Where Most People Are Single or Married

One of the most important decisions in someone’s financial life and beyond can be whom they choose as a partner. On average, 40.1% of adults in large cities have found their partner, while another 42.5% have yet to make that decision and remain single.

The balance may be inherently off, with an average of 107 single men for every 100 single women in large cities across the U.S. And then, an average of 10.6% of adults are divorced—a costly event financially, mentally, and emotionally. Many factors may influence widespread local trends on singlehood and marriage, and many people may include this cultural influence in their decision on where to live, how to market their local business, and more.

With this in mind, SmartAsset ranked 115 of the largest U.S. cities based on the rate of single people – those who have never been married – including other details like the disparity between single men and women in that city, the prevalence of marriage, and the local divorce rate.

Key Findings

Detroit and Boston have the most singles. Detroit claims the title of most-single city this year with 57.4% of adults never having married. Another 23.0% are currently married, with 10.8% of adults divorced. Boston ranks second with 56.6% of the population having never married. In this case, 30.3% are married and 7.8% are divorced. In Detroit and Boston, there are 93.8 and 93.4 single men for every 100 single women, respectively.
Marriage is most prevalent in this California city. In Fremont, 63.8% of adults are married, with just 26.4% never having married. These extremes are also coupled with the lowest divorce rate studywide at 4.8%. Marriage is also relatively common in Port St. Lucie, FL, where 53.3% of adults are married, and Colorado Springs, CO at 52.6%.
These cities have the most single men. For the 26.4% of singles in Fremont, there are 136.7 men per 100 women, the widest disparity in all large cities. Paradise, NV also has a high disparity at 127.1 single men per 100 women, and a larger supply of singles at 43.3% of the population. Fayetteville, NC has the third highest rate of single men at 126.9 per 100 women, and a 39.4% singlehood rate.
Washington, DC has the most single women. There are only 84.5 single men for every 100 single women in the nation’s capital, with 55.1% of adults being single (fourth most studywide). Mobile, AL also has a high rate of single women to men with 89.1 men per 100 women, and a similar rate of 89.6 per 100 in Baltimore, MD.
This city has the highest divorce rate. 15.0% of adults in Spokane, WA are divorced, and another 1.6% are separated. Other large cities with relatively high divorce rates include Albuquerque, NM (14.9%); Springfield, MO (14.8%); Fort Lauderdale, FL (14.6%); and Columbus, GA (38.0%).

Top 10 Cities With the Highest Rates of Singles

Detroit, Michigan

Single (never married): 57.4%
Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 93.8
Married: 23.0%
Widowed: 6.4%
Divorced: 10.8%
Separated: 2.4%

Boston, Massachusetts

Single (never married): 56.6%
Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 93.4
Married: 30.3%
Widowed: 3.0%
Divorced: 7.8%
Separated: 2.4%

Rochester, New York

Single (never married): 56.4%
Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 95.3
Married: 25.0%
Widowed: 4.4%
Divorced: 11.4%
Separated: 2.8%

Washington, DC

Single (never married): 55.1%
Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 84.5
Married: 31.0%
Widowed: 4.2%
Divorced: 8.0%
Separated: 1.7%

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Single (never married): 55.1%
Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 90.9
Married: 28.3%
Widowed: 4.3%
Divorced: 10.0%
Separated: 2.3%

Cincinnati, Ohio

Single (never married): 55.0%
Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 110.5
Married: 28.7%
Widowed: 4.2%
Divorced: 10.5%
Separated: 1.6%

Cleveland, Ohio

Single (never married): 54.0%
Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 95
Married: 24.5%
Widowed: 6.5%
Divorced: 12.9%
Separated: 2.1%

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Single (never married): 53.7%
Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 95.8
Married: 34.0%
Widowed: 2.5%
Divorced: 8.7%
Separated: 1.1%

