This question came to us from a Smart Dating Over 60 reader: “Where are the best cities for mature singles to live?” As a single woman over fifty, thinking about relocating, she explained that it was hard to find statistics on which cities had the largest singles population.
To help answer her question, we did some of our own research. We wanted to find out the importance of geographic location when you’re trying to find dating partners.
Using the most recent 2020 US Census data on marital status and geography, we broke down the singles data in three ways.
- Top 20 cities ranked by total singles population
- The top cities with the highest percentages of female singles, according to age group
- The top cities with the highest percentages of male singles, according to age group
The graphics below illustrate each of the three segments.
Will you find your ideal partner by living in the biggest singles towns in the country?
Possibly.
But location is just one of three important factors to getting great dates, which I explain below.
First, a few interesting things we found while compiling statistics on the best singles cities.
Interesting Statistics About Singles Demographics in the US
A few things stand out from looking at the singles statistics in the charts below.
⏩ The areas with the highest percentages of single males and females are nearly all in small towns.
⏩ If you’re looking for sheer numbers of singles, the metropolitan areas take all twenty top spots.
⏩ Men have a significant dating advantage as they age.
The average percentage of singles in large metropolitan populations is about the same for adults in their forties, hovering in the mid 30% area. Single male and female populations are pretty evenly matched.
But the singles population percentages change drastically as men and women get older. The total male population declines with age at a faster rate than women, so it makes sense there would be fewer single males. The shrinking male singles population combined with more widows equals greater disparity.
33.9% of males 45-54 years old are single
37.5% of females 45-54 years old are single
33.2% of males 55-64 years old are single
40.8% of females 55-64 years old are single
31.4% of males 65 and older are single
57.2% of females 65 and older are single
The Top 20 US Cities by Total Singles Population (Age 45 and Up)
Most people will date within a reasonable driving radius of their home. So we ranked the top twenty areas for singles by metropolitan areas surrounding the city.
The yellow bar graph shows the total number of singles aged 45 and up. For comparison, the red bar shows the total population (male and female, over 15, single or married) for the metro area.
The bottom line is if you live in any of these areas, you’ll never run out of potential dates.
Cities With Highest Percentage of Female Singles by Age Group
For fun I wanted to see which cities had the highest percentage of single females and single males. I also broke it down according to age groups: 45-54, 55-64, and 65 and up.
If you live in any one of these areas, the odds are favorable that the next person you meet will be single.
The downside?
Because they are relatively small towns, there just aren’t that many singles available. I put the actual singles population for each town within the yellow bar on each graph.
Two cities appear in all three age groupings for female singles:
Clarksdale, MS (home to the Delta Blues Museum) and Indianola, MS (home to the BB King Museum and only an hour or so from Clarksdale.)
Cities With Highest Percentage of Male Singles by Age Group
Only one city appears in all three age groupings of single men: Indianola, MS
I’m not sure what’s going on in Mississippi, but there sure seems to be a high percentage of singles, both male and female, in their small towns!
And before you ask, yes, it is “Las Vegas, New Mexico,” a small town of 13,176, and not Las Vegas, Nevada.
Will the ‘Best’ Cities for Single Living Make Dating Easier?
It’s important to remember that location is but one of three main factors in your dating life.
There is also your personal “messaging.” What do you communicate about who you are and who you want in an ideal partner?
Then there is the “medium.” What channels of communication are you using to get dates? Online dating sites and apps? Local singles or professional activities? Networking?
There are plenty of singles out there for anyone to find their ideal partner. Those who are not having any luck in their dating search are probably missing something or doing something wrong in one of those three areas.
1 – They are looking in the wrong places. For example, a non-drinker who desires a sober partner but is hanging out in nightclubs will have a tough time.
2 – Their messaging isn’t right. Perhaps they portray themselves one way online but are different in person. Or they’re not clear about what they really want in their partner.
3 – They are using the wrong methods or channels to find them. A single woman over sixty who is looking for a long-term partner the same age, might struggle on Tinder where most users are under 35.
Can I Replace Online Dating by Living in a Great City for Singles?
Don’t assume that a great location will replace online dating.
Even if you live in one of the top cities for mature singles, you’ll still do much better with an online dating profile to find and attract a steady stream of dates.
You’ll still want to pay attention to your messaging and how you present yourself to the world, both online and in person.
Final Thoughts on Finding the Best Singles Place to Live
Live where you’ll be happy. Let that be your guide. That way, when you meet your partner, it’s likely he or she will be happy in that location too.
Don’t move somewhere, such as a big city, solely because there are more singles. If you hate living there, at some point you’ll want to move away. And if you’ve found someone, your new partner won’t want to move if they’re happy in that location.
And remember, location is just one factor affecting your success at dating.
For more on how to navigate the mature dating life, be sure to get your Free copy of The Secret to Mature Dating Success. In it, Daisy shares her dating tricks of the trade.
And check out our listing of Mature Dating Resources. We share some of the tools that helped Daisy and me find each other. We put these together to help you do the same.
Share your stories below in the comments, on dating in the big city or the small towns.
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