Dating, companionship and eventually finding a soulmate are goals that almost everyone has. However, how likely is it that you will find that special someone? There are several love and online dating statistics that can give you some insight into what you might expect in the love department.
Why Do Americans Get Married?
Since the ultimate goal of dating is typically to find a partner for marriage, it makes sense to learn why people get married in the first place. The number one reason for marriage is for love. In fact, 88 percent of people cite love as their primary motivator for marriage. The other six reasons for marriage include:
- Making a lifelong commitment to their partner (81 percent of people)
- Finding steady companionship (76 percent of people)
- Having children (49 percent of people)
- To have a religious ceremony so that their relationship is recognized by the couple’s respective religious institution (30 percent of people)
- To ensure greater financial stability (28 percent of people)
- To gain various legal benefits and rights (23 percent of people)
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One of the more interesting love and online dating statistics is when it comes to gaining financial stability, men appear to feel that this is largely their responsibility in a marriage. Adults of both genders seem to agree.
Approximately 71 percent report that a man providing solid financial support is imperative for their relationship. Only 32 percent of people believe that the woman in the relationship should also provide financially stability to be a viable partner.
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To maintain a marriage, love is not as critical of an element which is certainly among the more interesting love and online dating statistics. Approximately 61 percent of people say a satisfying sex life is important for a happy marriage. About 64 percent of people cite shared interests, and about 56 percent say sharing household chores is very important.
Second Marriages
It is estimated that about 40 percent of marriages are actually second marriages for at least one spouse. In about 20 percent of marriages, both people have been married previously.
Men tend to get married more than once more often compared to women. Approximately 52 percent of divorced women decide to walk down the aisle a second time. This is compared to about 64 percent of men who remarry following a divorce.
About 30 percent of divorced men say that they do not feel the need to remarry. However, approximately 54 percent of women state that they have no intention to remarry following a divorce.
There are many reasons why people decide to remarry or remain single. Some of the most commonly cited reasons include children, being afraid to experience heartbreak again and simply not wanting to jump into another relationship after their last one failed.
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Finding Love Online
In the United States, about 40 million people are registered on an online dating website. About 59 percent of users are registered on approximately 2.4 dating websites. Online dating statistics show that the most frequently used online dating websites include:
- Tinder (approximately 42 percent of online daters have used this website)
- Match.com (approximately 32 percent of online daters have used this website)
- Plenty of Fish (approximately 26 percent of online daters have used this website)
- OKCupid (approximately 25 percent of online daters have used this website)
About 46 percent of people who using dating apps and websites say that they met the person they are currently with online. When meeting on a dating app or website, men are reportedly four percent more likely to fall in love and marry a person they meet compared to women.
Compared to women, men are also generally more active when they register on an online dating website. This could play a role in the higher likelihood of men finding someone to fall in love with.
At some point in life, about 60 percent of people ages 18 to 29 in the United States have used a dating website or app at least once. In most cases, those in the ages 18 to 25 bracket usually use two to three dating apps to look for love. However, the fastest growing demographic on dating websites focused on long-term relationships, such as eHarmony, is those age 50 and older.
A positive attitude toward finding partners via online dating has also improved dramatically. The current approval rating is about 46 percent.
In addition to these online dating statistics, there are a few other notable facts and figures you should know:
- Approximately 74 percent of the singles on dating websites state that the best way to determine good chemistry is good conversation
- About 58 percent of singles say that subpar grammar is a major turnoff and something that they cannot live with
- Approximately 60 percent of singles say that they believe that the first exchange is all it takes to fall in love when the compatibility is high
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The Racial and Ethnic Divide
Online dating statistics provide valuable information about who is single and seeking love on online dating websites. One of the biggest demographics include race and ethnicity. Some online daters are very specific concerning the race or ethnicity of the partner they are seeking.
Asian women and white men tend to have the highest response rates. Asian women tend to attract African American men the most, following by white men and then Latino men. White men tend to attract white, Asian and Latino women the most.
Compared to all races and ethnicities, African American women and men tend to have the lowest response rates. However, African American men tend to get more responses than African American women. This is believed to be associated at least partially with racial biases.
Asian women are the most popular ethnicity that straight men seek. However, Asian men do not look for Asian women as much as other races or ethnicities. In fact, Asian men tend to attempt connections with Latino women more than any other race or ethnicity.
