Having trouble finding a date? It wouldn't hurt to work on your opening line. Or upgrade your wardrobe. Or get a better haircut. But it may also be that you're just in the wrong locale: When it comes to finding a date and a great place to take them, not all cities are created equal. Some don't have many single folk to begin with; others don't have a lot of fun bars or restaurants to entertain you and your date (if you find one).
To help figure out the cities with the best singles scenes, we pulled data from the U.S. Census, Bureau of Labor Statistics, WalletHub, and more, determining which metropolitan areas have the most dating spots per capita, the highest percentage of singles, and more. Together, these numbers show where the best singles scenes are and thus which cities are the best for dating—some are what you'd expect, but a few will probably surprise you. And for the cities you'll want to steer clear of while on the hunt for that special someone, these are The 50 Cities with the Worst Dating Scenes in America.
50 | Pasadena, CA
Population: 142,059
Singles (%): 56.9
Number of bars per 100k people: 11.26
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 129.52
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 9.15
Singles Scene Score: 51.71
49 | Cleveland, OH
Population: 385,809
Singles (%): 74.7
Number of bars per 100k people: 35.25
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 69.46
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 27.73
Singles Scene Score: 51.79
Don't let your stress levels incapacitate your small talk skills: Refer to The 10 Best Non-Exercise Stress Busters before your next date.
48 | Greensboro, NC
Population: 287,027
Singles (%): 60.7
Number of bars per 100k people: 15.68
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 94.07
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 37.28
Singles Scene Score: 51.93
47 | Boise, ID
Population: 223,154
Singles (%): 52.7
Number of bars per 100k people: 21.06
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 96.79
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 38.09
Singles Scene Score: 52.16
Remember to take care of yourself on the road to romance—add the 10 best foods for your heart to your diet and reap the rewards.
46 | Torrance, CA
ShutterstockPopulation: 147,195
Singles (%): 46.9
Number of bars per 100k people: 6.11
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 116.17
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 40.76
Singles Scene Score: 52.49
Before you invite your date back to your place, first make sure your bar is stocked with ingredients for the 20 Cocktails Every Person Should Know How to Make.
45 | Tallahassee, FL
Population: 190,894
Singles (%): 70.8
Number of bars per 100k people: 11.00
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 90.63
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 39.81
Singles Scene Score: 53.06
44 | Omaha, NE
ShutterstockPopulation: 446,970
Singles (%): 55.4
Number of bars per 100k people: 38.03
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 77.41
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 41.84
Singles Scene Score: 53.17
43 | Bellevue, WA
Population: 141,400
Singles (%): 43.3
Number of bars per 100k people: 7.78
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 101.13
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 62.23
Singles Scene Score: 53.61
42 | Hollywood, FL
ShutterstockPopulation: 151,998
Singles (%): 57.8
Number of bars per 100k people: 16.45
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 77.63
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 63.82
Singles Scene Score: 53.92
41 | Little Rock, AR
Population: 198,541
Singles (%): 59.7
Number of bars per 100k people: 10.58
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 104.76
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 41.30
Singles Scene Score: 54.09
40 | Tampa, FL
Population: 377,165
Singles (%): 63.4
Number of bars per 100k people: 15.91
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 89.35
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 48.25
Singles Scene Score: 54.23
39 | Sioux Falls, SD
ShutterstockPopulation: 174,360
Singles (%): 51.9
Number of bars per 100k people: 25.81
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 60.79
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 78.57
Singles Scene Score: 54.27
38 | Baton Rouge, LA
Population: 227,715
Singles (%): 69.6
Number of bars per 100k people: 25.91
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 82.56
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 43.04
Singles Scene Score: 55.28
37 | Buffalo, NY
Population: 256,902
Singles (%): 71.8
Number of bars per 100k people: 48.66
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 68.90
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 33.09
Singles Scene Score: 55.61
36 | Richmond, VA
Population: 223,170
Singles (%): 73.8
Number of bars per 100k people: 8.07
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 98.13
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 44.36
Singles Scene Score: 56.09
35 | Reno, NV
ShutterstockPopulation: 245,255
Singles (%): 58.6
Number of bars per 100k people: 35.47
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 80.32
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 50.97
Singles Scene Score: 56.34
34 | Eugene, OR
ShutterstockPopulation: 166,575
Singles (%): 61.8
Number of bars per 100k people: 19.21
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 99.65
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 45.02
Singles Scene Score: 56.42
33 | Denver, CO
Population: 693,060
Singles (%): 60
Number of bars per 100k people: 27.70
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 94.36
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 45.16
Singles Scene Score: 56.81
32 | Cincinnati, OH
Population: 298,800
Singles (%): 72.4
Number of bars per 100k people: 32.80
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 76.31
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 46.52
Singles Scene Score: 57.01
31 | Madison, WI
ShutterstockPopulation: 252,551
Singles (%): 61.9
Number of bars per 100k people: 31.68
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 87.11
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 47.91
Singles Scene Score: 57.15
30 | New York, NY
ShutterstockPopulation: 8,537,673
Singles (%): 60.8
Number of bars per 100k people: 16.00
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 85.09
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 66.73
Singles Scene Score: 57.16
29 | Augusta, GA
ESB Professional / ShutterstockPopulation: 197,081
Singles (%): 65.2
Number of bars per 100k people: 15.73
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 72.05
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 76.11
Singles Scene Score: 57.27
28 | Washington D.C.
