Could one\u2019s odds for romance change depending on where they live in Southern California?<\/p>\n
Surrounded by the romantic air of Valentine\u2019s Day, let\u2019s ponder love\u2019s economic realities, as revealed by a \u201cbest cities for singles<\/a>\u201d scorecard from the financial website WalletHub. It ranked 182 cities nationwide, including 18 in Southern California, based on three factors: the demographics of the singles community, the fun available within the city\u2019s borders, and the city\u2019s overall costs and economics.<\/p>\n Look, most of these geographic rankings are a mix of data and statistical art that\u2019s best viewed as conversation starters. And rather than debate the winners and losers of this love-based scorecard, let\u2019s contemplate this: Does money matter when it comes to affairs of the heart?<\/p>\n Dating costs can be a tricky endeavor. And juggling a household budget and economic opportunities can be a massive challenge for couples. But I\u2019ll leave that discussion to personal finance gurus or relationship counselors.<\/p>\n Minus money<\/p>\n My trusty spreadsheet took a less emotional path<\/a>: Comparing WalletHub\u2019s geographic scores with my rankings, which used the same math, excluding the economic grades.<\/p>\n The Southern California cities whose romantic grades improved greatly when money wasn\u2019t a factor had a mix of sunset views, high-end paychecks, and or pricey real estate.<\/p>\n Long Beach\u2019s grades surged to No. 3 when economics were out of the equation, compared with a 10th-best grade if money matters. Huntington Beach jumped to No. 6 minus economics vs. No. 11.<\/p>\n Glendale climbed to No. 14 without economics, compared with being the region\u2019s worst when money mattered in the math. Irvine rose to No. 9 from No. 12, and Garden Grove went to No. 11 from No. 14.<\/p>\n Next, think about local cities where scores fell when money was taken out of the math. They\u2019re inland with affordable housing and largely working-class wages.<\/p>\n Ontario fell to No. 12 minus economics vs. No. 9 if money matters.\u00a0Fontana fell all the way down to No. 10 from fourth-best. And\u00a0Moreno Valley went No. 12 minus economics vs. No. 6.<\/p>\n Isn\u2019t love priceless? When just a freeway or two separates the region\u2019s arguably high-ranked spots for singles from its purported bottom of the barrel, the economics of a person\u2019s hometown might not be a major factor in seeking out a mate.<\/p>\n By the way, no matter the math, Southern California\u2019s top spots for singles are the same. San Diego is No. 1 and Los Angeles is No. 2.<\/p>\n Romantic state<\/p>\n In most parts of the nation, it\u2019s hard to hop over a state border to pursue a potential mate.<\/p>\n