They say New York City is the best city in the world to find your soulmate–and you’ll most likely find them at these places–though if Cupid hasn’t struck you with his arrow yet you can always just blame it on the fact that you’re living in New York City because it’s officially one of the worst cities in the U.S. to be single.
A recent study by WalletHub compared more than 180 U.S. cities across 35 key indicators of dating-friendliness, looking at everything from the population of single residents to the number of online dating opportunities to the average price for a two-person meal.
According to their findings, New York City ranked too low for our liking, coming in at #142 out of 182 cities with a total score of 46.70–that’s not very “live, laugh, love” of you, NYC!
To add insult to injury, NYC singles are spending more on their one-bedroom rent than singles from any other city in the ranking–164% more than the average American at that–and we’re also spending more on a meal at a restaurant than any other city besides Los Angeles, and that’s only because they tied with us. So if you don’t have a boo to split the check with you’re going to be stuck with a pretty hefty price tag (or, well, crying into a Cup Noodles at home).
But hey, let’s look on the bright side; NYC did at least rank well in one category: Fun and Recreation, where it came in fourth. Though with all the fun, free things to do in NYC, festive winter happenings, iconic parks, nightclubs, and more, we didn’t doubt scoring well in the fun category.
Though being single in NYC can feel like the end of the world, don’t forget that you have the most eligible company with you at all times: yourself! Ignore the city’s romantic spots and romantic restaurants, clear your schedule, and take yourself out on a solo date instead! Or you could always send secret love notes to a stranger while sipping on Swiss wine!
The full study can be found on WalletHub’s site.