A new analysis ranks the best and worst dating scenes based on 35 key factors—and Seattle and Atlanta singles are thriving

A December analysis released by WalletHub breaks down which of the 182 most highly-populated U.S. cities are best, and worst, for singles. And Atlanta, Seattle, and Denver are among the top 10.

“The already difficult process of finding the perfect partner can be made even tougher when cities lack the conditions necessary to make dating successful,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said in the report.

“The best cities for singles have large, gender-balanced single populations, along with a wide variety of indoor and outdoor, daytime and nighttime activities,” he said. “They also have reasonable prices for dating activities or high average incomes to help ease the sting of inflation.”  

Don’t worry if you want to date and aren’t having much luck. Census data puts singles at roughly 46% of the entire U.S. adult population. But as WalletHub notes in its analysis, those singles are concentrated very differently throughout the country.

The new rankings are based on a set of “35 key indicators of dating-friendliness,” according to WalletHub. With inflation driving up prices, WalletHub looked at the average price of popular date activities in each area, including movie tickets and restaurant meal costs. The analysts also took into consideration the number of nightlife options available to residents in each city, rent prices, salon costs, and online dating opportunities.

Another key factor was the total percentage of singles living in an area—since you kind of need other singles around to find success dating, unless we’re officially in the AI dating era.

Here’s more on the top three cities for singles:

Atlanta

Atlanta claims the top spot for singles thanks to its dynamic social scene, which includes a wealth of nightlife, restaurants, and attractions. The city stands out with its high density of shopping centers, spas, and social clubs, providing a variety of settings for first (and hopefully second and third) dates. Additionally, Atlanta’s accessibility—ranked 22nd in the U.S. for biking, walking, and public transportation—makes getting to these destinations convenient.

Another key factor is Atlanta’s substantial population of unattached residents, with over 69% of its citizens identifying as single. This ranks the city eighth nationally for available partners. Furthermore, the median…