Does Charlotte have an eligible bachelor problem?

It’s been my experience that single women in their 20s and 30s believe there are more of us in the Queen City dating pool than eligible, relationship-seeking men.

I tried to dismiss it as something we tell ourselves when there’s a dating slump, but I started to hear it from guys too, which made me stop and wonder – if even the subjects of our ire are starting to admit it’s hard to find a few good men around here, maybe that’s because it actually is.

I self-admittedly run in a small circle, so I traveled to the millennial mecca (South End) to poll the masses. By poll the masses, I mean I awkwardly forced unwanted conversation on strangers in the produce section and/or line for the bathroom. This is obviously a sophisticated and trustworthy polling method.

The Harris Teeter on East Blvd.

Name: Jack
Age: 28
Relationship status: Single
Do we have an eligible bachelor problem? There are more single guys in Charlotte, but I’d definitely say there are more dateable girls.
Where’s the best place to meet other singles? I would say the gym. Even though people have headphones on, I think people will continually go if they see someone they’re even halfway interested in.

Name: Laura
Age: 27
Relationship status: Taken
Do we have an eligible bachelor problem? I haven’t been on the dating scene in Charlotte, but I hear this from my girlfriends all the time.
Where’s the best place to meet other singles? Meetup is how I made a lot of my friends when I moved to Charlotte, so I think it would be good for meeting people to date as well.

Name: Kevin (Weirdly, Kevin didn’t feel comfortable letting a stranger take a photo of him in the produce section.)
Age: 34
Relationship status: Single
Do we have an eligible bachelor problem? I agree there are more girls ready to date than guys ready to settle down.
Where’s the best place to meet other singles? I’d say the gym and bars.

Wooden Robot

Name: Leona (I was a crappy journalist and didn’t get the spelling. Sorry! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)
Age: 25
Relationship status: Single
Do we have an eligible bachelor problem? I think we do. The guys on the dating scene aren’t quite as ready to settle down as the girls maybe are. I have mainly guy friends and I know they’re out there not ready to settle down.
Where’s the best place to meet other singles? With the atmosphere and age group that comes to the breweries, I think they’re the perfect place to meet people. The South End area in general is a good area.

Name: Kenny
Age: 29
Relationship status: Single
Do we have an eligible bachelor problem? I have a theory. Charlotte is becoming a melting pot with a lot of young professionals moving to the city. I feel like women who move to a brand new city for a job have a certain boldness and are ready for a different stage in their life. Whereas, I feel like guys in that age and making a move are still trying to find themselves. I think that’s where the stigma comes from.
Where’s the best place to meet other singles? Breweries are good because it’s a casual setting; there’s no pressure. Most people are here during the day just to pass the time and meet new people.

Name: Elizabeth
Age: 32
Relationship status: Taken
Do we have an eligible bachelor problem? When I was dating, I felt like it was hard to meet guys in Charlotte but that’s mainly because it was hard to meet people a few years ago. I think there’s more stuff to do now for single young people in the city.
Where’s the best place to meet other singles? Breweries are one of the best places to meet people.

Sycamore Brewing

Name: Stephanie
Age: 36
Relationship status: Single
Do we have an eligible bachelor problem? I think there’s tons of single people in their 30s and it’s pretty easy to meet people. I think the stigma is just a stigma because those people haven’t met the right “one.”
Where’s the best place to meet other singles? Breweries are a good place and a lot of people are online – specifically apps. I also think working out is a great way to meet people.

Name: James
Age: 27
Are you single: Kinda
Do we have an eligible bachelor problem? I think it’s definitely true there are more girls on the dating scene than guys who want to be serious. I feel like Charlotte just has more girls than guys in general, and guys in their 20s aren’t in a rush to settle down, but I feel like girls of the same age want to – you know their clock is ticking. That’s the honest truth though, I mean we don’t have a clock.*
Where’s the best place to meet other singles? I don’t know there’s a place, but I think the best way to meet people is through friends.

*I don’t hear any ticking yet. Apparently I need to buy a watch or something? Thanks for that, James.

Name: Marika
Age: 25
Are you single: Hell yeah
Do we have an eligible bachelor problem? I think there are guys that are ready to settle down, but they aren’t as eligible as the girls that are wanting to settle down. That’s the real problem.
Where’s the best place to meet other singles? If you’re trying to go out and meet people, you’re not going to meet anyone. But I think working out?

By my count, that’s six strong yeses, one kind of yes, one I don’t know and one no.

What do you think – do we have a shortage of eligible bachelors in Charlotte?