Dating
Chapel Hill named best city for singles in NC
Where are all the single people? FindTheHome wanted to find out where singles should live for the highest chance of finding love.
Posted — Updated
By Christina Lavingia, FindTheHome
Finding your soul mate (if you believe in that sort of thing) is one of the most daunting tasks we face. From the big-picture qualities you're looking for — like personality, values and long-term goals — to the circumstantial factors like proximity, current emotional capacity and readiness to commit, it can seem nearly impossible to find someone to date, let alone consider a future with.
Geography, too, plays a significant role in finding the right match. If you live in a city with fewer people in your age range, you might find it tougher to find a mate. However charming it is to live in a small town, they often offer a minuscule dating pool.
FindTheHome wanted to identify where singles should be living for both the opportunity to find a partner and plenty of fun date activities. To do this, we consulted Dun and Bradstreet data and compiled a singles index that aggregated the following:
- Percentage of people who've never been married.
- Restaurants per 10K people.
- Movie theaters per 10K people.
- Bars per 10K people.
- Museums, zoos and botantical gardens per 10K people.
- WalkIQ, which measures the walkability of an area.
Cities had to have a population of 25,000 people to be considered in the rankings. Many of these cities are college towns, where the population is inherently younger and less likely to be previously married.
Note: Index factors were omitted for cities where the value equals zero.
North Carolina: Chapel Hill
Singles Index: 84.1
Population: 58,058
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 54.3%
Restaurants per 10K People: 36.3
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 1.6
Bars per 10K People: 5.4
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 1.6
WalkIQ: 71
Alabama: Auburn
Singles Index: 83.9
Population: 55,404
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 58.7%
Restaurants per 10K People: 29.8
Bars per 10K People: 3.3
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 0.9
WalkIQ: 45
Alaska: Fairbanks
Singles Index: 80.7
Population: 31,891
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 35.3%
Restaurants per 10K People: 37.9
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.3
Bars per 10K People: 9.4
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 2.8
WalkIQ: 58
Arizona: Tempe
Singles Index: 84.6
Population: 164,742
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 54.5%
Restaurants per 10K People: 42
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.2
Bars per 10K People: 6.4
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 0.8
WalkIQ: 87
Arkansas: Fayetteville
Singles Index: 82.2
Population: 75,602
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 46.7%
Restaurants per 10K People: 38.9
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.7
Bars per 10K People: 6.4
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 0.8
WalkIQ: 48
California: West Hollywood
Singles Index: 86
Population: 34,709
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 60.5%
Restaurants per 10K People: 76.1
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 2.3
Bars per 10K People: 18.2
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 5.2
WalkIQ: 99
Colorado: Boulder
Singles Index: 84.7
Population: 100,363
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 55.3%
Restaurants per 10K People: 44.6
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.5
Bars per 10K People: 7.1
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 1.7
WalkIQ: 87
Connecticut: Hartford
Singles Index: 85.1
Population: 125,130
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 56.4%
Restaurants per 10K People: 31.2
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.8
Bars per 10K People: 5.8
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 1.4
WalkIQ: 93
Delaware: Newark
Singles Index: 84.6
Population: 31,953
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 62.5%
Restaurants per 10K People: 34.4
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.3
Bars per 10K People: 3.5
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 1.6
WalkIQ: 47
Florida: University
Singles Index: 86.5
Population: 28,939
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 75.1%
Restaurants per 10K People: 34.9
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.3
Bars per 10K People: 3.6
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 0.3
WalkIQ: 46
Georgia: Statesboro
Singles Index: 86.6
Population: 29,128
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 72.2%
Restaurants per 10K People: 50.5
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 1
Bars per 10K People: 3.4
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 0.3
WalkIQ: 65
Hawaii: Urban Honolulu
Singles Index: 82.2
Population: 340,639
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 36.4%
Restaurants per 10K People: 46.9
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.3
Bars per 10K People: 8.2
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 1.4
WalkIQ: 99
Idaho: Rexburg
Singles Index: 82.3
Population: 25,900
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 46%
Restaurants per 10K People: 18.1
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0
Bars per 10K People: 0.8
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 1.2
