Most Popular Dating Apps by State (Feb. 2025)

Location is one of the most important factors in the online dating scene, especially if you’re hoping to meet a new person quickly. Dating app popularity can vary widely by region, so it’s good to have a working knowledge of the trends, habits, and patterns in each state.

Our dating experts have done some online investigation and ranked the most popular dating apps by state. The rankings are based on a combination of Google trends data, online usage surveys, and user recommendations.

The United States is a diverse place to pick up a date, and your success is going to vary based on where you live and which app you use. It’s a good idea to get to know your state’s local dating terrain, so you can make an informed decision about which dating app or site to join.

Most Popular Dating Apps Ranked State by State

Online dating has become the norm in the U.S. these days. Young, tech-savvy singles have embraced swiping for dates, and it’s become the most popular way to meet a future spouse. The only trick is finding which dating app is best for your situation. Here’s a comprehensive list of the most popular dating apps in all 50 states.

It’s safe to say that the online dating scene has a lot to offer local singles from California to Texas, but not every dating app is equally successful from state to state. As you probably noticed, the Tinder app is a pretty dominant force, no matter where you are. The app has been downloaded over 630 million times and inspires approximately 1.5 million dates per week.

At the same time, we’ve seen smaller and more quality-focused dating apps like Raya and Hinge become very popular and effective in areas where swiping fatigue has set in among the dating populace.

And, for single professionals, the more established dating sites like Match and eharmony have remained popular generation after generation, serving everyone from Baby Boomers to Gen Z.

Are There Any Other Popular Dating Apps I Should Try?

We’ve ranked the biggest platforms in every state in the country, but these generally popular dating apps may not be exactly right for every single person.

If you’re tired of mainstream swiping and want to try a different app, here are some niche networks that appeal to particular segments of the population.

• For Black singles: BlackPeopleMeet
• For senior dating: OurTime
• For chatting: Zoosk
• For casual dates: Ashley Madison
• For Jewish singles: JDate
• For Latin dating: AmoLatina

Sometimes niche apps can work more effectively by targeting specific dating interests. That can make a world of difference for older singles, casual daters, poly singles, and people of color.

How Do Online Dating Apps Work?

Dating apps use innovative features to foster a more dynamic, enjoyable, and fulfilling love life. But you can’t make a meaningful connection without understanding how the matchmaking system works.

First, you’ll create a dating profile by providing a valid email address, phone number, Facebook login, or social media account. Then you’ll answer questions about where you live, what you look like, and what type of relationship you want. Sometimes you may have to write short responses to personal prompts that can range from “What are your pet peeves?” to “Describe yourself.”

eharmony is known for its lengthy compatibility questionnaire, which includes 80+ questions.

Most dating apps require users to upload at least one profile picture. If you join through Facebook or Instagram, you’ll be able to pull photos from your albums. Dating apps do not post on social media platforms, so you don’t have to worry about your Facebook friends seeing your activity. Even Facebook Dating keeps its user activity separate from the mainstream Facebook feed.

Once your dating profile is complete and approved, you can start swiping through profiles that meet your dating preferences. Local dating apps tend to prioritize profiles based on location, so nearby singles will appear at the top of your swipe list.

Some dating sites and apps have premium features locked behind a paywall, meaning it’s sometimes necessary to pay to send unlimited messages or swipe on profiles outside your city limits.

Are Dating Apps Safe to Use?

It’s perfectly natural to have safety concerns when it comes to online dating. You are meeting a stranger online, and that can come with an inherent risk of encountering a catfish. However, savvy online daters can learn to spot the red flags and keep themselves safe while browsing a legit app or site.

First of all, it’s important to question and verify your online crush’s identity. Don’t just blindly agree to every match and chat request. And don’t leave the security of the online dating app or site.

For instance, if a new person is trying to convince you to communicate on WhatsApp or Yahoo messaging rather than staying on the app or exchanging phone numbers, that should raise some important questions as to why.

If a person refuses to join you on a video date or phone call, that indicates they have something to hide.

Always vet someone before you agree to meet on a first date. It’s a good idea to conduct a quick search on Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, or TinEye to see if you can find a digital footprint. If you cannot find any social media information, you may be dealing with someone using a false identity.

