SACRAMENTO – If you’re still thinking hopefully about finding a date for St. Valentine Day, you might as well forget about it – at least here in Utah.
That’s because the Beehive State ranks as the 47th worst state out of 50 when it comes to singles finding a dating partner, according to a recent study by relationship experts at the Underwood Law Firm.
With the year’s most romantic holiday right around the corner, the Underwood attorneys say that finding a partner may depend more on being in the right place at the right time than you might imagine.
“While some states – like South Dakota, Wisconsin, Rhode Island, North Dakato and Pennsylvania, which just happened to be the top five states in the Underwood study – provide a thriving dating scene, others make finding a partner much more challenging,” a spokesman for the law firm said.
The nationwide study — based on key factors like dating interest, nightlife options, affordability and even romance scams — found that Utah was a hard place for singles to make connections.
Given Utah’s predominant religion and its emphasis on family life, it’s easy to assume that everyone who wanted to get married did so in their 20s and are consequently out of the dating game.
But the Underwood study found that nearly a third of Utah’s young adult population is unmarried and showed a surprisingly high interest in dating, as evidenced by an average of nearly 1,875 Google searches for dating sites and apps per 100,000 people.
Despite that interest, Utah provides less than 15 bars and night clubs per capita for singles to meet in. Moreover, the average cost of a date – assuming one can find a willing partner – is a relatively high $110 for an evening out.
Only Idaho, Kentucky and Hawaii reported worse conditions in which to try to date.
By comparison, the Underwood study found South Dakota to be a hidden gem for singles, thanks to a mix of affordability, a low unemployment rate and a really high interest in dating.
The study results show that more than 32 percent of young adults in South Dakota were unmarried; an average of more than 2,500 Google searches for dating sites and apps; more than 55 clubs and bar per capita; and a low average dating cost of about $80 each.
The Underwood study evaluated all 50 states using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, including the percent of never-married individuals; romance scams reported per 100,000 people; statewide unemployment; dating interest; cost of living index; number of bars and clubs per capita; and average date cost.
For more information about the Underwood study, go online to https://www.underwood.law/
With offices throughout California, Underwood Law is a boutique firm dealing with partition actions, real estate and civil litigation.