Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. If you are single, you might be wondering what you are going to do on the biggest date night of the year. To help single Americans improve their chances of finding love, personal finance website WalletHub has compared and ranked all 50 states based on their dating-friendliness. Let’s take a look at the best states for singles in 2020.
About 34% of all American adults have never been married. WalletHub notes that your personality, looks, interests, and employment status influence your odds of finding a romantic partner. But where you live also plays an important role. Certain states have a much better dating scene than others.
WalletHub compared all 50 states based on 29 metrics such as the share of single adults, movie costs, nightlife options per capita, crime rate, online dating safety, and more. It then combined data into three main sections – Dating economics, dating opportunities, and romance & fun.
Before looking at the best states for singles, let’s first take a glance at the worst states and their overall scores. A higher score means better ranking.
- West Virginia (35.52)
- Arkansas (37.48)
- North Dakota (38.19)
- New Mexico (40.79)
- Wyoming (41.85)
- Kansas (42.05)
- Kentucky (42.13)
- Alaska (42.37)
- Alabama (42.79)
- Mississippi (42.85)
Here are the states that topped the ranking this year:
10- Michigan
Michigan is the 10th best state for singles with an overall score of 58.56. It was ranked 11th for dating opportunities as well as romance & fun. Michigan occupied 19th spot for dating economics. Michigan has the 13th highest percentage of single adults and 3rd best gender balance of singles.
9- Massachusetts
Massachusetts is home to reputed educational institutions like Harvard and MIT. It has a booming startup landscape that attracts top talent from all over the world. As a result, Massachusetts is among the best states for dating opportunities. It was ranked 4th for dating opportunities and 12th for romance & fun. However, it ranked 43rd for dating economics.
8- Wisconsin
Wisconsin received a score of 61.13. The cost of living in Wisconsin is relatively lower, which means your income will stretch a lot further. Wisconsin ranked 6th for dating economics, 8th for romance & fun, and 17th for dating opportunities.
7- Illinois
Illinois is among the best states for singles because it offers plenty of dating opportunities. The state also has a bunch of restaurants, movie theaters, and other recreation centers. Illinois has the 5th highest number of restaurants per capita. It was ranked 5th for dating opportunities and 6th for romance & fun. However, it lags behind in terms of dating economics, occupying the 45th spot.
6- Ohio
With a score of 63.10, Ohio is the 6th best state for singles looking for a romantic companion. It was ranked 7th in romance & fun, 8th in dating opportunities, and 20th in dating economics. Ohio has the 5th best gender balance of singles in America.
5- Pennsylvania
The Keystone state scored particularly high in terms of romance & fun. It’s the third best state for romance & fun, which includes restaurants, movie theaters, nightlife options, fitness centers, music festivals, and attractions. Pennsylvania was ranked 7th for dating opportunities and 35th for dating economics.
4- New York
New York has the highest number of movie theaters per capita and highest number of restaurants per capita. The state has 5th highest percentage of single adults in the country. It was ranked 1st for romance & fun and 2nd for dating opportunities. However, it sat at the bottom (50th spot) for dating economics. New York is by far the most expensive place for dating.
3- Texas
Texas has the most restaurants and movie theaters per capita. And dating in Texas is far less expensive than in New York. The state was ranked 5th for romance & fun and 6th for dating opportunities. The Lone Star state ranked 22nd for dating economics.
2- California
With a score of 67.41, California is the second-best state in the country for singles, according to WalletHub. But dating could be a ridiculously expensive affair in the state. California has the most restaurants and movie theaters per capita. It offers the 5th most online dating opportunities. California was ranked 1st for dating opportunities, 2nd for romance & fun, and 49th for dating economics.
1- Florida
Florida has beaten out 49 other states to become the best state for singles in 2020 with a score of 69.21. Florida has bars, romantic restaurants, and amusement parks all around. It has the most restaurants per capita and 8th highest share of single adults. Florida ranked 3rd for dating opportunities, 4th for romance & fun, and 33rd for dating economics.
