Are you looking for love in New York?
Or are you just hoping to hook up with a hot New Yorker?
Either way, we’ve got you covered here.
If you live in New York, there’s a pretty good chance there are a lot of singles in your area. The Empire State has plenty of people over 18 who aren’t married or in a serious relationship.
That’s great news for people who are single and looking to mingle.
So, where are the best cities for singles in New York? We used Saturday Night Science to find out.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
So, what was the best city for singles in New York? Ithaca ranks as the best place for singles in New York if you care about things singles care about, like nightlife, affordable housing, and other singles.
Read below to see how we crunched the numbers and how each city ranked. If you live in or are close to one of these cities and are single, you should probably get out more often.
Just saying.
For more New York reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In New York
- Cheapest Places To Live In New York
- Most Dangerous Places In New York
The 10 Best Cities For Singles In New York For 2026
/10
Population: 32,814
Median Age: 23.3
Married households: 9.0%
Households with kids: 11.5%
More on Ithaca: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 51,033
Median Age: 32.3
Married households: 16.0%
Households with kids: 22.1%
More on Troy: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 100,492
Median Age: 32.0
Married households: 14.0%
Households with kids: 17.4%
More on Albany: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 146,384
Median Age: 31.8
Married households: 15.0%
Households with kids: 22.8%
More on Syracuse: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Rochester IS a GREAT PLACE to live ! Trust me I lived in Syracuse – the armpit of the universe. Rochester is cosmopolitan – non-judgmental, progressive. Cant comment on cost of living RE: retirement. Namaste – David
/10
Population: 68,847
Median Age: 36.1
Married households: 18.0%
Households with kids: 23.8%
More on Schenectady: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Schenectady NY downtown is booming! Proctors, new casino, brand new beautiful rail station, plentiful parking, and restaurants and bars filled every weekend downtown.
A trip through downtown on state street and erie blvd reveals traffic and lots of mixed use buildings going up. Thats not to say neighborhoods dont have their challenges, but neighborhood clean ups should be a concerted effort by the stakeholders who live there.
/10
Population: 8,483,844
Median Age: 38.2
Married households: 11.0%
Households with kids: 26.1%
More on New York: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
New York is a multicultural city, excellent for education, children know more cultures. It is necessary to know the statue of liberty, it is majestic and a symbol of our country
You must visit downtown Manhattan, Times Square, Central Park, the Brooklyn Bridge.
New York at night never sleeps, you can find fun in every corner.
/10
Population: 15,045
Median Age: 23.1
Married households: 15.0%
Households with kids: 22.5%
More on Oneonta: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 208,772
Median Age: 33.7
Married households: 13.0%
Households with kids: 24.2%
More on Rochester: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
I may not live in Rochester any more, but it will always be home!
/10
Population: 12,512
Median Age: 32.6
Married households: 20.0%
Households with kids: 19.7%
More on Geneva: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 58,801
Median Age: 38.1
Married households: 10.0%
Households with kids: 42.5%
More on Hempstead: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How do you determine which city is best for singles in New York anyways?
To give you the places in New York which are best for singles to find one another, we used Saturday Night Science to look at a handful of metrics. Of course, we want to measure the type of people who live in each city and make some assumptions about what single people like.
So we researched the internet for a database that contains all that information.
We threw a lot of criteria at this one to get the best, most complete results possible. Using the 2020-2024 American Community Survey Census data produced for the state of New York, we looked at every single city in the state. We paid particular attention to:
- Population density
- % of population that’s male vs. female (closer to a 50-50 ratio is better)
- % of households with kids
- Median age
- Number of unmarried people in each city
We then gave each city a “Singles Score.”
The higher the score, the better the city is for singles to find one another. We also limited our results to cities with over 10,000 people. For New York, that meant a total of 86 cities.
We updated this article for 2026. This is our eleventh time ranking the best cities for singles in New York.
Read on to see why Ithaca is the talk of the town while Chestnut Ridge is probably a bit on the bland side.
