Tinder, OKCupid, Bumble, Match.com….the list of dating apps seems to grow every single day. Once considered to be a last resort for people who had no luck finding love the old fashioned way, dating apps are now responsible for approximately 20 percent of all long term relationships in the US.
Around 40 percent of Americans have used an online dating app, but as you’ve probably heard, it’s not always successful. If you’re wondering whether it’s worth it, you might want to know what to expect. As it turns out, stats show that a lot of online dating really isn’t as enticing as you’d want to believe.
- 53% of people lie on their dating profiles in order to boost their chances. A study conducted by eHarmony noted that people were most likely to lie about their age, height, weight, or income. 20% of women fudged on their looks, but it seems like men were the bigger bullshitters. 40% of men lied about income in hopes of snagging a girl.
- Gold digging is real. Men who had incomes above $250,000 got three times more texts than men who only make $50,000 a year.
- You really should check to see if your date is single, by the way. A research study done by Dinner for Six revealed that 51% of all people on dating sites were actually in some form of a relationship, yet presented themselves as single.
- No, you *really* need to check to see if your date is single. A study from MSNBC showed that 11% of all dating site users were married. If you’re using Tinder, you really need to be worried. A third of their users are married!
- Your desirability changes greatly with age. Women are most likely to get messages around 18 to 21 years of age. Men’s desirability, on the other hand, continues to climb until 50.
- You are more likely to reach out to someone out of your league. One site’s algorithm showed that both men and women are more likely to reach out to people who are 25% more attractive than they are. This isn’t unrealistic, though. Some response rates were as high as 21%, so if you reach out enough, someone will write back.
- It’s normal to want to quit looking. 54% of women felt a form of dating burnout while looking for a match, according to a recent Match.com survey. Guys aren’t faring much better, it seems. Around a tenth of all people quit online dating within three months.
- Romance scammers are skyrocketing in numbers. In 2011 alone, the FBI received over 5,600 complaints from people who were bilked out of money via dating sites. The number of thefts totaled over $50 million.
- It definitely can be scary. One thing that online dating is known for is bad email messages and crazy behaviors. Online harassment is a serious problem in the modern singles scene. 42 percent of women and 17 percent of men were contacted in a way that made them uncomfortable through online dating apps. Approximately 18 percent of people experienced physical threats.
- 60 percent of women on Tinder aren’t there for a hookup. Surveys show that the majority of women want to find love on Tinder, and they may not be wrong for doing so. Other surveys showed guys are fairly open to a good relationship via the app too.
- 10 percent of all sex offenders use online dating. We’re not sure how this can happen, but it does. A lot.
- Race makes a big difference in dating success. It’s sad but true. Your race has a significant impact on how attractive people believe you to be. White men and Asian women had the highest response rates on dating sites. Black men and women both suffered the lowest response rates.
- Your race also will impact your likelihood of replying to a message you get. 85 percent of nonwhites reported themselves as being open to interracial dating, while only 65 percent of whites said the same.
- Unprotected sex is scarily common. 80 percent of women don’t use condoms on their first hookup. No wonder STD rates are climbing across the board.
- Your political views matter. Who you voted for matters quite a bit when you’re dating. 59 percent of singles won’t date a person who has opposing political views. An Atlantic article also famously pointed out that Republican staffers in Washington D.C. have been struggling with getting dates due to their political affiliation.
- Average-looking guys need not apply. A survey done by Hinge revealed that only 4 percent of “Likes” were given to men who were in the bottom 50 percent of attractiveness. The top 10 percent of men received 58 percent of all Likes.
- Certain words and phrases boost attraction. Looks matter, but so does substance! Writing “nerd” in your profile can boost your chances of a message by 7 percent. “Dork” is even better, with a 74 percent increase in responses. Potterheads will also love to hear that their favorite house might bless them with dating luck; adding “Slytherin” to your profile will increase response rates by 67 percent.
- Scientists already decoded the best online dating profile formula. It’s a six page guide that shows everything from photos to details for both men and women.
- Overall, it still might work for you. If you are lucky and charming, you can find the one. One out of five couples meet online, and most married couples who met online report high satisfaction rates. It’s a numbers game, sure, but it’s up to you to win.
Sources:
https://www.statisticbrain.com/online-dating-statistics/
https://www.eharmony.com/online-dating-statistics/
https://www.phactual.com/16-scary-statistics-of-online-dating/
https://www.datingnews.com/industry-trends/online-dating-statistics-what-they-mean-for-future/
https://psmag.com/environment/harassment-abuse-women-online-looks-like-part-72761
https://www.thedailybeast.com/eureka-scientists-decode-the-best-online-dating-profiles
