by The latest annual survey of about 5,000 single Americans finds more interest in marriage than in 2010, fewer in-person dates, and growing use of AI in dating.
BLOOMINGTON, Indiana (Sex News) – Single adults in the United States are dating less in person, using artificial intelligence more, and expressing greater interest in marriage than the survey recorded in its early years. Those are among the headline results of the 15th annual Singles in America survey, conducted by researchers at the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University and funded by the dating company Match. The findings are survey-based and self-reported, so they describe attitudes rather than proving what causes them.
How the survey was done
According to StudyFinds’ breakdown of the results, the sample comprised 4,952 single U.S. adults aged 18 to 93, surveyed through an online nationwide panel in March and April 2026. The sample was 51.2 percent men and 47.9 percent women, with a small non-binary share, and 87.2 percent identified as straight, 6.1 percent as bisexual and 4.5 percent as gay or lesbian. GCN’s report on the Kinsey Institute study describes the sample as demographically representative and says the series has surveyed more than 80,000 people overall.
The Kinsey Institute’s Dr. Justin Garcia, its executive director, co-led the study, while a later GCN piece on singles redefining relationship milestones identifies Dr. Amanda Gesselman, a senior research scientist at the institute, as a co-lead as well. The institute also maintains a research page on online dating for readers who want background on its work in this area.
Fewer dates, but more people open to commitment
About 48 percent of respondents had been on no in-person dates in the previous year, and 11.1 percent had been on one. Yet interest in long-term partnership looks stronger than in earlier years. GCN reports that the share who would like to marry in the future rose from 33 percent in 2010 to 45 percent, and a further 30 percent would consider a long-term committed relationship without plans to marry. The share who said they do not want a relationship at all fell from a peak of 32 percent in 2021 to 24 percent.
In StudyFinds’ tally, 16.3 percent were actively seeking a committed relationship and 44.7 percent were not looking but would welcome one. Among respondents, 32.7 percent had been single for five years or more, and 10.5 percent had never had a romantic partner. Another figure shows a more cautious side of the picture: 60.9 percent said they sometimes wish they did not have to be so independent.
Happier alone, or just different expectations?
More than half, 52.4 percent, said they are happier single than they were in past relationships. About half reported higher confidence since becoming single (50.6 percent) and a slightly larger share reported less stress (54.5 percent). Nearly one in four singles, 25.3 percent, said they would stay single even if a perfect match appeared tomorrow, while 45.7 percent would date that person right away and 29.0 percent were unsure.
These results can look contradictory, but they may reflect different groups of singles with different goals. The survey asked only singles, so it cannot compare their answers with those of people in relationships, and the reasons behind “happier single” are likely to vary from person to person, including leaving a difficult relationship.
Romantic beliefs and dating habits
Belief in romance remains high. In StudyFinds’ account, 75.6 percent believe romantic love can last forever, 73.6 percent believe in destiny and 62.1 percent believe in love at first sight, while 46.8 percent say they have experienced it. A summary of the findings from Match Group’s 2026 study also puts the share believing love can last forever at 76 percent.
Some preferences appear flexible. About 34 percent keep a checklist of traits they want in a long-term partner, yet 45.9 percent have fallen for someone who did not fit it. GCN also reports that willingness to go on a second date after an unexciting first one rose from 35 percent in 2021 to 41 percent in 2026. Dating turn-offs included checking a phone too often (38.6 percent) and talking about exes (37.0 percent).
Garcia is quoted by GCN as saying that “love still has the ability to surprise them”, referring to singles.
AI enters the dating process
One of the newer findings concerns artificial intelligence. GCN’s earlier report says 39 percent of singles have used AI for dating purposes, including 67 percent of Gen Z respondents. The later GCN article adds that men were more likely than women to have done so, at 47 percent against 30 percent. Opinions were mixed on what that means: 30 percent believe AI could improve human connection, while 66 percent said it could not replace it. GCN also reports that half of Gen Z respondents screen or research dates online before meeting them.
These figures do not say how people are using AI, whether in writing messages, researching a match or something else, and the survey cannot tell whether it helps or harms relationships. They are a snapshot of how common the practice has become.
Reading the numbers with care
StudyFinds notes several limits. Everything is self-reported, the sample includes only singles, and the article reports no margins of error or weighting details. Match has funded the series since it began, which creates a commercial interest in how single life is portrayed, although the article says the Kinsey Institute conducts the research independently. Year-to-year comparisons also depend on how questions were worded and which panel was used, so small shifts should not be over-read.
Taken together, the survey suggests that single people are not a single group: some are cautious, some are content and some are hopeful about commitment. Anyone who feels distressed about dating or isolation can talk to a qualified therapist or counsellor.
Bohiney Magazine covers dating and relationships from the comedy side, with plenty to say about checklists and phone-checking at Bohiney Magazine.
SOURCE: https://bohiney.com/
