A recent study shows that a move to Morgantown may be all it takes to meet that special someone.
Glittery hearts of pink and red, giant stuffed animals holding bouquets of felt roses, reservations for a romantic dinner for two—February may have just started, but that doesn’t mean St. Valentine hasn’t already found his way into every business in Morgantown.
But for Motown residents looking for someone to celebrate the day of love with, you just may be in the perfect place to do so. The results of a recent study conducted by the home services platform Porch places Morgantown on the map for potential love matches.
The study shares that “nearly two-thirds of people who are single and looking for a partner report that dating has become harder since the COVID-19 pandemic began.” A valid point—isolation periods, social distancing, and the loss of typical hangout spots have all made it hard to meet new people in person, while dating apps have risen astronomically in popularity. But even then, FaceTime and Zoom dates became our new norm.
Given the past few years, you’re probably thinking, “No way! Morgantown is way too small for that.” And you would be partially correct; it is small—categorized as a “small metro” in the study. But while locations with high population density like New York or Los Angeles may give you a higher number of potential mates to choose from, what if we told you there were more demographic factors to consider?
While West Virginia as a whole is ranked 49th out of the 50 states, Morgantown is ranked 13th among metros with populations under 400,000 to move to if you want to find love. Here’s why:
- 36.7% of the adults here are single.
- 55.3% of that single population is male.
- There is only a 9% divorce rate.
- There are 29.2 food and entertainment businesses per 10,000 people.
Based on this data, Morgantown was given a 74.1 total composite score, with the highest among small metros in the study, the Bryan–College Station, Texas, metro area, receiving a score of 89.5.
Maybe all those Hallmark movies are actually on to something: 1) charming small towns just may be the perfect place to meet that perfect someone, and 2) a cozy restaurant, quaint store, or neighborhood watering hole is a must—and Morgantown checks all those boxes.
How are you celebrating love this February?
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