WalkIQ: 55
Illinois: Carbondale
Singles Index: 86.4
Population: 26,223
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 69.9%
Restaurants per 10K People: 34.7
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 1.5
Bars per 10K People: 9
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 2.7
WalkIQ: 67
Indiana: Bloomington
Singles Index: 85.6
Population: 81,115
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 64.2%
Restaurants per 10K People: 31.9
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.5
Bars per 10K People: 3.6
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 1.5
WalkIQ: 71
Iowa: Ames
Singles Index: 84.1
Population: 60,168
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 59.6%
Restaurants per 10K People: 26.6
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.2
Bars per 10K People: 5
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 0.5
WalkIQ: 46
Kansas: Manhattan
Singles Index: 83.9
Population: 54,082
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 56.2%
Restaurants per 10K People: 26.6
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.2
Bars per 10K People: 6.7
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 1.5
WalkIQ: 56
Kentucky: Bowling Green
Singles Index: 82.7
Population: 59,618
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 45.9%
Restaurants per 10K People: 42.9
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.2
Bars per 10K People: 7
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 1
WalkIQ: 68
Louisiana: New Orleans
Singles Index: 83.5
Population: 357,013
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 48.5%
Restaurants per 10K People: 37.7
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.5
Bars per 10K People: 13.3
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 2.3
WalkIQ: 80
Maine: Portland
Singles Index: 82.6
Population: 66,227
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 44.1%
Restaurants per 10K People: 48.5
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.2
Bars per 10K People: 12.7
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 3.6
WalkIQ: 73
Maryland: College Park
Singles Index: 87.6
Population: 30,784
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 75.7%
Restaurants per 10K People: 29.2
Bars per 10K People: 2.9
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 1.3
WalkIQ: 77
Massachusetts: Cambridge
Singles Index: 85.3
Population: 105,737
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 57.1%
Restaurants per 10K People: 39.8
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 1.5
Bars per 10K People: 6.1
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 2.5
WalkIQ: 98
Michigan: East Lansing
Singles Index: 87.9
Population: 48,556
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 77.5%
Restaurants per 10K People: 26.2
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.4
Bars per 10K People: 3.5
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 1.2
WalkIQ: 80
Minnesota: Minneapolis
Singles Index: 83.9
Population: 389,112
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 51.7%
Restaurants per 10K People: 29.5
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.5
Bars per 10K People: 6.2
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 1.3
WalkIQ: 77
Mississippi: Hattiesburg
Singles Index: 83.6
Population: 46,716
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 52.5%
Restaurants per 10K People: 47.9
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.4
Bars per 10K People: 8
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 1.1
WalkIQ: 64
Missouri: St. Louis
Singles Index: 83.7
Population: 318,955
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 49.4%
Restaurants per 10K People: 30.6
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.3
Bars per 10K People: 10.1
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 1.8
WalkIQ: 81
Montana: Bozeman
Singles Index: 83.8
Population: 38,204
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 53.3%
Restaurants per 10K People: 36.9
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 1
Bars per 10K People: 7.4
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 2.1
WalkIQ: 66
Nebraska: Kearney
Singles Index: 81.5
Population: 31,397
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 37.8%
Restaurants per 10K People: 32.8
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.3
Bars per 10K People: 8.6
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 2.5
WalkIQ: 70
Nevada: Winchester
Singles Index: 82.2
Population: 26,910
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 37.4%
Restaurants per 10K People: 44.6
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.7
Bars per 10K People: 7.2
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 0.4
WalkIQ: 95
New Hampshire: Manchester
Singles Index: 81.6
Population: 109,942
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 36.9%
Restaurants per 10K People: 34
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.2
Bars per 10K People: 4.9
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 1.4
WalkIQ: 79
New Jersey: New Brunswick
Singles Index: 86.9
Population: 55,275
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 67.4%
Restaurants per 10K People: 34
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.2
Bars per 10K People: 6.3
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 1.4
WalkIQ: 96
New Mexico: Albuquerque
Singles Index: 81.2
Population: 549,812
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 35.8%
