Online data aggregation company Spokeo conducted an in-depth study in April 2024 based on independent survey data, U.S. Census findings and public records to rank all 50 states from best to worst for dating. The study intends to “give hopeless romantics a data-backed starting point to find their next date.” And Texas did not fare well.
According to the study, Texas is ranked No. 45. But, hey, it could be worse. At least we’re not in Florida (ranked the actual worst at No. 50).
Spokeo considered many factors for these findings based on modern dating and desirability trends. According to the company, “Today’s singles are open to discussing mental health, care about aligning on social and political causes, and are sensitive to debt. We included data like state unemployment ratios, mental health providers in the area, the number of registered voters, and more.”
According to the study’s methodology, Texas ranks No. 18 in the number of unmarried singles over the age of 15. It’s a disturbingly low age to set the bar considering that the age of consent in Texas is 17. Nonetheless, 34.3% of “adults” in Texas are single and ready to mingle even though they’re having a hard time coupling up. So if the singles are here, what’s the problem?
The most damning aspect is the availability of mental health treatment. Texas is ranked the second-worst state for mental healthcare providers per capita. According to data aggregated from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, there is one mental health provider per every 640 Texans (making for even fewer options if you’re uninsured or left with few in-network providers from whom to choose).
Psychiatry and psychotherapy are probably the strongest tools in the human arsenal to know and love oneself. And who wants to get entangled with someone who hasn’t done the inner work it really takes to know themselves? As RuPaul says, “If you don’t love yourself, how in the hell are you going to love somebody else?”
According to data pulled from a Forbes Health/OnePoll survey of 5,000 Americans, Texas ranks fifth (in a tie with Colorado) for the states you’re most likely to get “ghosted” in. Ghosting is a common practice in which someone you’re seeing disappears on you — no more texts, calls or explanation as to why they’ve lost interest.
Another factor in this study that tanks Texas’ dating landscape is a lack of civic duty. Data sourced from AmeriCorps ranks the state low in number of formal volunteers per capita, which is defined in this context as “helping others through organizations and includes activities like supporting COVID-19 testing, immunization, and other public health efforts, conducting wellness checks on isolated seniors, supporting food banks, and providing virtual tutoring and mentoring to help students stay on track in school.”
Why Is Dating So Hard in Texas?
But does socio-political engagement really carry the same weight in Texas as it does in other states? Money seems to hold more importance, especially considering that 55 Fortune 500 companies are headquartered in Texas now, more than any other state in the U.S. However, the unemployment rate currently sits around 4% (one of the higher rates in the country), in direct conflict with one of the top 20 states in terms of cost of living.By far the most alarming statistic finds that Texas ranks in the top 20 states for intimate partner violence and conning victims per capita. So make sure to stay vigilant to spot red flags in someone you’re getting to know, and if you’re headed out on a first date, especially with someone you’re not familiar with, it’s probably good practice to share your location with a close friend.
Ultimately, statistics lack nuance, and romance isn’t a science. For example, not everyone wants to meet someone in a bar. In a place like Texas, with such a prominent social drinking culture, where does that leave you? Lots of adults end up meeting their spouses in the workplace because that’s where they typically spend most of their time. But getting involved with a colleague poses the risk of irreparable complications you’ll later find too close for comfort.
And though dating apps have made it easier than ever for people to find each other, it can be a pretty superficial experience, sort of window shopping for human connection. It can subconsciously reinforce a nagging suspicion that no matter how happy you are to be dating the person you’re with, there might be something or someone better out there.
However, all hope is not lost if you’re dating with the intent to settle down in a serious and lasting partnership. In a U.S. Census Bureau finding not taken into account by Spokeo’s study, the number of Texas couples getting married has increased from 17.4% in 2021 to 19.7% in 2022. That parallels a steadily decreasing rate of Texas couples divorcing, from 11.8% in 2008 to 7.3% in 2022.
It’s important to remember to keep your head up, Texas — no matter what the numbers tell us.
