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The 15 Best (and Worst) U.S. Cities for Single People

Looking for love? Your geography may (or may not) be doing you any favors.

BySam Hindman|
Single people may want to start swiping in Atlanta, Georgia.
Single people may want to start swiping in Atlanta, Georgia. | MoMo Productions/GettyImages

When it comes to finding love, not all cities are created equal. WalletHub’s recent analysis put over 180 U.S. cities to the test to see just how friendly they are to single people.

While some spots showed an abundance of opportunities to have a meet-cute or a cheap night out, others proved to be not-so-optimal for solo living. 

WalletHub ranked the cities by evaluating across three key areas: economics, fun and recreation, and dating opportunities. Each area was broken down into 35 specific factors, like housing affordability, nightlife options, and the share of the single population. Cities were graded on a 100-point scale, with scores reflecting how optimistic conditions are for singles.

The final rankings were calculated by averaging weighted scores from all factors. The study focused on the city proper (excluding metro areas) to provide a clear view of dating conditions within each locale. 

  1. The 15 Best Cities to Be Single in the U.S.
  2. The 15 Worst Cities to Be Single in the U.S.

The 15 Best Cities to Be Single in the U.S.

  1. Atlanta, Georgia
  2. Las Vegas, Nevada
  3. Seattle, Washington
  4. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  5. Tampa, Florida
  6. Portland, Oregon
  7. Madison, Wisconsin
  8. Cincinnati, Ohio
  9. Denver, Colorado
  10. Austin, Texas
  11. Minneapolis, Minnesota
  12. St. Louis, Missouri
  13. Rapid City, South Dakota
  14. Boise, Idaho
  15. Miami, Florida

Based on the Wallethub rankings, Atlanta is the spot to be if you’re searching for that special someone. There’s no shortage of Tinder dates—the study found that over 69 percent of Atlanta’s population is single (meaning never married, widowed, or divorced).   

Las Vegas nabbed the No. 2 spot, thanks to its combination of nightlife, music festivals, and (surprisingly) low dating costs that make it the perfect place to find a lover.

Third on the list is Seattle. Known for its high incomes (median $80,000) and strong community, it’s an ideal spot for meeting successful, like-minded people. It’s also a top city for online dating.

The 15 Worst Cities to Be Single in the U.S.

  1. Pearl City, Hawaii
  2. Port St. Lucie, Florida
  3. Brownsville, Texas
  4. Columbia, Maryland
  5. Glendale, California
  6. Hialeah, Florida
  7. Warwick, Rhode Island
  8. Grand Prairie, Texas
  9. Yonkers, New York
  10. Jackson, Mississippi
  11. Little Rock, Arkansas
  12. Rancho Cucamonga, California
  13. Anaheim, California
  14. Winston-Salem, North Carolina
  15. Garland, Texas

Pearl City, Hawaii, is not a great place to be someone looking for love. This is due to an unfortunate combination: It doesn’t have a lot to offer in terms of date-friendly activities, and the options that do exist tend to have high prices. 

Next up is Port St. Lucie, a small city in the state of Florida that can be overshadowed by the state’s better-known destinations. Part of the reason for its ranking is that there are simply very few singles in the area.

The third least-lucky city is Brownsville, Texas, whose residents had some of the lowest presence on online dating applications and websites. 

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