When picking a place to live, the single guy has to take several things into account – what are the job prospects? How much does it cost to live there? Are there any single women? How about the lifestyle? It’s a crucial choice because it determines a lot of what your future is going to look like. Luckily, we’re here to help, as we’ve crunched the numbers, taken all of the above factors, mixed them together and come up with this guide to the 50 best cities for single men in America.
Image: Robert Hensley, Flickr
Cities 50 through 46
50. Tulsa, Oklahoma
It may not be a sexy pick, but what Tulsa has going for it is one of the lowest costs of living in the country, and its rents are among the ten cheapest of any major city. And if you’re just starting out and looking to get ahead financially, that’s a tough combo to pass up.
49. Cincinnati, Ohio
What Cincinnati has going for it is that it’s one of the most affordable cities in the country, featuring low rents and a low cost of living. But Cincinnati also ranks third in the country for the most bars per capita of any major city, which is good since you’ll have all that extra rent money to spend on booze.
48. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Speaking of booze, Pittsburgh ranks number one in the country in bars per capita of any major city, which is enough by itself to earn a place on this list. I understand what’s important to you. But it also ranks in the top ten when it comes to gyms per capita, which means you get to sweat off that hangover like a true boss.
47. Grand Rapids, Michigan
Perhaps a bit of an underdog, Grand Rapids has two things going for it – one, it’s one of the most affordable cities in the country, with a low cost of living, and two, it’s one of the best cities for beer lovers, with a plethora of renowned microbreweries in the area. From Bells to New Holland to Founders to Arcadia, this is craft brew nirvana.
46. Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is perhaps surprisingly one of the best cities in the country for people looking for a job. Its unemployment rate is well below average, and for people looking for a job in government – the top employer in Columbus – it’s an excellent place to look. Columbus also features a major university – Ohio State – so you know it’s got its party spots.
Cities 45 through 41
45. Detroit, Michigan
Detroit? Really? Yes, Detroit. Really. Sure, it’s got its issues – to put it mildly – but that also makes it one of the cheapest places to live in the country. In addition, in recent years it has attracted a solid core of young, energetic residents eager to build something unique together. Oh, and did I mention it has one of the best ratios of single women to single men of any city in America? Yeah, I thought that might help.
44. Salt Lake City, Utah
Perhaps another surprise, Salt Lake City more than deserves its spot here with an attractive combo of affordability and excellent job prospects. Its unemployment rate hovers anywhere from 4-5%, which is super low in today’s economy and college grads can expect to earn a median salary of around $60,000 a year. Of course, Salt Lake City would rank even higher if it wasn’t for the whole ultra-conservative no booze and sex thing, which is admittedly a huge drawback, but hey, at least you can sweat off your frustration in one of the city’s many gyms – it also ranks in the top ten in gyms per capita.
43. Madison, Wisconsin
As the home of the prestigious University of Wisconsin, Madison attracts some of the brightest minds around. It’s that rare Midwestern city with a progressive vibe and a young, energetic core. If you want the feel of a college town combined with a place where you can be ambitious, Madison is a great place to be.
42. San Jose, California
San Jose has one big thing going for it – jobs. If you’re a tech savvy person, San Jose is pretty much the best place for you to be. It’s not a cheap city by any means, but the job quality is so good that you should be able to afford it anyway.
41. Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is one of the best college towns in America. As the home of the prestigious University of Virginia, it attracts some of the best talent around, especially in the creative arts. But Charlottesville is also one of the best cities in the country for beer lovers. Its famous Brew Ridge Trail offers a tour of local breweries amidst the scenic splendor of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Cities 40 through 36
40. Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha isn’t exactly the sexiest pick – well, not unless you really, really like corn – but you can’t argue with a 3.6% unemployment rate or rents that rank amongst the cheapest in the entire country. Omaha also ranks in the top ten cities in bars per capita, so you can still have fun without worrying about going broke all the time.
39. San Antonio, Texas
With a low unemployment rate, San Antonio is considered one of the cities with the best economic momentum going into 2014. It’s actually managed to sustain job growth during the economic downturn and its cultural melting pot offers unique lifestyle opportunities you can’t find in more, well, let’s call them boring cities.
38. Hartford, Connecticut
On first glance, it probably seems like the biggest thing Hartford has going for it is its proximity to New York City. But Hartford has a lot going for it besides that. It’s considered one of the easiest cities for finding a quality job, and oh yeah, it also features one of the highest female to male ratios in the country, especially in West Hartford.
37. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee means one thing: beer. It makes sense then that Milwaukee would rank in the top five nationally in bars per capita. But it’s not all beers and bratwurst. You need to work that off, and Milwaukee also ranks in the top ten in gyms per capita. Luckily you’ll have plenty of money left over to splurge on beers and bench presses since Milwaukee also boasts a relatively low cost of living.
36. Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville lands here for one simple reason – it’s one of the premier cities for picking up women in the country. It has a lively nightlife scene centered around live music – of course – and if country girls gone bad is your thing, well, here you go.
Cities 35 through 31
35. Ithaca, New York
Both Cornell University and Ithaca College call Ithaca home, and thanks to both the cultural environment and the actual environment – which is beautiful – a lot of them don’t seem to mind sticking around after graduation, as Ithaca boasts one of the highest percentages of residents with a bachelor’s degree in the country at 63.3%. It’s also very public transit friendly, and features the sort of upscale creative types that keep the entire city feeling young and vibrant.
34. Orlando, Florida
Sure, you’ve got Disney World and you’ve got a hell of a lot of sun, but Orlando’s true lure lies in its job growth. In fact, one recent study ranked Orlando number one in the entire country in its job growth forecast. Sure, that probably means you’ll be taking lunch breaks with Goofy, but where else are you going to get the opportunity to rub elbows with the greats?
33. Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is another very affordable city for the guy just getting started in life. It has some of the cheapest rents of any city in the country, and hey, don’t forget about those southern girls – Birmingham also boasts one of the best female to male ratios in America.
32. Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is one of the most affordable cities in the country, and it also boasts a surprising amount of cultural and lifestyle opportunities, with plenty of parks, gyms, museums and sporting events to choose from. It also has a decent ratio of single women to single men, which always helps, no matter what we’re talking about.
31. Tampa, Florida
In 2013, Tampa led Florida in job growth, so right away you know that your job prospects are better than normal here. But more than that, Tampa also offers beautiful beaches and the sort of sun-kissed life that makes people work their whole lives just to retire there. Why not beat the game and just start your single life there?
Cities 30 through 26
30. St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is quite possibly the capital of Beer Nation and so it makes sense that it would rank in the top five for most bars per capita. But St. Louis isn’t all just drinking and cheering on the Cardinals. No, it also ranks as one of the best cities for people looking for a well-paying job in America, coming in at seventh according to Forbes.
29. Gainesville, Florida
As the home of the University of Florida, Gainesville has all the college town clichés going for it. But here’s one stat that transcends any cliché – 75% of Gainesville’s ladies are single. And these are all sun-kissed southern SEC girls. Also, for the more, uh, chemically inclined, Gainesville is also famous for its potent “Gainesville Green.”
28. Dayton, Ohio
Dayton might not have anything like “Gainesville Green” or southern girls falling off busses like poor people in Bombay, but you’re growing up and it’s time to get sensible, and perhaps no city is more sensible than Dayton. It’s maybe the most affordable city in America, and has some of the cheapest rents anywhere. Plus, the median salary is almost $60,000 a year so it’s not like you’ll be working at McDonald’s.
27. Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is yet another city that hits that magic trifecta – it’s affordable, it has some of the cheapest rents in the country, and it has one of the highest single female to male ratios of any city. I know that sounds kind of like a broken record, but these things are important, okay? You’ll thank me when you aren’t paying $18 for a hotdog in some urban nightmare, living in an overpriced shoebox and imagining what Kevin from accounting would look like with a wig on.
26. Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is home to both Bank of America and the East Coast division of Wells Fargo. That means that if you work in finance, it’s not a bad place to be. But it’s also the home of a sizable arts community in case you need more than numbers to feed your soul, and hey, if it’s good enough for Ric Flair, it’s good enough for you, pal.
Cities 25 through 21
25. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
If you’re in government or health care, Oklahoma City is one of the best places you can land, but really, it’s a city that works for just about anyone looking for any kind of job, with an unemployment rate of only around 4%. It’s an affordable city with a solid, stable, growing economy, and while that may not be the sexiest thing, not having to worry all the time is pretty damn close to boner time in this economy.
24. Houston, Texas
Houston is one of the fastest growing cities in America, which means that it’s a place you’ll want to be as its gravity starts to suck up everything around it, both financially and culturally. You can already see that starting to happen, as Houston leads all of Texas in job growth. And if you strike now, you can get in relatively cheaply, as the median price for a new home is only around $160,000, which, as anyone who lives in a cultural and financial hotspot can tell you, is a pretty damn good deal.
