More than half of Midwest singles are looking for love
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More than half of Midwest singles are looking for love, but there's a growing gap in relationship expectations, according to a survey released this month.
The big picture: In a survey of 5,001 U.S. singles between the ages 18 and 98 conducted by Match Group and The Kinsey Institute, 59% of Midwest singles were looking for relationships.
- Of those seeking relationships, the majority wanted committed, exclusive relationships (61%), followed by casual dating (38%).
The fine print: The survey defined the Midwest as Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Stunning stat: 14% of Midwest singles said they have used AI as a romantic partner.
The intrigue: 69% of Midwest respondents think there's a growing gap between men and women in terms of their expectations, behaviors and preferences in romantic and sexual relationships.
- Heterosexual men in the Midwest say misconceptions by women have led to dating challenges, such as the perception that they're only interested in sex and lack emotional intelligence.
- Meanwhile, heterosexual women in the Midwest say men hold misconceptions, including that they're high-maintenance or only want casual relationships.
- And 55% of Midwest singles believe political alignment with a partner is important. That's particularly important for women (63%) in comparison to men (47%).
State of play: Leah Wafful, founder of the in-person speed dating business Date Me DSM, says singles using apps may skew more toward people who are searching for casual relationships.
- Apps can also give too many choices of people, she says. Even after a good date, people may want to keep swiping and get the dopamine high to see what else is out there.
- "We're getting overstimulated by the amount of choices we have," Wafful says.
Zoom in: In terms of the expectation gap in heterosexual relationships, she sees the dynamic play out at her events, especially as women are more financially and socially independent than ever.
- Fewer men show up to her in-person events because they have more fears dealing with rejection, she says.
- "21-year-old women are going out and buying houses and living these lives without men," Wafful says. "There is a growing number of people that are settling to be single longer."