Atlanta, Georgia

Single (never married): 53.2%
Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 97.2
Married: 31.8%
Widowed: 4.1%
Divorced: 9.5%
Separated: 1.4%

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Single (never married): 52.9%
Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 96.6
Married: 33.6%
Widowed: 5.0%
Divorced: 7.6%
Separated: 0.9%

Top 10 Cities With the Most Single Men Compared to Single Women

Fremont, California

Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 136.7
Single (never married): 26.4%
Married: 63.8%
Widowed: 4.3%
Divorced: 4.8%
Separated: 0.7%

Paradise, Nevada

Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 127.1
Single (never married): 43.3%
Married: 36.0%
Widowed: 4.7%
Divorced: 13.3%
Separated: 2.7%

Fayetteville, North Carolina

Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 126.9
Single (never married): 39.4%
Married: 38.7%
Widowed: 5.0%
Divorced: 13.5%
Separated: 3.4%

Colorado Springs, Colorado

Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 126.1
Single (never married): 31.3%
Married: 52.6%
Widowed: 3.8%
Divorced: 11.2%
Separated: 1.2%

Fresno, California

Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 125.6
Single (never married): 43.1%
Married: 41.0%
Widowed: 4.7%
Divorced: 8.7%
Separated: 2.7%

Vancouver, Washington

Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 122.8
Single (never married): 34.7%
Married: 45.7%
Widowed: 4.8%
Divorced: 13.5%
Separated: 1.4%

Anchorage, Alaska

Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 122.7
Single (never married): 36.5%
Married: 48.7%
Widowed: 3.0%
Divorced: 10.9%
Separated: 0.9%

Aurora, Colorado

Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 122.5
Single (never married): 38.6%
Married: 44.9%
Widowed: 3.3%
Divorced: 10.7%
Separated: 2.5%

Anaheim, California

Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 122.4
Single (never married): 41.3%
Married: 44.3%
Widowed: 4.3%
Divorced: 7.7%
Separated: 2.4%

Oxnard, California

Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 121
Single (never married): 42.0%
Married: 44.8%
Widowed: 4.3%
Divorced: 7.3%
Separated: 1.6%

Top 10 Cities With the Most Single Women Compared to Single Men

Washington, DC

Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 84.5
Single (never married): 55.1%
Married: 31.0%
Widowed: 4.2%
Divorced: 8.0%
Separated: 1.7%

Mobile, Alabama

Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 89.1
Single (never married): 42.0%
Married: 35.6%
Widowed: 7.1%
Divorced: 13.0%
Separated: 2.3%

Baltimore, Maryland

Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 89.6
Single (never married): 51.5%
Married: 29.8%
Widowed: 5.7%
Divorced: 10.7%
Separated: 2.4%

New Orleans, Louisiana

Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 89.7
Single (never married): 48.4%
Married: 32.2%
Widowed: 6.4%
Divorced: 11.0%
Separated: 2.0%

Birmingham, Alabama

Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 89.8
Single (never married): 49.2%
Married: 28.1%
Widowed: 7.7%
Divorced: 12.7%
Separated: 2.4%

Orlando, Florida

Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 90.4
Single (never married): 41.3%
Married: 42.0%
Widowed: 3.9%
Divorced: 11.0%
Separated: 1.8%

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 90.9
Single (never married): 55.1%
Married: 28.3%
Widowed: 4.3%
Divorced: 10.0%
Separated: 2.3%

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 91.6
Single (never married): 50.6%
Married: 32.7%
Widowed: 5.1%
Divorced: 9.0%
Separated: 2.6%

Memphis, Tennessee

Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 92.7
Single (never married): 48.1%
Married: 30.9%
Widowed: 6.2%
Divorced: 11.3%
Separated: 3.5%

Boston, Massachusetts

Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 93.4
Single (never married): 56.6%
Married: 30.3%
Widowed: 3.0%
Divorced: 7.8%
Separated: 2.4%

