When it comes to meeting people online, the taboo seems to be almost totally gone. I mean, I could probably count on one hand my single friends who haven't at least online dating. But, now that almost everyone seems to be using it, I guess the real question is — does it work?
Match just release their latest Singles In America survey, with all the information you could possible want about what it's like to date now, according to a demographically representative sample of 5,509 U.S. singles between the ages of 18-70+.
Full disclosure, I'm pretty biased. I met my girlfriend on Tinder a year and a half ago, my friend got married to a guy from Tinder last year, so I obviously think online dating works. But what do the stats show?
Another important difference is between using online dating or apps and actually going on dates with people you meet on those sites. For example, Pew Research shows that one third of people who use online dating and apps have never— never— gone out with someone they met on there. Which is kind of insane. I mean, I get it— the fun part of the apps is window shopping and swiping and getting that fun little endorphin boost. But isn't the whole point of apps and online dating to, you know, meet people?
Here's what the Singles In America survey found:
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More People Have Dated Someone They Met Online Than Through A Friend
Interestingly, 40 percent of people have gone on a date with someone they met online. Which isn't most people, but it's still a big chunk. But you know that classic way you'll imagine you meet someone— through your friends? Yeah, that's only happened to 25 percent of respondents, so online seems a lot more likely. Yet, it's unclear how long these relationships last.
Last year, Pew Research reported that just five percent of Americans who are in a marriage or committed relationship met their significant other online.
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Millennials Are Way More Likely Than Other Generations To Date Online
So much for our generation just being all about casual sex — Millennials are actually 30 percent more likely than other generations to want to get into a relationship this year. And they're 75 percent more likely than, say, Boomers to do it online.
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...But It May Be Because Boomers Aren't Even Making Profiles
In fact, other generations aren't even looking online anywhere near as much as Millennials. We are 57 percent more likely to have created an online dating profile. Although they may be catching up — Pew research shows a substantial increase in online dating profiles for the 55 to 64 age range, so don't count them out yet.
So it looks like almost half of us have actually gone out with a date with someone we meet online — and even more of us are doing some browsing.
My advice? Go out on a date with someone you're talking to as soon as possible. Because you can chat to someone for weeks, but you need to meet in real life to see if you have chemistry. But until then, happy browsing.