Summary: The Best Cities for Singles in New York for 2026
If you’re looking for a breakdown of cities in New York ranked by criteria that most agree make a place a great spot for finding a single person (and potentially love), this is an accurate list.
The best cities for singles in New York are Ithaca, Troy, Albany, Syracuse, Schenectady, New York, Oneonta, Rochester, Geneva, and Hempstead.
Here’s a look at the most boring cities in New York according to the data:
- Chestnut Ridge
- Oneida
- Harrison
For more New York reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In New York
- Safest Places In New York According To Science
- Worst Places To Live In New York State
Best Cities For Singles In New York
| Rank | City | Population | Median Age | % Married Households | % Households /w Kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ithaca, NY | 32,814 | 23.3 | 9.0% | 11.5% |
| 2 | Troy, NY | 51,033 | 32.3 | 16.0% | 22.1% |
| 3 | Albany, NY | 100,492 | 32.0 | 14.0% | 17.4% |
| 4 | Syracuse, NY | 146,384 | 31.8 | 15.0% | 22.8% |
| 5 | Schenectady, NY | 68,847 | 36.1 | 18.0% | 23.8% |
| 6 | New York, NY | 8,483,844 | 38.2 | 11.0% | 26.1% |
| 7 | Oneonta, NY | 15,045 | 23.1 | 15.0% | 22.5% |
| 8 | Rochester, NY | 208,772 | 33.7 | 13.0% | 24.2% |
| 9 | Geneva, NY | 12,512 | 32.6 | 20.0% | 19.7% |
| 10 | Hempstead, NY | 58,801 | 38.1 | 10.0% | 42.5% |
| 11 | Binghamton, NY | 47,151 | 35.9 | 18.0% | 20.7% |
| 12 | Spring Valley, NY | 33,192 | 27.5 | 16.0% | 49.2% |
| 13 | Freeport, NY | 44,088 | 40.0 | 15.0% | 33.4% |
| 14 | Glens Falls, NY | 14,609 | 36.9 | 26.0% | 23.6% |
| 15 | Buffalo, NY | 276,854 | 34.3 | 17.0% | 25.9% |
| 16 | Long Beach, NY | 34,756 | 43.5 | 32.0% | 19.5% |
| 17 | Endicott, NY | 13,387 | 36.4 | 20.0% | 25.1% |
| 18 | Plattsburgh, NY | 19,830 | 31.9 | 18.0% | 19.8% |
| 19 | Cortland, NY | 17,450 | 27.4 | 21.0% | 25.1% |
| 20 | Yonkers, NY | 209,978 | 39.9 | 16.0% | 29.0% |
| 21 | Peekskill, NY | 25,625 | 41.8 | 17.0% | 21.9% |
| 22 | Kingston, NY | 23,911 | 37.2 | 21.0% | 27.8% |
| 23 | Haverstraw, NY | 12,325 | 38.3 | 15.0% | 43.7% |
| 24 | Utica, NY | 64,217 | 35.2 | 18.0% | 30.3% |
| 25 | Poughkeepsie, NY | 31,958 | 38.1 | 15.0% | 26.9% |
| 26 | Port Chester, NY | 31,102 | 39.0 | 12.0% | 31.6% |
| 27 | Patchogue, NY | 12,396 | 39.5 | 28.0% | 20.0% |
| 28 | New Rochelle, NY | 82,769 | 42.3 | 20.0% | 27.7% |
| 29 | Newburgh, NY | 28,519 | 33.6 | 11.0% | 36.7% |
| 30 | Kiryas Joel, NY | 38,916 | 15.7 | 59.0% | 80.5% |