A single woman should be especially cautious when arranging a first date in person. Always meet at a public place where you feel comfortable. Do not get in your date’s car for any reason. And make sure at least one friend or family member knows where you are going.

Even on the safest dating sites, singles should exercise sound judgment and think through their online dating choices before diving into a new relationship with a stranger.

How Do You Find a Match on a Popular Dating App?

Dating apps have search filters for all sorts of desirable qualities and dealbreakers. The typical app will have filters based on age, gender, and distance from you. You can meet local singles by adjusting the mile radius in your settings. Some swiping apps also have premium filters based on education, income, appearance, and background.

The Grindr app famously removed its ethnicity filters in response to complaints from Black Lives Matter advocates in 2020. Some users have expressed dismay over losing this filter option.

Match Group, which operates Tinder, OkCupid, Hinge, and other apps, has opted to keep ethnicity filters active due to the fact that it helps like-minded singles from similar backgrounds find one another.

It’s important to complete your profile to give the algorithm good information to suggest matches and filter compatible profiles your way.

How Do I Choose the Best Dating App?

Don’t overthink this. We put some effort into mapping the best dating apps, and any of the apps on this list would be a good place to start exploring matches.

Our recommendation is to stick with the mainstream dating apps (Tinder, Match, Bumble, etc.) for your first foray into the local dating scene. Maybe enjoy the free chatting on Facebook Dating. Just to get your bearings and see how things work.

You can always get more targeted and try the smaller niche apps later on if you have a specific type of partner in mind.

Of course, if you’re looking for anonymous sex, the mainstream world will not be the right choice for you. Instead, it’s best to go for an affair dating site like Ashley Madison, which has the reputation as the best dating site for extramarital relationships.

Ashley Madison is a popular site in certain circles of non-monogamous daters. But it isn’t for everyone. It’s mostly geared toward casual daters who are looking for secret affairs.

Just as Christian Mingle is popular among churchgoers, and Silver Singles is well-liked by seniors, the dating scene has room for all kinds.

Don’t be discouraged if you don’t find your perfect match on the first swipe — or even within the first week. Online dating can take time because it involves an element of luck. If you mean business and have serious intentions, be sure to complete your dating profile and swipe with purpose.

At the end of the day, no algorithm can do all the work for you. It doesn’t matter whether you’re looking for a casual hookup or a serious relationship — you have to put in some effort and be resilient.

Where Can I Meet a Queer Person Online?

Many online dating sites have begun expanding to be more inclusive in terms of gender identity and sexual orientation. For instance, the Tinder app has nine sexual orientation options available, including queer and fluid. Nonbinary Tinder users can be out and proud when seeking a potential partner.

However, some queer singles feel better about their swiping odds on an LGBTQ+ dating app, and we don’t blame them. Apps like Grindr, HER, Lex, and SCRUFF were designed to meet the needs of the queer community.

Which Apps Allow Video Chat?

During the coronavirus pandemic, demand for video date features on the apps skyrocketed, and it became more normal to ask for an online date for a video call before meeting in person.

Most apps added video features of some sort during lockdowns, but many have since rolled those back. There are some exceptions. Hinge has kept its voice message feature, and The League still sets up video speed dates for users. Zoosk offers a virtual date feature where users can select a unique virtual setting for their video date.

Even after social distancing has faded out of society in North America, video dating has remained popular among singles who want to get to know a person face to face without having to shell out money for a cup of coffee, dinner, or drinks.

High-Tech Apps Can Introduce You to the Local Dating Scene

Mapping the best dating apps isn’t something you can do with a cursory glance on Reddit or Quora. It takes serious investigation into online dating statistics and local trends influencing where singles go for a little swiping action.

Our report of the most popular dating apps by state took weeks to map out and get exactly right. Whether you’re a college student or a senior single, you can use these reviews to scout the best app (or at least the most popular app) in your region or in neighboring states, and it should give you plenty of opportunities to meet local singles.

The online dating world is a thriving, bustling, and fast-changing place, and there’s no need to stick with just one dating platform throughout your swiping experience. We recommend that singles try multiple free dating apps to explore new romantic frontiers and maximize their time online. Best of luck out there!