America’s best cities for singles

What makes a good singles scene? Sometimes it’s charming locals, great weather—or a little of both.

Social media strategist Jani Bowe moved to Chicago from Minneapolis in 2007 and was glad she did. “Before moving to Chicago I wondered where on earth all the 20- to 30-year-olds went, as the dating scene in Minneapolis was extremely thin,” she says. But she found a lot more action in the Windy City. “Chicago is a vibrant, tech-savvy city, and this is where people come to start their careers,” she says. “So many men, so little time!”

Lots of people feel the same way. Chicago came in as the sixth-best U.S. city for singles in the annual America’s Favorite Cities survey, where Travel + Leisure readers rated urban areas on culture, hotels, weather, and even how good-looking the locals are.

That’s not to say smaller cities don’t have their appeal for unmarried types. Austin cracked the top 5 thanks to its unbeatable music scene and smart, friendly locals. But the capital city wasn’t the lone star in Texas—nearby Houston also has a sizzling scene. What gives? Warm-weather spots did well in the survey, since more people can get out year-round to enjoy the city’s offerings.

Read on to see which city has the singles scene for you.

1. New Orleans

The Crescent City is a nightlife triple threat in the AFC survey: not only does it rank first for singles, but it wins for its cocktail hour and live music scenes—and it’s the winner in the wild weekend category too. Its locals rank high in friendliness (No. 2) and diversity (No. 3), and if they’re not letting the bon temps rouler, they’re sitting down (and we do mean sitting down—the Big Easy came in last place for active people) for a nice beignet.

2. Miami

As the AFC survey’s three-year champ for good-looking locals, this sizzler of the South has all the makings of a great singles scene: stylish locals (No. 2), good cocktails (No. 4), and great weather (No. 5), so that the fun can go on year-round. It’s also a spectator sport: Miami ranks fifth in the U.S. for great people-watching.

3. Austin

It has a legendary music scene, unbeatable Tex-Mex and barbecue restaurants, and locals who seem too good to be true. This is one of the few cities where the degree of good looks is not balanced out by a lack of brains or an ability to smile. These urbane Texans are attractive (No. 5), smart (No. 2), friendly (No. 4), and athletic to boot (No. 3).

4. New York

Manhattan has (almost) everything going for its millions of singles: it’s No. 1 in both big-name and ethnic restaurants as well as theater and classical music. Its locals are also the country’s most stylish and diverse. The only things weighing down the scene here: New York is the least affordable city in America, and those well-dressed locals are the least friendly. (Whaddayou lookin’ at??)