Single San Antonians exploring the local dating scene might be looking for love in the wrong place in Texas, according to a new national report of “The Best U.S. Cities for Singles in 2025”. The verdict for Alamo City locals looking to match this cuffing season seems to be “meh.”
Real estate marketplace Zumper compiled its list by analyzing 100 of the most populous U.S. cities across eight metrics: The percentage of single individuals out of the entire city’s population; median rent prices for a one-bedroom apartment; the number of restaurants, nightlife, and entertainment options per capita; a cost of living index; the median non-family annual income; and unemployment rates.
According to these comprehensive measures, San Antonio barely stood out as the 48th best city for singles in the nation. Bummer.
Zumper’s experts suggest that San Antonio residents who want to live somewhere with a better dating scene should look out of state to cities such as No. 1-ranking St. Louis, Missouri; Knoxville, Tennessee (No. 2); or Salt Lake City, Utah (No. 3).
Rather than giving scores or numerical ratings, the survey gave letter grades for each of the eight key dimensions (“A” being the best, and “F” being the worst). San Antonio’s highest grade was an “A” in the cost of living category (without explanation), and the city earned a “B” in the categories for the one-bedroom rent prices and the number of restaurants per capita.
The restaurant rating is fairly reasonable considering the Alamo City is home to one of the most romantic restaurants in America.
San Antonio’s worst grades were a “D” for its costs for singles, its entertainment options, and its median annual income for singles. That left the city’s nightlife options per capita and its unemployment rates with a middling “C” grade.
On the bright side, San Antonio’s dating scene is certainly not the worst in Texas. Plano, a Dallas suburb, ranked as the No. 78 “best” U.S. city for singles in the report. Other North Texas cities like Irving (No. 70) and Fort Worth (No. 75) also ranked low on the list. So it could be much worse.
“The U.S. is seeing a rising share of adults living single, and while romance is still on the wish list for many, today’s singles are also prioritizing vibrant social scenes, strong career opportunities, and an affordable cost of living,” the report’s author wrote.
Unattached San Antonians who want a better dating scene without having to travel to Missouri or Tennessee will find it in Austin, which was the highest-ranked Texas city and came in at No. 10 nationally. The report found that about 44 percent of Austin’s population is single.
“What helps Austin stand out is its high single median income of $68,630, one of the strongest among all the top cities, which supports both affordability and lifestyle,” the study said.
The top 10 best U.S. cities for singles are:
No. 1 – St. Louis, MissouriNo. 2 – Knoxville, TennesseeNo. 3 – Salt Lake City, UtahNo. 4 – Atlanta, GeorgiaNo. 5 – Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaNo. 6 – Tallahassee, FloridaNo. 7 – Minneapolis, MinnesotaNo. 8 – Asheville, North CarolinaNo. 9 – Richmond, VirginiaNo. 10 – Austin, Texas