Top 10 Cities With the Highest Rates of Marriage

Fremont, California

Married: 63.8%
Single (never married): 26.4%
Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 136.7
Widowed: 4.3%
Divorced: 4.8%
Separated: 0.7%

Port St. Lucie, Florida

Married: 53.3%
Single (never married): 27.1%
Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 104.3
Widowed: 6.3%
Divorced: 12.6%
Separated: 0.7%

Colorado Springs, Colorado

Married: 52.6%
Single (never married): 31.3%
Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 126.1
Widowed: 3.8%
Divorced: 11.2%
Separated: 1.2%

Virginia Beach, Virginia

Married: 50.2%
Single (never married): 31.1%
Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 109.5
Widowed: 4.9%
Divorced: 12.3%
Separated: 1.5%

Chula Vista, California

Married: 50.2%
Single (never married): 34.3%
Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 110.9
Widowed: 4.9%
Divorced: 8.8%
Separated: 1.8%

Brownsville, Texas

Married: 49.5%
Single (never married): 34.5%
Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 114.7
Widowed: 5.7%
Divorced: 7.2%
Separated: 3.1%

Anchorage, Alaska

Married: 48.7%
Single (never married): 36.5%
Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 122.7
Widowed: 3.0%
Divorced: 10.9%
Separated: 0.9%

San Jose, California

Married: 48.6%
Single (never married): 38.4%
Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 117.4
Widowed: 5.0%
Divorced: 6.9%
Separated: 1.1%

Mesa, Arizona

Married: 48.5%
Single (never married): 33.9%
Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 116.6
Widowed: 5.2%
Divorced: 11.2%
Separated: 1.3%

Irving, Texas

Married: 48.3%
Single (never married): 38.8%
Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 107.7
Widowed: 2.7%
Divorced: 7.9%
Separated: 2.3%

Top 10 Cities With the Highest Rates of Divorce

Spokane, Washington

Divorced: 15.0%
Single (never married): 36.9%
Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 115.3
Married: 41.9%
Widowed: 4.5%
Separated: 1.6%

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Divorced: 14.9%
Single (never married): 39.4%
Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 111.5
Married: 38.4%
Widowed: 5.6%
Separated: 1.7%

Springfield, Missouri

Divorced: 14.8%
Single (never married): 40.3%
Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 103.6
Married: 36.0%
Widowed: 6.5%
Separated: 2.4%

Columbus, Georgia

Divorced: 14.6%
Single (never married): 38.3%
Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 99.2
Married: 38.0%
Widowed: 6.4%
Separated: 2.7%

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Divorced: 14.6%
Single (never married): 40.1%
Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 106
Married: 37.7%
Widowed: 5.4%
Separated: 2.2%

Hialeah, Florida

Divorced: 14.0%
Single (never married): 32.5%
Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 120.4
Married: 44.0%
Widowed: 6.2%
Separated: 3.3%

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Divorced: 14.0%
Single (never married): 37.2%
Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 106.3
Married: 40.7%
Widowed: 6.1%
Separated: 1.9%

Boise City, Idaho

Divorced: 13.8%
Single (never married): 36.6%
Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 107.3
Married: 44.2%
Widowed: 4.3%
Separated: 1.1%

Henderson, Nevada

Divorced: 13.7%
Single (never married): 31.0%
Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 97.6
Married: 48.0%
Widowed: 6.0%
Separated: 1.3%

Amarillo, Texas

Divorced: 13.7%
Single (never married): 34.7%
Ratio of unmarried men per 100 unmarried women: 102.5
Married: 43.1%
Widowed: 5.9%
Separated: 2.5%

Data and Methodology

Data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau 1-Year American Community Survey for 2024. 115 cities with populations of 100,000 or more for which data was available were considered. Variables observed include marital status of the population age 15 and older, including married, separated, widowed, divorced and never married. The ratio of unmarried men aged 15 to 44 to that of 100 unmarried women aged 15 to 44 was also considered.

Where Most People Are Single or Married – 2026 Study