As we all know, this coming Saturday is National Singles Day. How to celebrate? You know the drill: bust out the decorations and buckle up for Apartment List‘s annual ranking of the “Best & Worst Cities for Singles”! If you live in Madison, this year’s list is cause for celebration; if you live in Milwaukee, just go ahead and fire up another episode of The Office on Netflix while you still can.
First, Milwaukee. According to Apartment List (AND WHY WOULD YOU DOUBT APARTMENT LIST?), the Brew City ranked a lowly 104 out of 130. Cities were ranked by a weighted score based on satisfaction with local dating opportunities, percentage of singles in the area, date affordability, and satisfaction with social life. Shit, even Boise, Idaho (#98) ranked higher than Milwaukee.
Now, Madison. Yes, the state capitol came in at a stunning #2 on the list, bested only by Atlanta, Georgia. Congrats, Madison singles. Oh, and Stockton, California ranked dead last.
Here’s more info on those metrics:
1. Dating Satisfaction (40%): We looked at how satisfied renters are with dating opportunities in their city. In Apartment List’s Annual Renter Satisfaction Survey, we asked renters: “How satisfied are you with opportunities for dating in your current city.”
2. Social Satisfaction (20%): We looked at how satisfied renters are with social life in their city. In Apartment List’s Annual Renter Satisfaction Survey, renters were asked: “How satisfied are you with social life in your current city?”
3. Dating Affordability (20%): How could we quantify the best city for singles without looking at how much a date costs? We assumed that the more affordable it is to go out, the more dates a person can set up without breaking the bank. This statistic looks at the average price of two movie tickets and a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant compared to median earnings. Median earnings for full-time, year-round workers with earnings were taken from the Census Bureau American Community Survey 2017 and adjusted using yearly inflation rate.
4. Percentage of Singles (20%): The percentage of singles in each city is taken from the Census Bureau American Community Survey.
So there you go. Read the whole study HERE. Wait a minute…Apartment List says National Singles Day is September 21, but everything else says it’s September 22. Or maybe it is the 21st? WHY HAVE YOU GIVEN US REASON TO DOUBT YOU, APARTMENT LIST?