It’s probably too late for this year's go around, but we’ve got intel for anyone looking to get lucky in love by next Valentine’s Day: Move to Colorado Springs.
More into the slow drawl of the South? Then you can opt for El Paso or Louisville. Because according to Facebook relationship data, these are the three highest ranked cities for relationship formation.
Facebook has access to unique data, since it can track posted relationship status by location in real time for about half of America.
Woah.
Though it’s true that some people don’t record their relationship status on Facebook (what the hell – you don’t want to flaunt your new hunky honey to your old high school classmates!?), at least we can see trends about those who stay on top of cultivating their online image. And the Facebook data corroborates various researcher theories about relationships.
For example, more choice isn’t necessarily good for forging relationships—it can be option-overload, and make dating seem daunting. That helps explain why Facebook found that big cities with highly educated populations, like NYC, DC, and Miami—have both the highest percentage of single people and the lowest couple rates.
A lot of cities with high relationship rates are in the South—though this in part could reflect traditional dating culture in this region, rather than indicate they are meccas for in-migrating singles (so maybe skip El Paso and Louisville unless you’re a Southern Belle)
Next up on the list of non-Southern cities for the love-lorn? Indianapolis and Tucson. (Not exactly cultural hot-beds.)
So why is Colorado Springs number one? Researchers cite its strong military (the U.S. Air Force Academy is located there) and religious communities which promote getting hitched fast. But Colorado Springs is also a college town, outdoor sports hub, and has a growing bar scene.
Looking for a more progressive option? Well pack your galoshes and start salivating over your sustainably-raised chicken dinner, (complete with organic wine) because you’re headed for Portland! The north west icon gets a good rank for both number of singles and relationship formation. (Image: commons.wikimedia.org)
