While marriage isn’t the end goal for all online daters, a strong partnership (with or without the official paperwork) may be. When you see the data, you may feel more comfortable signing up for online dating sites if lasting love is your priority.
Here are some important online dating stats surrounding marriage and everlasting partnerships that can help motivate you to create a dating profile — or at least give you an idea of who you might find out there.
1. About 52% of Never-Married Adults Have Used Dating Apps
According to Pew Research, a majority of never-married adults have given online dating a shot. Most of these adults are on the younger side, with 59% of this group1 being under the age of 50. This stat has more or less stayed the same in the 2020s.
It makes sense that many adults online date because it’s such an easy way to make connections. Unlike meeting someone in person, online dating can provide an opportunity to think about how you present yourself and what to say next in a conversation, which can help build confidence.
While online dating sites exist for married couples seeking poly relationships, the majority of people who sign up are singles looking for love. That means that when you search, there’s a good chance you’ll never have to ask: “Are you seeing someone?”
2. Interracial Dating Has Spiked to 30% Among Online Daters
Thankfully, interracial dating doesn’t have the stigma it did decades ago. More individuals understand that love and attraction come in plenty of different forms. Online dating has made those connections much easier, expanding the dating pool in ways that traditional dating couldn’t.
Another Pew Research study shows that “30% of those who say they met their partner online report that their partner is a different race or ethnicity2, compared with 19% of those who met their partner offline.” Dating apps can make it easier to meet people outside of your circle, which is a significant benefit.
If you live in a smaller town or want to expand your dating pool, a dating site can be a great way to meet more diverse singles with the same goal of love and marriage.
3. Marital Satisfaction Rates Are Highest Among 30-Somethings Who Met Online
This statistic is insightful because not all marriages are happy marriages. While it’s great to have a partner, it’s also important that the two of you don’t build resentment toward each other as your relationship progresses. Happiness should always be a top priority in any relationship, but especially with your spouse.
In a study from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), respondents were asked questions about how they met their partners and how satisfied they currently were in their relationships.
The scale ranged from “extremely unhappy” to “perfect.” The study showed that those in their 30s who met their spouse using an online dating site seemed happiest3. Other factors, such as income, employment status, and education, were included. But, in general, it shows that online dating can lead to satisfying marriages.
In many cases, our 30s can give us a better idea of what we want from life. Based on past romantic experiences, daters may have established deal-breakers that they won’t compromise on at this point, making it easier to weed out incompatible matches.
4. Sadly, 12% of Marriages Between Online Daters End Early
Online dating isn’t necessarily the golden ticket to happiness. Sometimes, people are so eager to establish a relationship that they miss some red flags or move too fast.
A study from 2021 revealed that 12% of couples who met online and got married ended up divorcing within three years4. That number may not seem that high, but the study showed that only 2% of those who met through friends and family divorced in the same time frame.
This study had 2,000 participants, all of whom were older than 30 and married at least once in their lives.
“Our findings in NO way undermine or diminish the vital role of online dating,” said Harry Benson, the Research Director of the Marriage Foundation, the company that helped commission the study. “But it does highlight the greater risks and difficulties of getting to know a relative stranger.”
A good way to avoid being part of this statistic is not to let your partner’s profile do all the talking.
While a profile is a great way to sense if you’ll be a good match, real conversations about important topics help ensure you are compatible when it comes to big issues. Finding someone you can easily talk to, without having it lead to a fight, is an asset when seeking a future spouse.
5. About 2 out of 3 Same-Sex Couples Meet Online
Online dating has proven to be quite successful for same-sex couples, with two out of three finding each other online. Studies conducted between 2009 and 2015 show that meeting online has been the most popular method5 for same-sex couples.
Plenty of dating sites cater to the LGBTQ community, helping singles meet and connect in a safe space. And many of those couples end up making long-term commitments.
As Pew Research states6, “When it comes to finding a committed relationship, 24% of lesbian, gay and bisexual adults who are partnered — that is, married, living with a partner or in a committed romantic relationship — say they met their significant other through online dating.” In this statistic, men are more likely than women to find long-term success.
That means if your preference is a same-sex relationship, online dating gives you a good chance to find a long-term connection.
6. Nearly 40% of Bumble Users Are Recently Out of a Long-Term Relationship
While most dating sites have plenty of success stories, Bumble is really having a moment when it comes to long-term compatibility and friendships. Bumble polled more than 10,000 users about the romantic connections they’ve made on the dating app. Over 70% reported feeling positive7 about the future of their dating life.
Many also use Bumble to connect with locals in their area non-romantically, making it a great choice overall for networking.
Around 39% of users started a Bumble account after ending a marriage or long-term relationship, with many break-ups happening due to the events surrounding the pandemic in 2020.
For 36% of users, it’s their first time exploring dating sites. That means Bumble is trusted as one of the better platforms for people with long-term dating experience who understand the work of maintaining a relationship.
The survey also indicates that 38% of men using the site have become more open with communicating feelings with their friends. That shows Bumble users value emotional maturity and understand its importance in building strong relationships.
7. Over One-Third of Gen Z Singles Aren’t Looking for a Relationship
Gen Z daters have made it clear that they’re happy being single, and if you’ve been unlucky with dating for a spell, maybe their technique is worth checking out — at least for a few months.
Often, people can’t be truly happy in a relationship without knowing themselves well first, and breaks in dating can help you identify what you want. Maybe you thought you had a type, but when you take a step back, you realize that you’re always going down the wrong road.
