Best Cities for Singles Looking for Love and Real Estate
Looking for love and a home? Demanding, aren’t we? Well, realtor.com® has some ideas about where you can find both.
Sure, the Internet is littered with lists of the U.S. cities where you’re most likely to find a date. But that’s keeping things pretty simplistic. After all, if you’re looking to settle down with a mate, you’d better do it where the two of you have decent job prospects and can afford a house to live in. Otherwise, well, we’re not sure you crazy kids are going to make this thing work.
And we’re not saying you have to be part of a couple to buy a home, either. Married couples make up 67% of home buyers today, according to the National Association of Realtors®. (Thirty years ago, it was 81%.) Increasingly, single women (15%), single men (9%), and unmarried couples (7%) are opting to make a long-term commitment to real estate. But whether you’re happy to be a lone homesteader or you want to share a home with someone special, you’ll probably feel more at ease in a place where it doesn’t feel like you’re the only one without a partner.
So realtor.com’s crack economic data team set out to find cities that attract singles with low unemployment, affordable housing, and—of course—awesomely fun things to do if you should have a date.
“These markets are not simply places with a high number of singles; in fact, the raw share of singles in these markets combined is about the same as the U.S. average,” says Javier Vivas, a realtor.com economic research analyst.
“What really distinguishes this set are the more favorable conditions singles face when it comes to homeownership,” Vivas adds. “Some of those right ingredients include solid job creation, rational price appreciation, and varied amounts of affordable inventory.”
Those favorable conditions include:
20% to 50% more single-owned households than the U.S. overall
Median list prices that are affordable for people making the median income
Unemployment that is near or less than the national rate of 5%
A strong population of singles, with fun date options ranging from outdoor activities to restaurants to cooking classes
1. Minneapolis, MN
Percentage of singles: 28%
Unemployment rate: 3.2%
Median list price: $268,000
Hot dates: Brave the (sometimes ungodly) weather and go ice skating at The Depot, or stay warm and try a cooking class at Kitchen in the Market.
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2. Indianapolis, IN
Percentage of singles: 27%
Unemployment rate: 4%
Median list price: $148,000
Hot dates: Join an IDADA first Friday art tour, or browse the huge Indianapolis City Market.
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3. Raleigh, NC
Percentage of singles: 26%
Unemployment rate: 4.9%
Median list price: $274,000
Hot dates: Attend a concert at North Carolina Symphony, or enjoy dinner at West End Wine Bar. Feel free to make frequent Panthers jokes, since the losing Super Bowl team is from the other Carolina.
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4. Birmingham, AL
Percentage of singles: 28%
Unemployment rate: 5.5%
Median list price: $170,000
Hot dates: See a show at the Alabama Theater, or hike Oak Mountain.
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5. Atlanta, GA
Percentage of singles: 26%
Unemployment rate: 5.3%
Median list price: $234,000
Hot dates: Go wine tasting at Sharp Mountain Vineyards, or enjoy the art stroll at Castleberry Hill.
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6. Denver, CO
Percentage of singles: 30%
Unemployment rate: 3.3%
Median list price: $490,000
Hot dates: Watch butterflies take flight at the Butterfly Pavilion, or enjoy a drink at Chain Reaction Brewery. Buy his-and-her Peyton Manning jerseys.
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7. Nashville, TN
Percentage of singles: 27%
Unemployment rate: 4.5%
Median list price: $298,000
Hot dates: Take a class at The Salud! Cooking School, or stargaze at Chamberlain Observatory.
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8. St. Louis, MO
Percentage of singles: 29%
Unemployment rate: 4.7%
Median list price: $154,000
Hot dates: Check out an exhibit at SLAM, or stroll around the Saint Louis Zoo.
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9. Orlando, FL
Percentage of singles: 24%
Unemployment rate: 4.5%
Median list price: $244,000
Hot dates: Picnic at Albin Polesak Sculpture Gardens, or attend a workshop at International Hot Glass.
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10. Pittsburgh, PA
Percentage of singles: 33%
Unemployment rate: 4.9%
Median list price: $144,000
Hot dates: Enjoy a drink at Wigle Whiskey, or bowl at Arsenal Lanes.
The post Best Cities for Singles Looking for Love and Real Estate appeared first on Real Estate News and Advice - realtor.com.
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