America's Best (And Worst) Cities For Dating

Hooking that hottie is hard enough without the odds stacked against you, so the city researchers at Sperling's BestPlaces have identified for you "America's Best and Worst Cities for Dating."

The study is based on criteria that includes percentage of singles ages 18-24, population density, and dating venues per capita such as concerts, coffee shops, bars, bowling alleys, etc., and includes 80 metro areas in America. We teamed up with AXE Deodorant Bodyspray, which specializes in the dating game, to find out which city is revered as the D.C. (Dating Capital) of the U.S.

Land of the Longhorn

Yee haw! Austin, Texas, tops the list of best cities to play the dating game. Is the city you call home the place to find that special someone?

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[mandycat]

Colorado Springs -- really? Home of Focus on the Family, the U.S. Air Force Academy of Our Lord Jesus Christ and thousands of evangelical busy bodies? I suppose a young woman looking forward to a life of gracious submissiveness and second-rate citizenship or a young man searching for a latter day June Cleaver would be right at home in the Springs. Anyone else would do well to stay clear of that den of idiots. Even here in Denver we get the toxic fumes when the wind is coming in from the south.

[Quotidien]

The author supports his claim that Austin TX is the #1 city for dating by stating that "Austin residents also had the highest expenditures on alcohol purchased away from home."

[rbtitotito]

Having been raised in rural NE TX, and visiting several other cities on the list, I must say that Austin is the one of the few places I'd like to live in the US (and the only place in TX) with a it's sheer volume and diversity of musical/theatrical/outdoor events, great food, one of the Best/most livable downtown areas of any city I've been to.

Like every city there are things to complain about, but if you love Southern Hospitality combined with heavily diverse neighborhoods and a dash of hippie goodness, ATX is your town. I've lived in the area for over 10 years and I still am always finding new things to do in the area (usually with a "You've never been to xxxx?" response).

Also one of the most pet/bike friendly cities (at least in the region). Several business are very accommodating to dogs of all varieties.

Hands down the best thing is to be able to walk in all scrubby to a nice LOCAL restaurant and not feel like you shouldn't be there...and walk in with your buddy whose all GQ 9-5...

Lot's of "mature" (>25 yr old) dating and places for all tastes and ages. Also, as anyone's gay friend here can attest, a lively gay dating scene...for those who require it :-)

Just stick to Downtown and South to Slaughter for real Austin...North of 183 starts to turn into South Dallas...Urban Sprawl.

[AndThenOneDay]

No love for the Apple? Where else ya gonna find a New York girl?

[elenanatx]

Austin is beautiful...BUT! As a black woman I grew up in Austin since the 70's and have seen it grow and can say that this is false, unless you are in your 20's, into paying for your half of the date, not a person of color unless you don't mind interracial dating, and are not interested in dating a mature individual anytime soon. If you are gay this is the city for you. Houston is great for people of color.

[jalyn]

The cover photo for this story is hilarious. Three old retired goats with their tongue hanging out at the twenty something redhead. Disgusting!

[DennyCrane]

Why ages 18-24? Do they assume that people over 24 don't date?

[slarabee]

Ann Arbor MI? Now they tell me. I am married now. Fat lot of good it does me now. And I live so close!!

[iPolitics]

They actually studied Wichita, Kansas.

[JScott]

Another one for the PR 'news' desk.

I'ts P R sweetie-Edina

'For Immediate Release'

[larry278]

Are there any data on best & worst cities for 1 night stands? If a place has a lot of cheap motels, does it help or hurt 1 night stands? Snarky minds don't care 1 way or the other.

[JohnyBoy]

does this apply to gays too?

[gascelebrations]

I don't suppose so, since they X'ed out Atlanta and Charlotte and those are the two gayest cities in America.

[cayuse]

In 1966 to 1969 I was in Washington DC where women out numbered men 10 to 1. I would look for this statistic first and formost.

I am over the hill to speak, being 62 and married, but Seattle use to be a great place. You could causually meet people at the beach if you liked 19 to 21, until the cops closed it down after the first FAT Tuesdaym where they ran horses into the crowed that would not leave and went to the hospitals to pick the beer bottles out of their heads.

There use to be night clubs for over 21 with live music now their are few. There use to be non-drinking life for 19 and older with music were you could go if you were not lucky at the clubs open till 4:00 AM. They are gone too.

You find dringing men and no women.

Even Ted Bundy and the Green River could not dampen the fun. Today, I doubt the ratings.

[caffeinatederic]

What a pointless piece of PR pablum. I can only assume that since this survey teamed up with Axe, the conclusion should really be interpreted as "cities with the largest number of single men who marinate in rank, cheap cologne"

The proof that this is a worthless piece of PR: they list Colorado Springs as the second-best place for dating and dining out. Whatever they're smoking, they need to share. Colorado Springs is essentially a military retirement community. Unless you plan to hike Garden of the Gods on every date, there's nothing else fun to do there for anyone under the age of 60. The restaurants range from Applebee's to, well Applebee's. I haven't even touched on the chilling effect having so many conservative groups like Focus on the Family has on socializing in the Springs.