New York City is often thought of as the cultural and social hub of the U.S., but now, the city has taken on a decidedly more unromantic title: worst city for dating in the nation. According to a study released in 2024 by FetishFinder, New York ranks dead last among the top 20 largest cities in the U.S. when finding love.
The research aims to take the pulse of the dating scene in many major urban centers, such as New York, for an unraveling of some light on why dating is tough in the Big Apple.
Purpose of the Study
The study by FetishFinder aimed to help singles better understand their chances of forming meaningful relationships in various cities. As the study analyzed a host of factors, it could then help folks move toward places where dating prospects might be a bit more decent-or, if New York is any indicator, dramatically worse. As dating apps and social connections form the backbone for much of modern relationships, much significance is placed on understanding the broader reach of the dating environment.
Methodology and Data Collection
In developing the ranking of dating scenes in major United States cities, six metrics were considered by FetishFinder to speak to how well a city caters to singles, including:
- Singles Population: This shows the total number of single people occupying each of the places.
- Marriage Propensity: This is the likelihood that singles get married.
- Annual Divorce Rates: Frequency of divorces happening in the city.
- Actively seeking a relationship: The actual percentage of singles looking for a partner.
- Quality of Life: Safety, health care, leisure opportunities, well-being in general.
- Cost of Living: How much it costs to live-and date-in the city.
This information was estimated using reliable data sources for estimating these factors, including the U.S. Census Bureau, Google Keyword Planner, and Numbeo.
Why New York Ranked Last
Several important factors placed New York as the worst city to date:
- High Cost of Living: New York is famously expensive-from rent prices on through dining out-and this translates right down to the dating scene. Dates themselves are more expensive in comparison with most other cities; casual or meaningful connections are really hard for singles to make.
- Quality of life: New York, though rich in culture and teeming with opportunities, is a proposition wherein the pace of life is very fast, and it is quite stressful; that makes it very difficult in terms of building any pivotal relationship. The same element of limited personal space, high stress, and constant hustle means that many residents struggle to find time for relationships.
- High Divorce Rates: Most of the people seeking a lifetime commitment may be further turned off by New York’s high divorce rates, further indicative of unstable relationships.
- Noncommittal Singles: There is an interesting paradox of New York’s dating culture-the fact that it hosts one of the largest populations of single people, yet the majority are perceived to be non-committal. The options are endless, so many singles stick to casual relationships or juggle several options at once and don’t commit to only one person.
- Low Active Search for Relationships: Most interestingly, while there is a huge number of singles in the city, few are actually searching for a relationship. This in turn reduces the ease with which those seeking a committed partnership will find a similarly interested partner.
How Other Cities Compare Ironically, the same study last year had Seattle, Denver, Dallas, Indianapolis, and Austin as the top contenders for singles, where dating was relatively much easier and fulfilling. On the other hand, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Chicago, and San Antonio ranked among the bottom, although none did as horribly as New York did in this year’s report. An Arduous Dating Scene, But Hope for the Future? Those who have brave the singles scene in New York City may not be too surprised, though.
The city’s size and hectic pace often prove to be a blessing and curse for singles: sure there’s plenty of people to meet, but as the FetishFinder study shows, it’s more about quality over quantity. But it might not be known whether New York is going to get a little better for dating, possibly until cost of living and lifestyle pressures change, the city may still be thought of as hard on relationships. Whether you find the numbers pleasant to your ears or surprising, they no doubt underscore the unique challenges of dating in the Big Apple.
So, the question now was whether New York’s dating scene would be doomed forever or whether it would reorganize to get better in the next few years. Only time could tell. For now, singles in New York may have to square their shoulders for what could be an uphill struggle ahead.
