Seattle is tops for singles, reports find. Some locals scoff

The Emerald City, known for the so-called Seattle Freeze — a social phenomenon in which locals eschew new relationships — was once notoriously labeled the worst in the nation for dating.

• Two recent reports, however, claim the city has rocketed up the singles chart and is now among the premier places in the U.S. to find love.

Driving the news: In November, Seattle was declared the nation's best city for singles by WalletHub, primarily based on the percentage of single people in the metropolitan area and the range of activities to be found.

• And according to a Match.com report, Seattle is second best in the country for daters with 75% of single respondents claiming to be looking for a committed relationship.

Yes, but: Children's author Jeffrey L. Cheatham II, 37, of Seattle begs to differ. Based on what he described as disappointing and sometimes horrifying experiences over the last two years, he is now working on a book called "Seattle Dating Scene is Trash," fodder for which he routinely posts on social media.

• Among his observations: Seattle's reputation as a cool, progressive liberal place may pressure some people to espouse ideas that don't really jibe with their true desires, he told Axios.
• For example, he's noticed that polyamory is popular among people on dating apps in Puget Sound. But Cheatham — who said he is a monogamist at his core — wonders whether he is missing potential connections with people who, if they were honest, would admit they really want just one partner.

The big picture: Clinical psychologist Sheppard Salusky previously told Axios that the mindset of Seattle daters has changed dramatically since the pandemic with more singles now resigned to a solo life than before.

What they're saying: Cheatham said he's taking a break to work on himself. "My fear is that my soulmate will come by but I'll (mess) it up because I didn't fix the things I needed to."