Other statistics concerning race and ethnicity with online dating include:
- Only approximately 10 percent of people say they would willingly date a person who has a vocal racial bias
- Less than four percent of people view interracial marriage in a negative way
- About 35 percent of people state they have heavily preferred to date people who are part of their own ethnicity or race
- About 17 percent of newlyweds married someone from a different ethnicity or race
- Hispanics and Asians are most likely to marry outside of their race
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Age Demographics
When people first venture into online dating, they tend to look for a specific age demographic when seeking a partner. The following statistics show users, by age, who are currently using an online dating website or app:
- About 30 percent of people ages 18 to 29
- About 17 percent of people ages 30 to 59
- About three percent of people ages 60 plus
The following statistics show the age demographics of those who have used a dating website or app in the past, but are not currently using one:
- About 31 percent of people ages 18 to 29
- About 27 percent of people ages 30 to 59
- About 15 percent of people ages 60 plus
The following online dating statistics focus on what online daters are looking for based on their age group:
- Ages 18 to 29: Long-term partner (17 percent), one or more dates (28 percent), platonic relationship (15 percent), a hookup (19 percent) and two percent cited other reasons.
- Ages 30 to 44: Long-term partner (27 percent), one or more dates (33 percent), platonic relationship (nine percent), a hookup (14 percent) and two percent cited other reasons.
- Ages 45 to 54: Long-term partner (22 percent), one or more dates (35 percent), platonic relationship (three percent), a hookup (10 percent) and two percent cited other reasons.
- Ages 55 to 64: Long-term partner (27 percent), one or more dates (29 percent), platonic relationship (seven percent), a hookup (11 percent) and two percent cited other reasons.
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Other Important Demographics
There are other online dating statistics that are important regarding demographics. When looking at the two genders, men slightly outnumber women on online dating apps and websites:
- Approximately 47.6 percent of online daters are women
- Approximately 52.4 percent of online daters are men
Age is a major factor regarding how easily men and women can find love using an online dating app or website. At age 21, a woman’s desirability peaks. However, at age 26, women tend to have more people pursuing them compared to men of the same age. Now, among those around age 48, compared to women, men tend to have about twice as many people pursuing them. Around age 50, men’s desirability tends to peak.
The following are additional demographic statistics to know regarding who is using online dating apps and websites:
- Live in an urban area: 13 percent website users and 10 percent app users
- Live in a suburban area: 13 percent website users and 9 percent app users
- Live in a rural area: 10 percent website users and 6 percent app users
- Earns less than $30k annually: 11 percent website users and 10 percent app users
- Earns $30k to $75k: 16 percent website users and 10 percent app users
- Earns more than $75k: 15 percent website users and 8 percent app users
- High school graduate or not a graduate: 8 percent website users and 7 percent app users
- Some collage: 15 percent website users and 11 percent app users
- College graduate: 16 percent website users and 9 percent app users
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Facts and Figures for Specific Online Dating Websites
There are certain online dating statistics that are specific to single websites. This information can help you to narrow down the websites that are most suitable for you. These statistics include:
- The most popular website for online dating is Match.com with approximately 23.5 million users
- About four percent of marriages in the United States are due to eHarmony and meeting on this website
- Every day on Zoosk, about three million messages are exchanged among members
- Throughout the world, there are more than 7,500 websites for online dating, and the United States has more than 2,500 alone
The following facts and figures are for all types of online dating websites and apps:
- About 59 percent of people in the United states believe that meeting someone online is a viable way to look for a partner
- Approximately 66 percent of people who use online dating apps and websites say that they have met at least one person who they went on an in-person date with
- Online dating is responsible for about 20 percent of long-term and committed relationships
- Of all marriages in the United States, it is estimated that about 17 percent of the married couples met through an online dating website or app
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Negative and Positive Experiences
Most people who have used online dating state that their experiences were either neutral or positive. The following statistics show how online daters describe their overall experience on websites and apps:
- Very negative: 7 percent
- Somewhat negative: 12 percent
- Neutral: 34 percent
- Somewhat positive: 24 percent
- Very positive: 23 percent
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Additional Online Dating Statistics
The following are additional statistics and facts to know about. These help you to learn more about the world of online dating and they include:
- Female members on online dating websites are usually not just seeking a hookup
- The larger the population in your area, the greater the chances of finding multiple suitable matches
- About 53 percent of people admit that they have been dishonest on their profile – The most common things people admit to lying about include height and weight, age and income or job
- About 49 percent of online daters say physical characteristics are what they are looking for
- About 64 percent of online daters are seeking partners they have something in common with
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Just remember that finding someone special takes work. To be on the positive end of these love and online dating statistics, you need to actively pursue a partner. Joining a great dating site, communicating with your matches and taking a chance with in-person dates help to increase your chances of finding love.
