Being single can be a blessing and a curse — and a lot of it depends on where you live. In a new survey by WalletHub, the personal financial planning website, analysts compared 182 U.S. cities for "dating friendliness" across 32 key indicators to find out what are the best cities for singles. Although it may be true that "wherever you go, there you are," let's face it, living in a place where other singles and fun activities abound versus living around homebody married types can make a real difference in your quality of life.
Although some folks might bemoan the lonely nights and mind numbingly frustrating dating scene, others celebrate the benefits of being happily unattached with all the pleasures it can bring. Being single means you get non-stop me time that those in LTRs have to fight like hell to squeeze in when they come home to a partner. It also means having endless space for friends and family and hobbies that relationships can easily interfere with — or at least make difficult to engage in to the same extent. In short, singlehood can be a blast, and it's all about what you make it.
Here are five cities that are awesome for singles — and why.
1
San Francisco
The City by the Bay comes out on top of WalletHub's survey, ranked number one overall for singles. San Francisco has some of the most nightlife options per capita so you'll never be bored, and if you're sick of digital hookups, there's plenty of IRL spots to meet someone new for a friendship-with-benefits, full-fledged romance, or something in between.
If you prefer to go out in the daytime, there's also a wealth of entertaining hot spots to explore, from world renowned museums (the de Young, SF MoMA, California Academy of Sciences, etc.) to hiking and sightseeing that's rich with history and unbeatable views.
2
Austin
The state capitol of Texas is ranked 26 overall for dating, but when it comes to the gender balance of singles, it beats out most cities across America. This may not seem like a particularly exciting statistic, but think of it this way: the more options at your fingertips means the better your chances are to meet someone to have fun with. According to Citylab, a 2015 survey specifically listed Austin amongst cities where "the odds favor single women" — and in a patriarchal world, you definitely can't beat that.
3
Detroit
The Motor City has a bad rap, but single folks are everywhere. Of all the cities WalletHub surveyed, Detroit boasts the highest percentage of the population that's flying solo. As the city rebuilds, it's basically crawling with single folks, so the likelihood of falling for someone who also happens to be open and on the prowl is pretty high. One Detroit dater in Cosmo raved about the small city's scene, saying the meet cutes are all happening in bars, not on dating apps, and that folks aren't necessarily dating to mate, but to first and foremost have a good time.
4
Atlanta
Atlanta is ranked just after San Francisco as the second best city to be single in. This Southern gem came up third in overall "Dating Opportunities," which is defined by the number of "most active Tinder users," the singles gender balance, the percentage of singles in the population, online dating opportunities, and mobile dating opportunities. You might not guess it's so great for dating from the way it's portrayed on Atlanta or The Real Housewives of Atlanta: but truth is always stranger (and often, sexier) than fiction and reality TV.
5
Denver
The Mile High City ranks fourth in the top cities for singles. Not only does Denver have great ski slopes, killer wildlife (both literally and figuratively), and perfect weather to cozy up inside with someone new, but it also favors women in the dating scene. Similar to Austin, Denver has more single men than single women, so that means heterosexual ladies have a bigger pool to choose from. On top of that, Denver offers a high level of restaurants, movie theaters, music festivals, nightlife options, nature parks and fitness and recreational facilities per capita, which means there's never a shortage of fun outing options.
So if you're a unattached and looking to move cities — or even plan a solo vacation — these five bastions of singledom are a perfect place to start.
