These South Florida Areas Are Among the Worst U.S. Cities for Singles

Finding love is not a particularly easy venture. And the city in which one lives plays a huge role in that, from single populations to the availability of activities allowing for interesting dates. In WalletHub's latest best and worst cities for singles in the United States, Tampa, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Seattle, and Pittsburgh took the top five spots.

Miami, despite its reputation as a vibrant nightlife hub, landed at No. 15 — well behind Tampa, which landed at No. 5,  but ahead of most other Florida cities, as Fort Lauderdale made it to 47th place.

The WalletHub study evaluated 182 U.S. cities based on three main factors: dating opportunities, recreational options, and affordability. These were measured using 35 metrics, including the share of single residents, the number of nightlife venues per capita, and the average cost of date activities.

While it avoided the bottom of the overall list, Miami earned the dubious title of the worst U.S. city for online dating.

But perhaps what's most intriguing about the rankings are the unexpected cities that made the cut, like Rapid City, South Dakota, which came in at No. 13, and Boise, Idaho, which placed at No. 14. Even more surprising, however, was the inclusion of South Florida suburbs like Hialeah (ranked 177th) and Pembroke Pines (ranked 158th).

Hialeah is known for its family-first culture and thriving small businesses. But a dating hot spot? Not exactly. It's unclear how it made the list at all. Pembroke Pines, another city known more for family life than dating, is another curious inclusion.

Meanwhile, Doral — a city that has worked hard to position itself as a hot spot for young professionals with its evolving nightlife and trendy appeal — didn't make the list at all. It's a surprising omission, given the city's efforts to turn the suburbia into an entertainment destination.

If you're wondering how these cities ended up on the list and Doral did not, you're not alone.

Asha Elias, New Times' in-house dating expert, believes the study fails to capture the interconnected nature of dating in South Florida.

Elias points out that while singles may live in these suburban areas, their dating lives are often centered around more colorful Miami-Dade County neighborhoods.

"The hot spots in terms of where people go on dates are Coconut Grove, Brickell, downtown Miami, Wynwood, Edgewater, Little River, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Doral," Elias says. "But that doesn't necessarily mean that the daters live in those neighborhoods."

"I think that singles in Hialeah and Pembroke Pines have a dating profile radius that goes well beyond their neighborhoods," Elias says.