The Best 5 Cities for Single Girls
We've crunched the numbers on some critical stats-like ratio of men to women (natch!)-to find five great places to be a single lady right now.
1. AUSTIN, TX
Claim to fame: BBQ joints and South by Southwest.
Little-known fact: It's the fastest- growing city in the U.S., with the most live-music venues per capita.
Where you'll work: Tech firms like Dell, UT Austin, and the state of Texas (it's the capital).
Where you'll hang: Bars on East Sixth Street, like East Side Showroom, and on South Congress, like Crow Bar, are "laid-back, not gross and cruise-y," says Amanda, 36.
Oddball date: Head to Congress Avenue Bridge to see millions of bats congregate at sundown.
Insider tip: Live shows are a "great place to meet people," says Amanda. Men are there to see music and have conversations, not just to get laid (though there's that, too!).
Guy you'll meet: He's got "neck tattoos and good manners," says Machell, 40.
By The Numbers
Ratio: 1.152 men per 1 woman
Well-being: 34th out of 189 metro areas
Unemployment: 5.1 percent
Wage gap: -17¢
Violent crime: 4.09 per 1,000 people
Related: 30 Cheap Dates That Spice Up Your Relationship
2. DENVER, CO
Claim to fame: Hundreds of days of sunshine for skiing, hiking, biking, climbing, and rafting.
Little-known fact: From 2008 to 2010, Denver gained the most 25- to 34-year-olds of any large U.S. metro area.
Where you'll work:It's an energy hub, and tech and telecommunications are on the rise, too.
Where you'll hang: Breweries like Wynkoop, concerts at Red Rocks, or bars like Williams & Graham in the LoHi neighborhood.
Oddball date: Escape the city for a dip in the natural spring waters at Eldorado pool. They blast oldies while you swim and "you are transported back in time," says Szoke, 29.
Insider tip: Don't fret about missing a blowout: Denver dudes like ladies who aren't "super-concerned" with their appearance and "who dress for the weather," advises lauren, 28.
Guy you'll meet: "If you like the mountain man look, Denver is a good place!" says Lauren, 28.
By The Numbers
Ratio: 1.162 men per 1 woman
Well-being: 15th out of 189 metro areas
Unemployment: 6 percent
Wage gap: -19¢
Violent crime: 6.2 per 1,000 people
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3. OMAHA, NE
Claim to fame: Home to Warren Buffett and Conor Oberst
Little-known fact: It's called "Silicon Prairie" for its thriving tech scene.
Where you'll work: Low overhead and competition mean it's easy to incubate a startup. "The creative community is booming," says Kristin, 28.
Where you'll hang: Catch bands at the Slowdown and sip craft cocktails at Boiler Room in the Old Market District.
Oddball date: Glaze a bowl while boozing at That Pottery Place- it's BYOB.
Insider tip: People tie the knot young. If you want to settle down, this "may be paradise," says Amanda, 30.
Guy you'll meet: He's super-nice, plus Omaha's tight-knit set of artsy types means a "built-in background check," says Leah, 34.
By The Numbers
Ratio: 1.096 men per 1 woman
Well-being: 27th out of 189 metro areas
Unemployment: 3.8 percent
Wage gap: -21¢*
Violent crime: 5.95 per 1,000 people
*Omaha's wage gap is based on the state of Nebraska. (The study we referenced did not have Omaha-specific data.)
5. MINNEAPOLIS, MN
Claim to fame: Down-to-earth residents and a plethora of lakes.
Little-known fact: It's been rated the fittest city in America three years in a row.
Where you'll work: There's a healthy finance sector and a growing biomedical industry, plus the HQs of Target and Aveda.
Where you'll eat: The Twin Cities are a foodie paradise, from the James Beard- nominated Butcher & the Boar to the much-hyped Heyday.
Where you'll hang: Young singles congregate in the Whittier neighborhood, at chill bars like Eat Street Social and quality thrift stores like The Lost & Found.
Oddball date: Head to Wabasha Street Caves, a Prohibition-era club built into the sandstone, for live music and dancing.
Insider tip: Compared with the Coasts, it's a "friendly dating culture," says Laura, 30. And it may be their Scandinavian roots, but men here seem "noticeably taller."
Guy you'll meet: He's "beardy, charming, and active," says Mandy, 25.
By The Numbers
Ratio: 1.074 men per 1 woman
Well-being: 16th out of 189 metro areas
Unemployment: 4.1 percent
Wage gap: -20¢
Violent crime: 8.77 per 1,000 people
Related: 20 Secrets Men Never Tell Women
5. SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Claim to fame: Tech innovation, lefty politics, and stunning scenery.
Perfect for: Fun-loving, ambitious women-of any sexual orientation-looking to play the field.
Where you'll work: Dot-coms like Dropbox, Twitter, and Square, or old-school brands like Williams-Sonoma and Levi's.
Where you'll hang: The Lower Haight and the Mission, at bars like the Elbo Room or Blondies'. Or take daytime hikes in Muir Woods or Marin.
Oddball date: Ferry to Angel Island for the day. If things are steamy, head to a campsite post-sunset.
Insider tip: Everyone's on Tinder, Grouper, and OkCupid, so meeting men is a cinch (finding a commitment, less so).
Guy you'll meet: "Nerdy, successful" dudes abound, but so do "burning man types," according to Erica, 28.
By The Numbers
Ratio: 1.15 men per 1 woman
Well-being: 12th out of 189 metro areas
Unemployment: 6.2 percent
Wage gap: -16¢
Violent crime: 7.04 per 1,000 people
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