With Tinder approaching its 10-year anniversary as a dating app this September, CivicScience took a look at dating in the U.S. and usage of the (now expansive) world of dating apps. Read on for the latest trends.

Who’s Dating?

Current survey results of more than 28,000 U.S. adults reveal a large population of people who identify as single (never married) or who are not married but are widowed or divorced/separated. In fact, the majority of respondents say they are not married.

How many are in the dating scene right now? When asking non-married respondents about their love life status, those who are single and never married are the most likely to be looking for love – close to one-quarter say they are dating at the moment. However, a surprisingly large majority of these singles (71%) is not actively dating.

Top Date Night Destinations

For daters, going out to eat and/or for drinks remains top of the list for a first date destination today. However, not everyone prefers the classic dinner date. Some would opt for going to the movies or a concert, while 1-in-10 daters prefer to do something outdoors. 

Young Adults Look for Date Alternatives

Young adults under age 35 are much less likely to choose to meet at a restaurant or bar for a first date. Instead, Gen Z adults and Millennials are on average more than twice as likely as Gen X and Baby Boomer daters to go to the movies or to a concert or event. They are also much more likely to get outdoors, such as go to a park or do an outside activity. That said, age appears to be a much stronger predictor of dating preference than gender. Women and men are nearly equally as likely to prefer the same sort of dating activities.

Dating Apps Come of Age

With Tinder celebrating 10 years of swiping, dating apps now seem to be a heavily integrated part of American society. CivicScience estimates that approximately 1-in-5 U.S. adults use dating apps with some level of frequency.

When it comes to how often, close to 20% of dating app users say they are currently using the apps more often than this time last year, while a larger percentage say they are using them less frequently. These numbers have largely stayed consistent since January.  

Dating app users are slightly more inclined to say they use the apps to find a long-term partner rather than a casual partner, however casual dating or finding hook-ups (which Tinder is famous for) is clearly a main driver for using dating apps.

How many dating app users are likely to find partners? Regardless of marital status, CivicScience data suggest that three-quarters of Americans are currently in a romantic relationship. Among those, 14% of people with partners say they found their current partner on a dating app or site.

While dating app usage has held steady since the start of the year, on the other hand, it hasn’t grown. This could indicate a plateau in dating app adoption, begging the question of what the future looks like for apps such as Tinder and Hinge. Stay tuned for additional insights from CivicScience.