Finding love isn’t always easy—and in a city like Seattle, it can feel especially complicated. Nationwide, just over 49% of Americans age 15 and older are unmarried, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That group includes people who have never married, as well as those who are divorced or widowed. At the same time, dating has become more expensive, with rising costs for meals, entertainment, and other popular date activities putting pressure on singles’ budgets.
Even with those challenges, Seattle stands out as one of the best cities in the country for singles. In a study released in December, personal finance site WalletHub ranked Seattle among the top five U.S. cities for singles, placing it fourth overall. The analysis compared more than 182 cities using 35 different measures of dating-friendliness. Importantly, the study looked only at each city’s proper boundaries, not the surrounding metropolitan areas. WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo explained how they determined which cities were ideal for singles:
“The already difficult process of finding the perfect partner can be made even tougher when cities lack the conditions necessary to make dating successful. The best cities for singles have large, gender-balanced single populations, along with a wide variety of indoor and outdoor, daytime and nighttime activities. They also have reasonable prices for dating activities or high average incomes to help ease the sting of inflation.”
WalletHub grouped its data into three main categories: economics, fun and recreation, and dating opportunities. Metrics ranged from the percentage of residents who are single and the balance of genders, to the number of online dating options and the average cost of a meal for two at a restaurant.
Seattle’s strongest showing came in dating opportunities, where it ranked fourth, reflecting a large single population, favorable gender ratios, and high interest in dating apps like Tinder (determined by the number of Google searches). The city also performed well in fun and recreation, earning a ninth-place ranking thanks to its abundance of restaurants, attractions, social clubs, nightlife options, and overall lifestyle appeal, along with considerations such as safety and weather.
Where Seattle struggled was affordability. The city ranked 168th in the economics category, weighed down by factors like high restaurant prices, movie ticket costs, housing affordability, and median household income.
Still, Seattle’s vibrant social scene and plentiful dating opportunities helped outweigh its higher costs, securing its place near the top of WalletHub’s list—and reinforcing its reputation as a promising place for singles hoping to make a connection in the Emerald City.