740Boston, MA54.76180162141Cedar Rapids, IA54.40231434142Rochester, NY54.37148423043Grand Rapids, MI54.2840667344San Jose, CA54.15159392645St. Louis, MO54.1189328046West Valley City, UT54.10331481647Fort Lauderdale, FL54.09156159548Richmond, VA54.03100584849Worcester, MA54.011111141750Sioux Falls, SD53.9961316451Albuquerque, NM53.9473348952Knoxville, TN53.5750687653Garden Grove, CA53.45125704354Glendale, AZ53.45281155455Anchorage, AK53.38155692056Tallahassee, FL53.28531384657Lubbock, TX53.1691725258Scottsdale, AZ53.13942211559Des Moines, IA52.91241446060Huntington Beach, CA52.68126476261Juneau, AK52.651281193262Omaha, NE52.64435110663Jersey City, NJ52.60152554264Fayetteville, NC52.47781453865El Paso, TX52.35254012666Fontana, CA52.331171304567Mesa, AZ52.20108510568Cheyenne, WY52.1771696169Houston, TX52.00129447770Washington, DC51.87181117071Spokane, WA51.76113568372Pearl City, HI51.641691411373Salem, OR51.561161231874Wichita, KS51.52151678175Ontario, CA51.481201473476Aurora, CO51.46791215977Raleigh, NC51.45654811278Long Beach, CA51.44171354779Lexington-Fayette, KY51.3972919380Nashua, NH51.35191326781New Orleans, LA51.271721211182Norfolk, VA51.19136974983San Antonio, TX51.13102619684Providence, RI50.95131647885Buffalo, NY50.91118609186Riverside, CA50.85137945587Dallas, TX50.84144528288Charleston, SC50.84992114989Philadelphia, PA50.791622410990Cleveland, OH50.76130766891Oxnard, CA50.671451175192St. Petersburg, FL50.64842813893Santa Ana, CA50.57142905894Corpus Christi, TX50.44581468595Sacramento, CA50.431652710196Oklahoma City, OK50.31348911797Nampa, ID50.28641665098Milwaukee, WI50.26119798799San Bernardino, CA50.1315712553100New Haven, CT50.131619356101Irvine, CA50.051546375102Gilbert, AZ49.931105127103Nashville, TN49.7710830132104Fort Worth, TX49.645781119105Springfield, MO49.6014159116106Virginia Beach, VA49.499350128107Billings, MT49.4637156103108Fresno, CA49.4510310097109Bismarck, ND49.4412168118110Augusta, GA49.437618174111Oakland, CA49.181743684112Vancouver, WA49.0915859102113Irving, TX49.049816165114Overland Park, KS49.032184142115Toledo, OH48.898313799116Charlotte, NC48.885557148117Jacksonville, FL48.637078134118Anaheim, CA48.5611265113119Santa Clarita, CA48.5015310188120Oceanside, CA48.3110954130121Tulsa, OK48.2732108144122Kansas City, MO48.2377103123123Aurora, IL48.1013413494124Huntsville, AL48.0520136147125Bakersfield, CA47.8386107122126North Las Vegas, NV47.829015290127Akron, OH47.7748150124128Louisville, KY47.759772136129Baton Rouge, LA47.48123116108130Chula Vista, CA47.4616487100131Indianapolis, IN47.416698143132Amarillo, TX47.384173157133Plano, TX47.321682162134Moreno Valley, CA47.2114016086135Fort Wayne, IN47.1631162137136Stockton, CA46.9859149131137Fremont, CA46.9513274121138Baltimore, MD46.9316645125139Detroit, MI46.43160120104140Henderson, NV46.3582109135141Newark, NJ46.23146104114142Arlington, TX46.1868142141143Bridgeport, CT46.0116311892144Lewiston, ME46.0013514098145Durham, NC45.8813111168146Casper, WY45.7617174150147South Burlington, VT45.7388153120148Gulfport, MS45.7136178133149Mobile, AL45.4126157164150Huntington, WV45.2541165146151New York, NY45.211824167152Modesto, CA45.1791127155153Columbus, GA44.7661180129154Garland, TX44.6974154139155Cape Coral, FL44.6175106159156Peoria, AZ44.575124172157Birmingham, AL44.53110133153158Charleston, WV44.5339155158159Chattanooga, TN44.4244126169160Laredo, TX44.396395165161Newport News, VA44.1396170140162Rancho Cucamonga, CA43.99124122152163Chesapeake, VA43.9669164151164Greensboro, NC43.935177177165Grand Prairie, TX43.38101151154166Yonkers, NY43.3613399160167Port St. Lucie, FL43.088163171168Jackson, MS42.9847175170169Little Rock, AR42.8995171163170Pembroke Pines, FL42.7081102175171Memphis, TN42.6492158166172Santa Rosa, CA41.9917853161173Montgomery, AL41.7827176174174Columbia, MD41.7411486176175Dover, DE41.71106179145176Winston-Salem, NC41.5767135178177Shreveport, LA41.5442177179178Fort Smith, AR41.1562182156179Hialeah, FL40.9413996173180Brownsville, TX40.3318110182181Glendale, CA39.8316843180182Warwick, RI38.6849128181
Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that city, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.
Best vs. Worst
Burlington, Vermont, has the highest share of single people, 74.83 percent, which is two times higher than in Fremont, California, the city with the lowest at 37.68 percent.
Glendale, Arizona, has the lowest average restaurant-meal cost, $30.00, which is 3.3 times lower than in New York, Irvine, California, Pearl City, Hawaii, and Santa Rosa, California, the cities with the highest at $100.00.
Indianapolis has the lowest average price for a bottle of wine, $3.68, which is four times lower than in Detroit the city with the highest at $14.74.
Port St. Lucie, Florida, has the lowest average price for a movie ticket, $6.43, which is 2.7 times lower than in Los Angeles and Long Beach, California, the cities with the highest at $17.40.