14 Dating Statistics By Age

Generational differences are never more stark than when your grandma suggests going to the “neighborhood dance hall” to meet “a nice young man.” I’ll get right on that, granny! 

Baby boomers, Gen X, millennials, and Gen Z act like they all come from different timelines, and in some ways, it’s true. A baby boomer is far less likely to ghost someone on Tinder, and a Gen Z young adult is far more likely to split the bill. The way we’re raised and when we come of age can inform the way we date — for better and for worse. 

We usually have more in common than not, regardless of age. And when it comes to romantic relationships, almost everyone wants to foster good communication, deep emotional connections, and physical intimacy. These 14 dating statistics show just how nuanced our relationship habits are. 

Online dating may seem like a young person’s game, but that’s not exactly the case. According to a 2022 Pew Research survey, nearly a quarter (23%) of surveyed adults in their 50s have tried online dating in the last five years. 

Adults in their 60s remember a time when romance bloomed in the real world instead of online. Still, at least 18% of those surveyed said they’d tried dating online before. Even the most senior romantics among us have experience scrolling through dating profiles, as 12% of adults aged 70 or older say they have tried online dating in the last five years. You’re never too old for (online) love, it seems. 

Tinder is a hub for young people seeking fun flings. Tinder’s reputation for being a hookup app probably explains why only 11% of adults in their 50s report using the app. 

Pew Research found that adults in their 50s are more likely to turn to Match for dating options. This makes sense, as Match has been around for nearly 30 years. It has longevity and has proven its success, which probably appeals to middle-aged adults in search of a second (or third) chance at love. 

Interestingly, adults in their 50s are more open-minded about other dating apps, like OkayCupid and Bumble. According to Pew, middle-aged adults will give these apps a whirl while older adults skip them entirely.

Whatever happened to late-night drive ins and school dances? This is probably what older generations would think if they heard how few teenagers actually date these days. A 2024 survey organized by the Survey Center on American Life found that 44% of Gen Z men reportedly never had a girlfriend or boyfriend during their teenage years. 

The isolation of the pandemic, the rise in mental health issues among teens, and the pressures of school and academic achievement may contribute to this rise in singleness. 

Only 32% of surveyed millennials stayed single during their teenage years. Twenty-three percent of Gen X adults were in the same boat. Unsurprisingly, only a small percentage — 20% — of baby boomers surveyed said they didn’t date as teens. They most likely have different social expectations and less academic pressure to thank for that. 

Young people feeling stressed and overwhelmed? You don’t say! An American Psychology Association survey found that a staggering 74% of surveyed 18-34-year-olds feel stressed about their ability to connect. Or, more accurately, their inability to connect. 

Gen Z’s commitment to politics and social issues has only made people pickier when analyzing a date’s core values. The pickier you are — even if it’s for a good reason — the fewer people you can connect with. Isolation, whether because of the pandemic or other reasons, keeps you from forming lasting bonds with others. Seventy-four percent is a scary number; the fact that 70% of surveyed Gen X saying they also feel uncomfortable connecting with others is even more concerning. 

How much money the average person spends on a first date depends on where the date is — and the generation they’re from, apparently. A fancy French restaurant is going to cost more money than a pleasant walk on the beach. Of the age groups surveyed by Lending Tree, millennials seem to be the most generous. Lending Tree found that millennials spend an average of $83 on first dates. 

Baby boomers, meanwhile, either haven’t caught up with the times (and modern day inflation) or they simply like to keep their hard-earned cash in their pockets. Considering how boomers spend nearly $30 less on the average first date, we have to wonder what they’re skimping on. Wine and a valet? Dessert with dinner? A tab for $58 isn’t nothing, but it’s a far cry from $83. 

Money isn’t always a sticking point, according to a majority of surveyed adults. Seventy-two percent of the oldest generation surveyed by Lending Tree — Gen X, in this case — claimed that they don’t care how much money their date makes. More than half of surveyed millennials (61%) were on the same page as their slightly-older Gen X cousins. 

When it comes to personal wealth, Gen Z follows suit. The same percentage of Gen-Zers (61%) claimed they also didn’t care about their date’s salary. However, these stats would probably change once marriage enters the conversation. It’s also possible that these stats would be much lower in different economic areas.  

It’s the 21st century! If you want to have sex on the first date, then go for it. As long as you and your partner are safe and consenting, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a little hanky-panky before the entrées even arrive.

Pop culture and social media would have you believe this happens all the time, but a recent survey tells a much different story. 

Of all millennials surveyed, only 5% admitted to having sex on the first date. So… the show “Girls” was a huge exaggeration, then? It’s hard to say, especially since sex is still a taboo topic for so many people, even among younger generations. It’s not very surprising that adults aged 60 and older reported having sex on first dates the least. Only 2% of those adults ended a first date with a trip to the bedroom. 

