Nearly half of Americans over the age of 15, or about 130 million, are single, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Marriage rates among the young are falling, according to the Institute for Family Studies. About 36% of adults under 65 today have never been married, compared to 26% in 1990. Even though an increasing number of people choose to not get married, that doesn’t mean they don’t want or like to be in a relationship.
But finding the right partner is a tricky endeavor, especially if you are looking at the wrong place or have few options to choose from. Some cities encourage dating simply by having more nightlife options as well as fun sights to visit during the day; others either don’t have so many or they cost too much.
24/7 Wall St. reviewed the portion of the adult population who is single in all U.S. metro areas, the concentration of restaurants and bars, and income levels to determine the worst cities for singles. Less than half of the adult population in all 25 cities on the following list is single. And the annual personal income in all of them as well is is below the national average. The cities offer less than the national average number or places for social interaction per capita.
Click here to see America’s worst cities for singles.
25. Lakeland-Winter Haven, Florida
> Single population: 49.7%
> Total 15+ population: 530,507
> Annual personal income: $34,857
> Cost of living: 7.1% less than the national average
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24. Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, North Carolina
> Single population: 45.3%
> Total 15+ population: 300,794
> Annual personal income: $40,747
> Cost of living: 13.3% less than the national average
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23. Laredo, Texas
> Single population: 49.8%
> Total 15+ population: 193,020
> Annual personal income: $32,222
> Cost of living: 10.9% less than the national average
22. Clarksville, Tennessee
> Single population: 44.9%
> Total 15+ population: 214,243
> Annual personal income: $41,218
> Cost of living: 9.6% less than the national average
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21. Decatur, Alabama
> Single population: 45.0%
> Total 15+ population: 123,876
> Annual personal income: $41,078
> Cost of living: 15.7% less than the national average
20. Greeley, Colorado
> Single population: 43.1%
> Total 15+ population: 221,197
> Annual personal income: $42,597
> Cost of living: 0.8% less than the national average
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19. Prescott, Arizona
> Single population: 44.3%
> Total 15+ population: 189,802
> Annual personal income: $36,614
> Cost of living: 4.4% less than the national average
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18. Morristown, Tennessee
> Single population: 44.8%
> Total 15+ population: 95,419
> Annual personal income: $41,844
> Cost of living: 20.5% less than the national average
17. Lake Havasu City-Kingman, Arizona
> Single population: 47.7%
> Total 15+ population: 174,184
> Annual personal income: $31,589
> Cost of living: 8.2% less than the national average
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16. Fort Smith, Arkansas, Oklahoma
> Single population: 45.1%
> Total 15+ population: 224,458
> Annual personal income: $39,825
> Cost of living: 15.4% less than the national average
15. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
> Single population: 42.3%
> Total 15+ population: 84,590
> Annual personal income: $45,440
> Cost of living: 3.9% less than the national average
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14. Hinesville, Georgia
> Single population: 44.6%
> Total 15+ population: 59,898
> Annual personal income: $33,852
> Cost of living: 9.7% less than the national average
13. Punta Gorda, Florida
> Single population: 43.6%
> Total 15+ population: 155,406
> Annual personal income: $40,320
> Cost of living: 5.3% less than the national average
12. Sebring, Florida
> Single population: 44.2%
> Total 15+ population: 85,587
> Annual personal income: $38,248
> Cost of living: 17.4% less than the national average
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11. Logan, Utah
> Single population: 42.4%
> Total 15+ population: 98,285
> Annual personal income: $37,401
> Cost of living: 8.9% less than the national average
10. Brownsville-Harlingen, Texas
> Single population: 47.8%
> Total 15+ population: 310,732
> Annual personal income: $31,569
> Cost of living: 16.2% less than the national average
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9. Idaho Falls, Idaho
> Single population: 39.2%
> Total 15+ population: 102,760
> Annual personal income: $44,785
> Cost of living: 10.2% less than the national average
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8. Dalton, Georgia
> Single population: 44.0%
> Total 15+ population: 112,025
> Annual personal income: $39,283
> Cost of living: 16.6% less than the national average
7. Yuma, Arizona
> Single population: 42.5%
> Total 15+ population: 160,012
> Annual personal income: $35,135
> Cost of living: 8.6% less than the national average
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6. McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Texas
> Single population: 46.5%
> Total 15+ population: 603,493
> Annual personal income: $28,943
> Cost of living: 15.5% less than the national average
5. St. George, Utah
> Single population: 38.9%
> Total 15+ population: 119,610
> Annual personal income: $35,283
> Cost of living: 5.4% less than the national average
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4. Ogden-Clearfield, Utah
> Single population: 39.3%
> Total 15+ population: 471,902
> Annual personal income: $40,928
> Cost of living: 4.9% less than the national average
3. Provo-Orem, Utah
> Single population: 40.2%
> Total 15+ population: 415,089
> Annual personal income: $37,126
> Cost of living: 3.2% less than the national average
2. The Villages, Florida
> Single population: 34.5%
> Total 15+ population: 109,591
> Annual personal income: $43,974
> Cost of living: 6.9% less than the national average
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1. Enid, Oklahoma
> Single population: 43.5%
> Total 15+ population: 48,524
> Annual personal income: $46,774
> Cost of living: 9.6% less than the national average
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