From When Harry Met Sally and You’ve Got Mail to Sex and the City, New York has spent decades cementing its status as America’s ultimate rom-com capital.
And according to a new study, that silver-screen reputation isn’t just fiction—NYC has officially been named the most romantic city in the U.S.
NYC ranks as America’s most romantic city
According to new research from Agilis, New York City recorded the highest number of romance-related Google searches per capita among the country’s 30 largest cities.
Researchers analyzed search interest for 28 different romance-focused terms—from “romantic getaways” and “date night ideas” to “proposal locations,” “romantic restaurants,” “couples activities,” and “anniversary ideas”—before adjusting the results based on each city’s population.
The result? New York came out on top with 212 romance-related Google searches per 100,000 residents, making it the country’s most romance-obsessed city.
Why New York came out on top
It’s hardly surprising that NYC earned first place.
According to Agilis founder Jehan Rajendra:
New York taking the top spot makes sense when you consider the sheer variety of experiences available to couples. From Central Park walks and rooftop dinners to Broadway shows and countless restaurants, there are plenty of ways to plan a memorable date.
The city also generated particularly strong search interest for romantic restaurants, proposal locations, wedding venues, couples’ activities, romantic weekends, and anniversary ideas.
The study looked at how Americans search for love
Rather than simply measuring how many romantic attractions each city has, researchers focused on what residents were actively searching for online.
The study examined monthly Google search volume for 28 romance-related topics, including:
- Romantic getaways
- Date night ideas
- Couples activities
- Romantic restaurants
- Proposal locations
- Wedding venues
- Romantic hotels
- Anniversary ideas
- Romantic experiences
- Couples spa packages
Search volumes were then normalized against each city’s population to determine which cities show the strongest interest in romance relative to the number of people living there.
Luckily, NYC has no shortage of romantic places
Of course, New Yorkers already know there’s no shortage of places to fall in love—or simply enjoy a great date.
From rowing boats on Central Park Lake and sunset walks across the Brooklyn Bridge to candlelit dinners in the West Village, rooftop cocktails overlooking Manhattan, and Broadway shows followed by late-night dessert, the city continues to offer endless ways to create unforgettable memories together.
Apparently, we’re searching for them more than anyone else in the country.