Single in California? Perhaps You're Looking for Love in the Wrong Places

When it comes to finding love in the new year, California singles are better off heading to Northern California than in Southern California, according to a study by WalletHub.

But it’s not all bad news. More than half of Americans are currently unattached, so your chances of finding a mate are better than ever. But if you want to increase your chances, the Bay Area is the place to be.

San Francisco is among the top 10 cities for singles, according to the financial advice website. Among the reasons for its inclusion on the list? The abundance of nightlife in the city.

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But don’t rush to the City by the Bay just yet, experts said you shouldn’t determine the city to live in based solely on how easy it is to find a mate. Singles should choose cities where it is for them to find friends, said Bella DePaulo, project scientist in psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

“Friends are so important to so many single people, and yet we have no idea how to evaluate cities with regard to their friend potential,” she said.

Singles should also look at cities that offer them a variety of things that interest them, such as cultural offerings, educational opportunities or sporting events, DePaulo said.

While it might look like slim picking in California (the second and third highest-ranked cities for singles is Irvine and San Diego, coming in at No. 37 and 41, respectively), fret not. California was ranked by Playboy as one of the sexiest states in the nation, so your chances are still better than some.

Though to increase the odds, perhaps you should avoid Glendale, Oxnard, Chula Vista, Long Beach and Moreno Valley. Those cities are ranked at the bottom of the list for singles.

For those of you who like to swipe right to find Ms. or Mr. Right, Irvine is the place to be. The Orange County city is ranked as one of the top places to be for online daters.

Click here for a complete listing of best and worst cities for singles.