According to this Top 10 survey, 34% of surveyed 18-29-year-olds reported that they only “sometimes” end a date with a kiss. This is understandable; how often does that lightning strike of attraction really hit you on a first date? It seems like more adults than you’d expect like to wait to lock lips, especially since #MeToo is still reverberating throughout our collective consciousness. 

You may expect older generations to be a little more lovey-dovey on a first date due to old-fashioned dating habits, but the opposite is true, according to survey data. Forty-one percent of adults aged 60 and older said they “rarely” end a first date with a kiss. See? Chivalry isn’t completely dead after all. 

Four hours into a disastrous first date, you glance at the clock to discover it’s actually only been 45 minutes. You can stick it out until the check comes, or you can pretend to have appendicitis… or maybe the bathroom window is just big enough for you to shimmy through? 

If you’ve ever pondered your escape on a first date, take comfort in knowing that 60% of the people surveyed by Top 10 have felt the same way (but hopefully not with you). Of the 60% of people who admitted to bailing halfway through a first date, a good chunk of them were under 29 years old — 21%, to be exact. 

Maybe young people value their time more than older people. Or more likely, older people simply have better manners. Forty-seven percent of people over 60 told Top 10 they stick it out on bad first dates. Good for them! 

Restaurants are classic date spots, so it’s not unusual to watch a date unfold from a cozy candle-lit table. In fact, restaurants are such classic first date destinations that 70% of adults over the age of 60 prefer them over other locations. Don’t get us wrong; 60% of the 18-29-year-olds surveyed by Top 10 agree with their elders. But young people are far more likely to choose a more adventurous first date location than those aged 60 or older. 

Live entertainment, coffee shops, sporting events, and other activities are more common first-date settings for young generations than they are among older counterparts, according to Top 10. Millennials and Gen Z enjoy breaking from tradition from time to time, even if doing so is more expensive than your typical dinner date.  

Money can be a taboo topic, especially on first dates. But the time always comes when the check arrives and an uncomfortable silence fills the space between you and your date. Top 10 claims that 23% of surveyed Gen Z and young millennials 18-29-years-old choose to split the bill. This is surely a higher percentage than, say, 50 years ago, but it’s still surprisingly low. 

A Lending Tree survey had similar findings, with 52% of baby boomers sticking to traditional dating etiquette (i.e. that the man should pay). According to the survey, 34% of Gen-Zers took a different approach by stating that the person who initiated the date should pay the bill. With all these opinions at play, your best course of action is to cut through the awkwardness and ask your date straight-out how they feel about the situation. 

We’ve established the importance of communication skills in a relationship so many times it’s practically a cliché. But it’s still worth mentioning, especially since every generation seems to agree that it’s essential to a happy relationship. By “communication skills,” we mean the ability to voice your needs, wants, and expectations to your partner. 

A 2023 Match study found that 59% of surveyed Gen Z adults are confident in their ability to speak openly and honestly with their partner. Millennials and Gen X may be separated by an entire generation, but 68% of those surveyed from both groups believe they communicate well with their partners. With time and experience on their side, 71% of surveyed baby boomers are self-assured communicators. 

A majority of surveyed baby boomers seem to prefer calling someone to organize a date rather than texting them. Zoosk found that 60% of the baby boomers they surveyed in the UK are willing to talk to someone over the phone. This isn’t something younger generations are quite as willing to do! This is 25% and 26% more than millennials and Gen Z, respectively. It’s only 13% more than Gen X, however. 

Gen X seems to value good ol’ fashioned phone calls, just not as much as boomers. In fact, the same Zoosk survey showed that middle-aged adults — most of whom are Gen X — have deeper conversations on dates than younger people. Maybe this is because someone in Gen X is older and brings more baggage to a new relationship, such as children and an established career. 

There was a time when living with your girlfriend or boyfriend before marriage was nothing short of taboo. If this sounds extreme, it’s because social norms have relaxed considerably in recent years. A 2019 Pew Research study found that unmarried millennials are more likely to live with their partner than other generations were at the same age. 

The number has increased from 8% to 12%. In other words, when Gen X adults were in their 20s and 30s, they were less likely to live with their partner before marriage. And when baby boomers were young adults, they were even less likely to cohabitate. 

This increased number probably has more to do with the rising cost of living than anything else. These days, it may be more cost-efficient to live with your partner than to live alone. 

After years of experience in the dating world, baby boomers seem to value old-school displays of affection. It’s why older men are more likely to insist on paying the bill at dinner, or calling on the phone instead of texting. Gen Z, meanwhile, will happily meet a Hinge date at a coffee shop and split the bill. These are small differences, but they say a lot about the social conventions of the generation we grew up in. 

We all want love, but we have unique ways of showing it — and of making lifelong connections.