According to a new report from online rental marketplace Zumper, the United States is seeing a rise in the share of adults living single. And their research shows that this demographic is looking for a place to settle down that affords them a lifestyle they can truly enjoy.

In the report released this October, Zumper uses its findings to determine the site’s annual ranking of the best U.S. cities for singles in 2025.

The top 10 cities on the list “represent a balance of affordability, job opportunity, and social options, and I think that really appeals to singles, whether they are looking to date or not,” Crystal Chen, co-author of the report, tells CNBC Make It.

To rank them, Zumper analyzed 100 of the most populous U.S. cities across eight metrics, which were weighted to give a total of 100%:

Population – percentage of singles (20%)Median one-bedroom rent (20%)Restaurants per capita (10%)Nightlife per capita (10%)Entertainment per capita (10%)Cost of Living index (10%)Median nonfamily income (10%)Unemployment rate (10%)

The report used data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey, The Council for Community and Economic Research: Cost of Living Index and more.

Each city was assigned a weighted overall single-friendliness score based on the sum of the eight weighted scores, which was then changed into a letter grade, with A being the best and F being the worst.

“The goal of ranking the best cities for singles was to really balance out affordability, opportunity and social life,” Chen says.

The majority of the cities on the list are mid-sized places like Knoxville, Tennessee and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and not coastal hubs like New York, San Francisco or Los Angeles. Regionally, the South and Midwest really come out on top with seven of the top 10 in those regions, Chen says.

“They combine more moderate incomes with affordable cost of living but they also have robust social opportunities and that just creates a higher quality of life for singles,” she adds.

St. Louis, MO is the best U.S. city for single people

St. Louis took the No. 1 spot on the list. Median rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city is $1,000 and about half of the population is single.

“It [St. Louis] has a rare combination of affordability, nightlife and entertainment options per capita. All of that combined really offers an appealing and social opportunity for singles,” Chen says.

St. Louis, Missouri

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The 10 best U.S. cities for singlesSt. Louis, Mo.Knoxville, Tenn.Salt Lake City, UtahAtlanta, Ga.Pittsburgh, Pa.Tallahassee, Fla.Minneapolis, Minn.Asheville, N.C.Richmond, Va.Austin, Texas

Knoxville is the No. 2 U.S. city for single people — nearly 46% of Knoxville’s residents are single. The city ranked among the top 10 for restaurant options on Zumper’s list.

“It came in second but is still affordable and just a little bit more expensive than St. Louis. It has one of the best cost-of-living scores in the country,” Chen says.

“It really shows that smaller markets can be great places for singles to thrive, especially if they’re affordable and still have local character and community.”

Knoxville, Tennessee

Photo By Mike Kline (Notkalvin) | Moment | Getty Images