Studies

The average American spends over $120,000 over his or her lifetime on dating, according to a new study. Not surprisingly, seventy percent of daters think that dating is too expensive.

Online banking company Simple.com partnered with OnePoll to survey 2,000 Americans about their expenses when it comes to dating and found on average it costs people $168.17 per month. According to Fox News, they also discovered that dating expenses actually increase once the couple gets married – on average to $185.65 per month - because they want to do things to “keep the spark alive,” according to the report.

Plus-sized daters are feeling more positive about finding love with dating apps, according to a new study by dating app WooPlus.

The company conducted a survey of its 3 million users to find out what they think of the body positivity movement, which has become extremely popular thanks to outspoken stars like Lizzo, Ashley Graham and Tess Holiday, who have brought attention to the cause. These celebrities have been instrumental in shining a light on the problem of fat-shaming by encouraging people to embrace their curves and recognize their own beauty in all aspects of their lives – including their love lives.

Researchers have long been fascinated by the ways online dating has changed how we meet and match. A Pew Research Center analysis of recently released survey data from Stanford University found that online daters are more likely to choose partners who are different from them in race or ethnicity, income level, education or political affiliation.

The Stanford survey, How Couples Meet and Stay Together 2017, collected answers from 3,510 U.S. adults who are currently married, currently in a relationship, or who have ever previously been in a relationship. Couples who met online were more likely to date someone with a different education level, political ideology or race/ethnicity than couples who met offline. The difference between those who met online and offline was particularly significant for political party and race/ethnicity.

What do singles value most in potential partners? Is it humor? Generosity? Confidence? Intelligence? eHarmony’s inaugural Singles & Desirability Study, conducted in April 2019 by Harris Interactive, takes a deep dive into what Americans really want out of their dating lives.

The study found that both men and women want a partner who is kind, funny and honest. More than half of all singles said honesty is the most important attribute to consider when deciding who to date. Kindness (44%) and a sense of humor (34%) were named the second and third most desirable traits, respectively. While men were two times more likely than women to prioritize physical attraction, attractiveness ranked fourth overall.

Look at the success of MTV’s Catfish, OkCupid’s omnipresent DTF advertising campaign, and the launch of Tinder-branded candles, and it’s clear online dating has become an indelible part of modern life. Dating platforms have changed the way we meet, the way we speak, the way we entertain ourselves and the way we perceive ourselves.

Recent research from sociologists Michael Rosenfeld and Sonia Hausen of Stanford University and Reuben Thomas of the University of New Mexico reveals the immense influence online dating now wields. According to the study, online dating has become the most popular way for heterosexual couples in the United States to meet. Data from 2009 showed that the percentage of heterosexual couples who met online rose from 0 percent in 1995 to about 22 percent in 2009. Today, that number is closer to 39 percent.

How in love are couples in America? What exactly makes a relationship thrive? For the second year running, eHarmony has released The Happiness Index: Love and Relationships in America to answer these questions and others. The national survey took place online between December 13, 2018 and January 3, 2019, with 2,327 interviews conducted by Harris Interactive.

eHarmony wastes no time announcing the good news: 83 percent of Americans are happy in their romantic relationships. Those who are blissfully paired up say the secret to their success is having a monogamous relationship with open communication, a healthy sex life, and an equal partnership between both halves. Only one in nine people say they are unhappy with their partner or spouse. These troubled couples are often together for companionship rather than love, have infrequent sex, and feel a sense of inequality in their relationship.

This year, a strong correlation between romantic happiness and an interest in social justice issues emerged. Couples who reported shared awareness of important cultural movements, such as #MeToo, also reported increased relationship happiness. Additional links emerged between relationship happiness and openness about mental health, honest political discourse, and voting in the 2018 midterm elections.