Small Towns Are Best for Singles, According to Ownerly

The Short Version: You may think singles in big cities have it easiest: big dating pools, plenty of bars and restaurants, and too many picture-perfect date night ops to count. But, according to a study recently released by Ownerly, many of the top cities for singles have less than 10,000 residents. The Ownerly study looked into several factors, including housing affordability, sex ratio, median age, and growth of the single population, to make a list of the best U.S. cities for singles. The study offers cities for singles of every taste, from urban metros and micropolitan areas to charming rural towns. 

In the past year, I’ve moved three times. From Atlanta to a vacation town in Florida to my hometown in South Carolina, I got a taste of several cities and everything they have to offer. Every place and its people offer something different, and this remains the case in dating and romance. 

Needless to say, I had more dating success in Atlanta than in suburban Florida, where I was surrounded for miles in every direction by 50+ living communities. If you’re single, where you live has a big impact on your romantic life. Your location determines the size and quality of your dating pool and can even shine light on some of the values singles in your area hold. 

Some people may assume big cities are the best places to be single, as they offer daters supposedly large dating pools and endless options for date night entertainment and activities. According to Ownerly, this couldn’t be further from the truth. 

Ownerly is a tool for homeowners and prospective buyers alike. Ownerly allows users to search any U.S. address and find important data about their home or a home they’re interested in. The service gives users professional-grade real estate data that’s necessary to the process of buying, selling, or even upgrading a home.

In February, Ownerly released a study that identified the best cities for singles in the United States. The study analyzed a variety of factors, including the growth of the single population, income changes, housing affordability, and the median age of residents. The top picks from this study include towns across the country, from the eastern border of Washington State to the lovely mountains of North Carolina.

Where you live has a lot to do with how your dating experience will turn out. The demographics of a city have a strong impact on how many single people live in the area and what the overall dating culture looks like. Ownerly selected several factors it deemed important in measuring how good a city is for singles.

Ownerly investigated urban, suburban, rural, and micropolitan cities and gave the best in each of these categories, along with the best picks overall. For each city, the study looked at the growth of the single population over several years, housing affordability, and the median age of residents.

The study filtered out cities and towns that have declining single populations, along with those lacking what they identified as core lifestyle amenities. Ownerly studied cities’ sex ratios and chose cities with balanced ratios, specifically among single populations.

Cities were ranked on individual metrics, and an average rank across all metrics determined each city’s standing. Ownerly relied on hard numbers to make its list but also made sure to attend to lifestyle factors that many singles would be looking for.

Ownerly has an interactive map where you can browse its picks across the country. The interactive map includes the top 10 picks, along with a pin for the top city in each state. If you’re ready to switch things up and decide where you want to move next, online advice can get repetitive. 

It’s common to see the same states and cities suggested, even after you’ve decided they’re not the places for you. Ownerly’s list adds new names to the mix, even for people who have been on the search for up-and-coming cities. The study combines every important factor single people on the move think about when choosing their next home.

Drumroll, please! Ownerly’s top pick is Swannanoa, North Carolina. Swannanoa is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains and offers singles a slow-paced and quiet lifestyle among a beautiful natural landscape.

The city has a population of just over 5,000 and has a single population growth of 22.68%. The cost of living is low, and it’s only a short drive to the diverse and vibrant Asheville.

Ownerly’s second pick takes us to Albertville, Minnesota. Albertville has around 8,000 residents and is on the rise – the population growth is at a “staggering” 26.36%. The city has a healthy housing market and a robust economy, boasting a 0.84% unemployment rate. Albertville is part of the Twin Cities metropolitan area, offering single people suburban comforts and access to urban amenities. 

Moving to the best urban cities for singles, Lehi, Utah, takes the cake. Lehi and the number two pick, Bentonville, Arkansas, have growing populations and flourishing cultural scenes. Sunnyvale, California, and Richland, Washington, numbers three and four, respectively, have thriving job markets and a wide array of entertainment options, meaning you’ll never run out of fresh date nights.

If you’re looking for a more suburban feel, check out Ownerly’s top pick for suburban cities: Chesterton, Indiana. Chesterton, along with the other top picks of Kuna, Idaho, and Bothell, Washington, give single people a perfect mix of serenity and amenities. Many singles are done with the bustle of city life but not quite ready for the solitude of rural living. Ownerly’s suburban city picks offer the sweet in-between.

Ownerly’s study identifies the best micropolitan cities. If you’ve never heard the term micropolitan, it’s similar in use to metropolitan but describes an area of smaller population size. Micropolitan areas usually have populations between 10,000 and 50,000, giving singles a lot of room to explore areas of various sizes.

The overall pick, Albertville, took the number one spot for micropolitan cities. The number two spot is Grandview Heights, Ohio, followed by Grantsville, Utah. Moncks Corner, South Carolina, takes the fourth spot, situated just outside of Charleston and offering singles close proximity to outdoor and urban fun.

Whatever a single is looking for in their next city, Ownerly’s newest study has a pick for them. The study presents important information that daters should consider when they make a move. There’s so much to think about in the process of choosing a new city, and the study makes it easy to find all the essential stats in one spot.

Ownerly is a service trusted by homeowners, sellers, and buyers to get the professional real estate data they need. Ownerly believes it’s the right of every homeowner to have access to and understanding of their home’s value. The service uses home value data from two leading real estate analytic technologies to help users monitor and understand a complex industry that affects their home’s value.

Buying a home is one of the largest investments many people make, and Ownerly is giving people the tools they require to navigate the process. The real estate market changes fast, and Ownerly keeps up by constantly adding new features. Since its inception, the service has added additional search features, new sales listings, and pre-foreclosure notifications.

There’s often a gap between the amount of information about home value available to the homeowner and the real estate company. On Ownerly, you can simply search your address and find the same data that real estate agents and companies look at. For 50% off Ownerly, try it today!

Whatever stage of home ownership you’re in, Ownerly can offer support. I’ve been on the search for a new place to move, and who’s to say I won’t refer to Ownerly’s study for inspiration?