Restaurants per 10K People: 26
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.2
Bars per 10K People: 2.9
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 1.1
WalkIQ: 71
New York: Ithaca
Singles Index: 88.1
Population: 30,225
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 77%
Restaurants per 10K People: 44.3
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 1
Bars per 10K People: 13.3
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 1.7
WalkIQ: 86
North Dakota: Grand Forks
Singles Index: 82.6
Population: 53,315
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 46.2%
Restaurants per 10K People: 22.5
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.2
Bars per 10K People: 8.3
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 1.1
WalkIQ: 64
Ohio: Kent
Singles Index: 85.1
Population: 31,301
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 63%
Restaurants per 10K People: 24.6
Bars per 10K People: 8.6
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 1
WalkIQ: 61
Oklahoma: Stillwater
Singles Index: 83.6
Population: 46,194
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 56.2%
Restaurants per 10K People: 21.4
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.2
Bars per 10K People: 3.5
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 1.9
WalkIQ: 47
Oregon: Corvallis
Singles Index: 83.6
Population: 54,691
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 52.4%
Restaurants per 10K People: 31.1
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.7
Bars per 10K People: 4.8
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 0.4
WalkIQ: 64
Pennsylvania: State College
Singles Index: 88.7
Population: 41,948
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 81.3%
Restaurants per 10K People: 31.7
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.2
Bars per 10K People: 6.2
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 0.5
WalkIQ: 87
Rhode Island: Providence
Singles Index: 84.7
Population: 178,056
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 54.1%
Restaurants per 10K People: 31.8
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.4
Bars per 10K People: 7.5
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 1.3
WalkIQ: 92
South Carolina: Columbia
Singles Index: 84
Population: 131,004
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 54.5%
Restaurants per 10K People: 35.3
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.5
Bars per 10K People: 5
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 1.1
WalkIQ: 68
South Dakota: Aberdeen
Singles Index: 80.4
Population: 26,506
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 32.2%
Restaurants per 10K People: 27.2
Bars per 10K People: 9.5
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 1.1
WalkIQ: 63
Tennessee: Memphis
Singles Index: 82.4
Population: 650,932
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 45.1%
Restaurants per 10K People: 27.4
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.3
Bars per 10K People: 4
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 0.7
WalkIQ: 63
Texas: San Marcos
Singles Index: 85.8
Population: 48,291
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 66.9%
Restaurants per 10K People: 33.5
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 1.7
Bars per 10K People: 6.7
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 1.4
WalkIQ: 64
Utah: Provo
Singles Index: 83
Population: 114,179
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 46.8%
Restaurants per 10K People: 20.1
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.4
Bars per 10K People: 0.9
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 0.9
WalkIQ: 75
Vermont: Burlington
Singles Index: 85.1
Population: 42,331
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 58.8%
Restaurants per 10K People: 36.4
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.7
Bars per 10K People: 8
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 2.4
WalkIQ: 81
Virginia: Blacksburg
Singles Index: 86.5
Population: 42,864
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 73%
Restaurants per 10K People: 23.3
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.5
Bars per 10K People: 1.6
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 1.4
WalkIQ: 55
Washington: Pullman
Singles Index: 85.9
Population: 30,388
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 68.7%
Restaurants per 10K People: 23
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 1.3
Bars per 10K People: 4.9
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 1
WalkIQ: 57
West Virginia: Morgantown
Singles Index: 86.2
Population: 29,838
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 66.3%
Restaurants per 10K People: 49.3
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.3
Bars per 10K People: 9.8
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 1
WalkIQ: 78
Wisconsin: Milwaukee
Singles Index: 83.8
Population: 596,459
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 51.4%
Restaurants per 10K People: 18.7
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 0.3
Bars per 10K People: 10.1
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 0.6
WalkIQ: 77
Wyoming: Laramie
Singles Index: 83.2
Population: 31,198
Percentage of People Who've Never Been Married: 52%
Restaurants per 10K People: 27.2
Movie Theaters per 10K People: 1.3
Bars per 10K People: 4.4
Museums, Zoos and Botanical Gardens per 10K People: 1.9
WalkIQ: 55
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