Study: 28.7% of Salt Lake City adults are single, below national average

SALT LAKE CITY — A recent study ranks Salt Lake City 24th in large metro cities to move to if you’re single and looking for love.

According to a study by Porch.com, the number of single adults has increased in recent decades, with the recent COVID-19 pandemic skyrocketing the number.

“Nearly two-thirds of people who are single and looking for a partner report that dating has become harder since the COVID-19 pandemic began,” reads the study. “And while the share of adults looking for a relationship has not changed significantly in that time, nearly one-third of those who have stopped dating recently cite COVID-related concerns as a reason why.”

Along with COVID challenges, marriage rates have continued to drop since the 1950s, with 20% of women and 26.4% of men never being married, increasing to 30.6% and 36.6% in 2022, according to the study.

The study also cites the change in social dynamics, with more women wanting more educational and economic independence that marriage could cover.

However, it doesn’t mean that people are not looking for marriage and long-term commitments, according to the study. Instead, the problem is that in “many parts of the country, the pool of available mates is limited by demographic factors.”

According to the study, states with a high percentage of single adults usually have an imbalance of men and women as the dating pool is shallower.

“Utah has the lowest percentage of single adults in the U.S. at 25.2%, while Southern states like Mississippi (40.1%), Louisiana (39.1%), and Alabama (37.1%) have the highest,” reads the study.

The study says a high concentration of food and entertainment businesses in a city or state also increases the chances of finding a partner.

With all the information, Porch.com’s study ranks Salt Lake City 24th in large metro cities to find a long-term partner, with 28.7% of adults being single, 51.3% of that percentage being men, and having plenty of ways to meet someone.

The national average for U.S. cities is 33.2% of adults being single, 44.8% of that percentage being men, according to the study.

The San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara area in California is ranked number one in large metros. Fort Collins, Colorado, takes the top spot for midsize metros, and the College Station-Bryan area in Texas is the best for small metros.

Comparing the data across all the metros, College Station-Bryan, Texas, is number one, while Salt Lake City is 98th overall.

According to the study, North Dakota is the best state to find a long-term partner, with Utah ranking 26th.