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Being single in 2018 can be both incredibly easy and enormously challenging. On the one hand, meeting other singles has never been easier at any other point in history thanks to apps like Tinder and Bumble, but on the other hand, life is expensive.
First off, let me just say that being single is different for everyone. Someone who’s single might be trying to get in a relationship while another single might be cherishing the bachelor life and trying to meet other singles every night and then never meet them again.
Going out seven nights a week is unhealthy. It’s bad for your body and your bank account. Some cities are expensive as all hell (San Francisco, New York, LA) while other cities just don’t offer very many opportunities to meet other singles.
Detroit has the highest percentage of singles in the nation followed by Wilmington, DE, Rochester, NY, Burlington, VT, and Cleveland OH. Tied for #1 with the most nightlife opportunities are four cities: NYC, Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Orlando. Coming in at 5th is Portland, Oregon.
WalletHub put out a report on the best cities in America to be single in 2018 based on 34 key indicators. What they found is the average cost of a date across America in 2018 is $102.32. Obviously, that number fluctuates a lot across different cities. They ranked 180 U.S. cities to find the very best cities for singles and here’s what they found. The numbers below next to the city’s name is the Total Score which is calculated using 34 key indicators including Economics rank, Fun and Recreation rank, and Dating Opportunities rank.
1. Atlanta, GA 68.62
2. Denver, CO, 67.08
3. San Francisco, CA, 66.22
4. Portland, OR 65.33
5. Los Angeles, CA, 64.94
6. Seattle, WA, 64.44
7. Chicago, IL, 63.84
8. San Diego, CA, 63.59
9. Minneapolis, MN, 63.11
10. Portland, ME, 63.03
11. Madison, WI, 63.01
12. Boston, MA, 62.63
13. Pittsburgh, PA, 62.16
14. Tucson, AZ, 61.92
15. Washington, DC, 61.50
16. Honolulu, HI, 60.73
17. Austin, TX, 60.66
18. Rochester, NY, 60.39
19. Phoenix, AZ, 59.76
20. Columbus, OH, 59.69
These rankings go all the way to #182. The worst-ranked cities in America include Brownsville, TX, Pembroke Pines, FL, and Hialeah, FL. I’ve tried to embed the full study from WalletHub below but if that isn’t working for you then you can check it out here.
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I have a lot of trouble believing that San Francisco is one of the top three places in America to be single when it’s also one of the most expensive cities on the planet. If you’re only able to afford like one date a week then how in the hell is that a great place to be single?
Ranked #32 on the list is Las Vegas. I’m actually a little shocked that Vegas isn’t ranked higher. There are endless date opportunities and it’s a city where you don’t actually have to spend a fortune to have a great time.