The Harris Poll took a deeper look at this phenomenon when it surveyed more than 2,000 people — 700 were single, and 1,262 participants were in a relationship. Of 181 participants who fell into the Gen Z group, 35% reported not looking for love8.
8. And 80% of Americans Say Marriage Isn’t Necessary for Happiness or Fulfillment
In total, eight out of 10 Americans in the poll stated that “you don’t need to get married to have a happy and fulfilling life,” suggesting a refreshing change in perspective among singles today.
While sharing a life with someone is nice, it’s important to know there’s nothing wrong with being single.
Remember, happiness shouldn’t be completely tied to who you’re with — immersing yourself in a hobby, reading literature, traveling, and pet ownership are just a few ways to add happiness to your life without depending on someone else.
These additions to your life will also keep you occupied, help contribute to your overall personality, and give you great conversation topics to discuss if you choose to date.
9. Divorce Rates Are 6 Times Higher For Couples Who Meet Online
According to research from the Marriage Foundation, divorce rates are six times higher9 for couples who meet online. This harsh truth can sound pretty scary, but there are various reasons for that. Couples who meet online don’t have mutual connections, differences in values or long-term goals and unrealistic expectations from the get-go.
Also, an ASU study revealed that couples who meet online may face a lot of pressure and stress10 from seeking friends and family members approval.
“Participants who met in online dating reported lower satisfaction and stability due, in part, to societal marginalization of their relationships, which was associated with reductions in network approval relative to those who met offline,” said ASU’s authors.
10. In 20 Years, the Percentage of Couples Who Met Online Went from 2% to 50%
Meeting someone online was once a rarity. In 1995, only about 2% of couples met online. The number was so low because dating sites were few (it was pretty much just Match.com) and a lot of people were skeptical.
And I can’t say I blame them, putting your trust in technology to help you find love sounded like a crazy idea back in the day.
Fast forward to 2017, with smartphones making the internet becoming more accessible for all. And that number skyrocketed to nearly 50%.
Then, with COVID-19 making it impossible for face-to-face connections, dating apps filled the gap and attracted widespread usage.
Online dating has reshaped how singles connect and offered a more convenient way to explore with no strings attached
FAQ: Is Online Dating Good for Singles Who Want Marriage?
So, let’s get straight to the point –– is online dating actually helpful if you’re looking to get married? The short answer is yes, but with a few caveats. Like all things, online dating has a few downsides that I admit can make the process frustrating, confusing, or just plain exhausting. But it can work in your favor!
One major perk about online dating is how easy it is to sort through multiple matches. You can filter for things such as religion, education, age, or relationship status. That kind of efficiency isn’t a given in face-to-face encounters.
With that being said, it’s not always smooth swiping. In fact, online dating can feel pretty superficial at times because you judge based on photos and short bios. So if you’re not intentional, a good catch could pass you by –– it’s all about sliding into that DM and getting to really know the other person on the other end.
“I have an uncle who also met his wife online. This was maybe almost 25 years ago so it was on a dating website. They’re still married.”
For one Reddit user11, some fun chats on Bumble led to marriage. Talking constantly via messages really allowed him and his now wife to get to know each other before the first meet up. After a week of chatting it up, they exchanged numbers and took things to the next level with a FaceTime call that led to one thing after another.
“First date went amazing and we immediately texted each other and expressed that we would like to continue seeing each other, “ said a Reddit user. “Fast forward to today we’ve been married for 3 years and have a 7 month old son together.”
Dating Apps Have a Proven Track Record & Continue to Grow
While you may see some unsettling statistics regarding dating and marriage, many people choose online dating to meet their significant other. Even if you sign up purely based on curiosity, you won’t be alone. Online dating once carried a stigma when it was introduced decades ago, but now people have embraced it as a way to connect.
Online dating proved especially helpful during the pandemic when most conversations moved online.
Knowing how to chat with others online is a skill that improves with practice, and it can help single people branch out in their personal lives.
It’s also becoming normal to take breaks and find happiness within yourself first. A strong sense of who you are and what you want will improve your dating game. And when you feel it’s time to get back into online dating, don’t be afraid to put your true self out there and see what happens.
Sources:
- https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/02/24/the-never-been-married-are-biggest-users-of-online-dating/ ↩︎
- https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/06/24/couples-who-meet-online-are-more-diverse-than-those-who-meet-in-other-ways-largely-because-theyre-younger/ ↩︎
- https://www.pnas.org/doi/pdf/10.1073/pnas.1222447110 ↩︎
- https://www.today.com/tmrw/couples-who-meet-dating-apps-are-more-likely-divorce-early-t236940 ↩︎
- https://www.thepinknews.com/2019/02/12/lgbt-online-dating-study/ ↩︎
- https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/06/26/about-half-of-lesbian-gay-and-bisexual-adults-have-used-online-dating/ ↩︎
- https://bumble.com/en/the-buzz/dating-trends-2023 ↩︎
- https://theharrispoll.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Singles-in-America-Survey-January-2023-.pdf ↩︎
- https://marriagefoundation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/MF-press-release-online-weddings.pdf ↩︎
- https://nypost.com/2023/10/03/couples-who-meet-on-dating-apps-are-less-happy-in-marriages-study/ ↩︎
- https://www.reddit.com/r/dating_advice/comments/1dzvapo/people_who_successfully_married_their_partner/ ↩︎
![8 Places to Find Gay Men Near Me (Online & Offline)[updated_month_year before=" - "]](https://www.datingnews.com/images/uploads/2021/12/findgaymennearme.jpg?width=342&height=135 "8 Places to Find Gay Men Near Me (Online & Offline)[updated_month_year before=\" - \"]")