23. Honolulu, Hawaii
Look, there aren’t any statistics here, or anecdotes about job growth and single ladies. It’s just, come on, it’s Hawaii for god’s sake. You’d cut off vital parts of your anatomy to live there. Don’t front.
22. Richmond, Virginia
Richmond has one of the highest ratios of single females to males in the country. It also ranks as one of the best places for job seekers to look, especially for jobs in finance – Capital One is headquartered there – and health care. And, oh yeah, it’s within shouting distance of Washington D.C., important for government types looking for somewhere just a bit cheaper to start out, which Richmond accommodates with relatively cheap rents that are only going to get cheaper thanks to high vacancy rates.
21. Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is renowned not just for its single ladies – it has one of the best ratios of single females to males around – but also for their, uh, openness. But Atlanta isn’t all just hot women. No, it’s also the hub of the South, both culturally and financially, which also makes it one of the most attractive cities in America for people seeking well-paying jobs.
Cities 20 through 16
20. Burlington, Vermont
Burlington combines a small-town college feel with a cool cultural center. This is the home of the University of Vermont, the band Phish, and everything that goes with that. It’s also one of the best cities for beer lovers in the world, featuring a plethora of microbreweries and a relaxed attitude that calmly whispers “no worries,” as you chill on the shores of Lake Champlain.
19. Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota
It might be cheating to put them both here, but they’re called the Twin Cities for a reason, you know? You can’t really include one without the other. It’s just a great area, everything that people imagine when they think about the ideal modern city. It’s clean, the people are friendly, jobs are plentiful and there is plenty to do. Sure, it gets cold, but even that has its own charm, especially for people who dig winter sports and activities.
18. Los Angeles, California
Let’s face it, there are some cities that just transcend whatever stats you can toss out and become great cities simply because they’re the place to be. Los Angeles is most definitely one of those cities. It is not an exaggeration to say that L.A. is probably one of the ten most important cities in the world, and if you like beautiful people and plenty of sunshine, it’s hard to do better. And if you’re a professional creative type, you almost have to have some connection to L.A.
17. New Orleans, Louisiana
Obviously, New Orleans is a lot of fun – it’s a top party city, people drink openly in the streets, women are willing to do unspeakable acts for beads, etc. – and we won’t lie, that’s a major, major draw here. But New Orleans is also one of those cities that is fighting its way back, and while on the surface that might seem challenging, it also means that there are opportunities you might not find in other cities. These are exactly the types of cities that need new blood to remain vital and energetic.
16. San Diego, California
Sunshine, the beach… that alone puts it ahead of most cities. But San Diego is also one of the best cities for beer lovers in the world, with over 30 local breweries in the area. It’s also considered one of the best cities to meet single women, although you may want to play it cool at one of San Diego’s nude beaches. I can see you ordering your plane ticket already.
Cities 15 through 11
15. Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh might surprise some people, but it’s got a lot going for it. It’s a college town – North Carolina State calls it home – which means there is always something to do, and it has a high female to male ratio, so those things won’t all be sausage fests. But Raleigh also is super-affordable, with a cost of living that is 7.4% below the national average, and some of the cheapest rents in the country. But wait, there’s more! Raleigh is also a major hub for research and tech – IBM is a major employer – which means that it’s one of the best places to look for a job in those fields.
14. Portland, Oregon
Portland is one of those towns that just feels young. It’s got a laidback vibe perfect for anyone who just wants to bike around for a weekend and maybe hit up some local breweries. It is one of the best cities for beer lovers in the world, after all. It’s also one of the best cities in the country for meeting single women. It’s not really a college town, but more the town for people right out of college, and really, that’s what this list is all about.
13. Las Vegas, Nevada
It’s Vegas, baby. What more do you need to know? And while sure, it might seem intimidating to actually live there instead of just enjoying the occasional lost weekend, just remember that Vegas is always growing, and when a city is always growing, that means that there’s always a demand for more workers to fill more jobs. Vegas means action, and if that’s what you’re looking for, you can’t do much better.
12. Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore is kind of a riddle. In pop culture, it’s seen as the setting of The Wire. In real life, it’s a young, energetic, professional city close to Washington D.C. and less than 100 miles from Philadelphia. That’s not a bad place to be for any young dude looking to make a mark in the world. Of course, it also helps that Baltimore is one of the best cities in the country for meeting single women, with an extremely favorable female to male ratio.
11. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Virtually all of the major cities along the Eastern Seaboard are a great place to be if you’re a single guy, and Philadelphia is no exception. It’s a vital cog in the economic and cultural machine of America, and that means that it tends to attract lots of young, ambitious people, including young, single women, who outnumber men, which is fitting in a city where Ben Franklin made getting buckwild with the ladies the original national pastime. And sure, you’ll probably have to fistfight some drunken Eagles fans, but that’s what the single life is all about.
Cities 10 through 6
10. San Francisco, California
San Francisco is always one of the top cities in the country for young job seekers, especially in the tech industry. And sure, it’s not exactly a cheap place to live, but some places are just worth paying a little extra for, and the Bay Area as a whole is one of those places. It’s culturally vibrant, there are major universities all around, and it’s always better to be in the middle of the action than sitting around in some Podunk town waiting for something to happen.
9. Miami, Florida
Look, I’d write something compelling here, but the only thing going through my head is the Thong Song, and really, that about sums it up.
8. Chicago, Illinois
Chicago is one of those hubs – a great place to live, work and party. It’s a city that makes you more important simply by living there. There are only a handful of cities that have that kind of cachet, and Chicago is one of the best. It’s the unofficial capital of the Midwest, and yes, there are lots of single ladies there.
7. Seattle, Washington
Seattle’s obvious allure is its jobs. The whole tech culture there is so ubiquitous that it barely even merits mentioning. It’s just something everyone knows. But the thriving tech sector reflects the city as a whole, which emerged as sort of the cool capital of the country in the late ‘80s/early ‘90s and has retained that cultural swagger since. This is a young, vibrant city that is laidback and energetic at the same time – something that seems sort of unique to the Pacific Northwest – and there aren’t many better places for a young single dude to land.
6. Dallas/Fort Worth
This is similar to the whole Twin Cities thing in that they are impossible to really separate. And over the last several years, the Dallas/Fort Worth area has become the dominant force in Texas. It’s one of the most attractive cities in the country for job seekers, thanks to both manufacturing and the aerospace industry – both American Airlines and Lockheed Martin call the area home – and despite becoming a major hub, it remains remarkably cheap, with low rents and a cost of living that is below the national average. That’s almost an impossible combo to find, and it’s a big reason why Dallas is so appealing.
Cities 5 through 1
5. Boston, Massachusetts
It’s the northern point of that massive Eastern Seaboard stretch, and that alone makes it important. But Boston is also one of the most, ahem, colorful cultural cities in the country, with a history and a tradition and love of fine degeneracy that makes it so unique and awesome. It takes a special kind of city to declare itself a rival to New York City and not come out embarrassed, but Boston manages to do it. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Boston is also renowned for its abundance of single ladies – being a gigantic college town helps with that – and it features one of the highest single females to male ratios in the country.
4. Denver, Colorado
If you’re a fan of the outdoors, you can’t do any better than Denver. But aside from its obvious natural charms, it’s also one of the best cities for job seekers, especially in the aerospace industry. And, of course, any city that wants to make the top ten has to have an alluring lifestyle, and when you’re not running around the mountains like an excited kid, you can revel in Denver’s beer culture before trying your luck with the ladies. After all, Denver consistently ranks among the best cities in the country for meeting single women. Oh, I almost forgot the whole legal weed thing. I thought that might interest you.
3. Austin, Texas
Austin is just cool right now. Sometimes, you’re just it, and Austin is it. It’s a cultural hotspot, but because it’s a college town – the massive University of Texas is located here – that sense of cultural vibrancy is constantly being renewed. The economy and job markets are also booming, it’s a great place to meet single women, and oh yeah, did I mention its cost of living is almost 8% below the national average, or that groceries are 11% below the national average? Yeah. Austin has it all.
2. Washington D.C.
It’s where the nation’s power-brokers live and play, and that means that it’s one of the absolute best places for an ambitious single guy to call home, especially since there are always important jobs opening up in the city. Washington’s allure speaks for itself, but it also means that there are a ton of young, ambitious single women who need to blow off some steam after a stressful day at the office. If you’ve made it here, you’ve made it period.
1. New York, New York
It’s simple – New York City is the most important city in the world. It’s the city that never sleeps. It’s alive in a way that very, very few cities – if any – can match. Washington might be the capital of the country, but New York is the capital of the world, and that means that it has everything – every industry has a massive presence here, it’s filled with beautiful, ambitious single women, the appeal of its nightlife is so obvious that to even mention it here seems silly, and this is where it all goes down. Sure, it’s expensive, and it isn’t easy, but that’s also what makes it so great. It’s a city that you have to fight for, but even more importantly, it’s a city that you want to fight for. And if you’re a single guy, there’s no better place in the world to be.
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