ShutterstockPopulation: 681,170
Singles (%): 72.7
Number of bars per 100k people: 17.76
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 95.86
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 44.19
Singles Scene Score: 57.63
27 | Knoxville, TN
Population: 186,239
Singles (%): 48.3
Number of bars per 100k people: 15.03
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 129.94
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 41.88
Singles Scene Score: 58.79
26 | Minneapolis, MN
ShutterstockPopulation: 413,651
Singles (%): 65.9
Number of bars per 100k people: 17.16
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 93.32
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 59.95
Singles Scene Score: 59.08
25 | Chattanooga, TN
Population: 177,571
Singles (%): 61.4
Number of bars per 100k people: 7.88
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 114.88
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 53.50
Singles Scene Score: 59.42
24 | Syracuse, NY
Population: 143,378
Singles (%): 73.7
Number of bars per 100k people: 40.45
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 88.58
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 35.57
Singles Scene Score: 59.57
23 | Lexington, KY
Population: 318,449
Singles (%): 56.7
Number of bars per 100k people: 16.02
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 104.57
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 62.49
Singles Scene Score: 59.94
22 | Providence, RI
Population: 179,219
Singles (%): 70
Number of bars per 100k people: 37.38
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 103.23
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 30.13
Singles Scene Score: 60.19
21 | Springfield, MO
Population: 167,319
Singles (%): 52.6
Number of bars per 100k people: 26.30
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 115.95
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 49.61
Singles Scene Score: 61.11
20 | Rochester, NY
Population: 208,880
Singles (%): 75.6
Number of bars per 100k people: 37.34
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 90.48
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 43.57
Singles Scene Score: 61.75
19 | Columbia, SC
Population: 134,309
Singles (%): 71.8
Number of bars per 100k people: 18.61
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 122.11
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 35.74
Singles Scene Score: 62.06
18 | Boston, MA
Population: 673,184
Singles (%): 71
Number of bars per 100k people: 23.77
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 105.32
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 48.28
Singles Scene Score: 62.09
17 | Salt Lake City, UT
Population: 193,744
Singles (%): 59.2
Number of bars per 100k people: 27.87
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 108.39
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 53.68
Singles Scene Score: 62.29
16 | New Orleans, LA
Population: 391,495
Singles (%): 70
Number of bars per 100k people: 52.62
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 84.04
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 46.23
Singles Scene Score: 63.22
15 | St. Louis, MO
ShutterstockPopulation: 311,404
Singles (%): 71.4
Number of bars per 100k people: 36.61
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 100.19
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 44.96
Singles Scene Score: 63.29
14 | Orlando, FL
ShutterstockPopulation: 277,173
Singles (%): 65
Number of bars per 100k people: 24.53
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 105.71
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 58.81
Singles Scene Score: 63.51
13 | Scottsdale, AZ
ShutterstockPopulation: 246,645
Singles (%): 48.9
Number of bars per 100k people: 15.81
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 120.82
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 68.52
Singles Scene Score: 63.51
12 | Louisville, KY
ShutterstockPopulation: 616,261
Singles (%): 58.2
Number of bars per 100k people: 14.12
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 115.21
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 69.45
Singles Scene Score: 64.24
11 | Savannah, GA
Population: 146,763
Singles (%): 69.1
Number of bars per 100k people: 24.53
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 121.97
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 42.24
Singles Scene Score: 64.46
10 | Atlanta, GA
ShutterstockPopulation: 472,522
Singles (%): 72.8
Number of bars per 100k people: 19.89
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 121.48
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 76.19
Singles Scene Score: 72.59
9 | Seattle, WA
Population: 704,352
Singles (%): 59.6
Number of bars per 100k people: 26.41
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 146.66
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 68.86
Singles Scene Score: 75.38
8 | Portland, OR
Population: 639,863
Singles (%): 59.1
Number of bars per 100k people: 47.20
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 138.62
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 60.01
Singles Scene Score: 76.23
7 | Pittsburgh, PA
ShutterstockPopulation: 303,625
Singles (%): 68.8
Number of bars per 100k people: 60.27
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 125.15
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 53.68
Singles Scene Score: 76.98
6 | Honolulu, HI
ShutterstockPopulation: 351,792
Singles (%): 49.8
Number of bars per 100k people: 40.08
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 150.66
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 73.62
Singles Scene Score: 78.54
5 | Fort Lauderdale, FL
ShutterstockPopulation: 178,752
Singles (%): 64.3
Number of bars per 100k people: 31.89
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 138.74
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 90.07
Singles Scene Score: 81.25
4 | Nashville, TN
ShutterstockPopulation: 660,388
Singles (%): 60.1
Number of bars per 100k people: 11.66
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 81.16
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 173.08
Singles Scene Score: 81.50
3 | Los Angeles, CA
Population: 3,976,322
Singles (%): 61.6
Number of bars per 100k people: 8.25
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 69.29
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 197.75
Singles Scene Score: 84.22
2 | San Francisco, CA
Population: 870,887
Singles (%): 61.2
Number of bars per 100k people: 42.03
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 182.34
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 58.56
Singles Scene Score: 86.03
1 | Charleston, SC
Population: 134,385
Singles (%): 60.9
Number of bars per 100k people: 26.04
Number of restaurants per 100k people: 136.92
Number of entertainment spots per 100k people: 139.15
Singles Scene Score: 90.75
If you're done with the dating scene and think you've found the one, here are 15 Signs Your Partner is Marriage Material.
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