NYC Named Best City for Finding Your Soulmate

NYC is the #1 best city in which to meet your soulmate, according to a recent survey.

The “Top 10 Soulmate Index,” published by engagement ring specialists Angelic Diamonds, was released recently and ranks global cities on their dating scenes and likelihood of finding a life partner. NYC topped their list this year, followed by Mumbai and Tokyo. It was the only American city to make the rankings.

Surprisingly, the website states that NYC won out less due to its famous nightlife scene, and more because of the daytime public and private locales that make the city special. “NYC is well-known for its nightlife, but it stands out in our rankings for its green spaces and tea/coffee shops,” says the index report.

Other criteria included number of online dating app downloads, total population of local singles, number of bars, clubs and restaurants, and number of annual international tourists. While NYC scored highly on all fronts, it actually has a smaller total population than the other metropolises on the list.

However, the large number of New Yorkers using dating apps, combined with the city’s many parks, coffee shops and outdoor hangout spots, gave it an edge over its competitors. Recent estimates show that over 16% of people in the U.S. use dating apps. In NYC, that means well over a million people are on the apps, another factor keeping the city at the top of the soulmate index.

“The large number of people using dating apps [in NYC] absolutely helps,” says Mel Bikomo, a 21-year-old student living in Manhattan. “For a lot of people in my generation, who grew up on the internet, meeting people through apps is a lot more natural and gives you a chance to find someone who fits what you want and what you’re looking for easily.”

She also says that while dating apps may have a reputation for leading to short flings, apps can actually help select for those who want to find a serious partner. “Some of them ... let people put what they’re looking for. That way you can make your choices knowing fully well what the other person wants.”

Based on the sheer size of this group and of the city’s general population, New York’s success in the index makes sense. “I guess because [NYC] has so many people, the probability that you find your soulmate is a lot higher than other cities,” says BriAna Davison, 25, an architect.

Reality of Dating in the City

For many other single New Yorkers, however, the survey doesn’t accurately represent the reality of dating in the city. They echo the more common perception of NYC as a formidable dating scene, where singles in their twenties and thirties are perennially commitment-shy.

“Everyone in New York is insane,” laughs Caroline Kotch, a 24-year-old Manhattanite working in the film industry. “Definitely not soulmate material.”

For some, the huge population can actually be a detriment, encouraging short flings but making it harder to sift through the options for someone serious.

“I find people less interested in long term relationships here,” says Davison. “I think [it is] harder [here] because there are so many people, they feel like if it doesn’t work out it’s easy to find someone else.”

“I feel like just because there’s a lot of people in New York and lots of ways to meet all those other people, doesn’t mean that people are forming meaningful connections,” agrees Kotch.

“It does feel a bit like we’re spoiled for choice — there’s really no rush to settle down when the next better person could be around the corner. I think that you’ll find a lot more lonely people in New York than happy soulmates.”

Bikomo, however, remains optimistic. While she concedes that “the general perception might be that young people are not looking to settle down,” she says she doesn’t feel that’s the case at all.

“New York is, like many major urban/metropolitan cities, filled with young professionals looking to jumpstart their careers,” she shrugs. While she acknowledges the dating scene here can be overwhelming, “I think people want to find love in the city.”