| 31 | Watertown, NY | 24,375 | 35.7 | 27.0% | 24.5% |
| 32 | Ossining, NY | 26,950 | 40.7 | 16.0% | 32.1% |
| 33 | Great Neck, NY | 11,087 | 38.6 | 23.0% | 35.3% |
| 34 | Mount Vernon, NY | 72,427 | 40.7 | 15.0% | 27.9% |
| 35 | Elmira, NY | 26,257 | 36.5 | 24.0% | 28.3% |
| 36 | Kenmore, NY | 15,044 | 39.4 | 33.0% | 21.0% |
| 37 | New Hyde Park, NY | 10,220 | 43.2 | 27.0% | 32.8% |
| 38 | Lindenhurst, NY | 27,142 | 38.1 | 36.0% | 33.0% |
| 39 | Corning, NY | 10,643 | 37.8 | 25.0% | 20.7% |
| 40 | Middletown, NY | 30,289 | 36.3 | 22.0% | 39.3% |
| 41 | Jamestown, NY | 28,188 | 39.8 | 24.0% | 26.1% |
| 42 | Auburn, NY | 26,285 | 41.1 | 27.0% | 25.3% |
| 43 | Niagara Falls, NY | 47,987 | 40.8 | 26.0% | 25.3% |
| 44 | Mamaroneck, NY | 19,826 | 40.3 | 20.0% | 37.7% |
| 45 | Watervliet, NY | 10,287 | 40.8 | 28.0% | 22.2% |
| 46 | Fulton, NY | 11,272 | 34.1 | 27.0% | 36.4% |
| 47 | Amsterdam, NY | 18,166 | 39.5 | 27.0% | 24.4% |
| 48 | West Haverstraw, NY | 10,711 | 38.4 | 18.0% | 33.3% |
| 49 | Westbury, NY | 15,808 | 44.5 | 25.0% | 35.2% |
| 50 | Valley Stream, NY | 40,315 | 40.9 | 18.0% | 37.2% |
| 51 | Cohoes, NY | 18,159 | 38.6 | 23.0% | 22.7% |
| 52 | Lackawanna, NY | 19,753 | 37.9 | 21.0% | 26.8% |
| 53 | Beacon, NY | 14,834 | 42.0 | 24.0% | 29.3% |
| 54 | Oswego, NY | 17,033 | 35.7 | 31.0% | 28.0% |
| 55 | Olean, NY | 13,738 | 39.0 | 26.0% | 29.4% |
| 56 | Gloversville, NY | 14,962 | 38.0 | 29.0% | 25.5% |
| 57 | Sleepy Hollow, NY | 10,887 | 41.9 | 11.0% | 35.8% |
| 58 | White Plains, NY | 60,666 | 41.5 | 20.0% | 25.7% |
| 59 | Glen Cove, NY | 28,112 | 44.0 | 23.0% | 24.9% |
| 60 | Suffern, NY | 11,441 | 40.7 | 21.0% | 29.3% |
| 61 | Batavia, NY | 15,097 | 42.9 | 30.0% | 18.2% |
| 62 | Massapequa Park, NY | 16,963 | 43.9 | 53.0% | 29.5% |
| 63 | Floral Park, NY | 16,169 | 43.5 | 38.0% | 35.5% |
| 64 | Dunkirk, NY | 12,549 | 43.7 | 25.0% | 28.7% |
| 65 | Mineola, NY | 21,211 | 41.6 | 28.0% | 28.2% |
| 66 | Saratoga Springs, NY | 28,631 | 42.4 | 29.0% | 21.1% |
| 67 | North Tonawanda, NY | 30,198 | 43.1 | 39.0% | 22.4% |
| 68 | Rye, NY | 16,428 | 42.5 | 25.0% | 46.1% |
| 69 | Lake Grove, NY | 11,061 | 40.1 | 32.0% | 31.9% |
| 70 | Dobbs Ferry, NY | 11,443 | 41.5 | 21.0% | 39.9% |
| 71 | Babylon, NY | 12,185 | 45.5 | 43.0% | 27.3% |
| 72 | Mount Kisco, NY | 10,737 | 40.9 | 26.0% | 29.1% |
| 73 | Lockport, NY | 20,610 | 36.8 | 31.0% | 28.6% |
| 74 | Rome, NY | 31,795 | 40.7 | 30.0% | 25.5% |
| 75 | Lancaster, NY | 10,113 | 45.1 | 40.0% | 22.5% |
| 76 | East Rockaway, NY | 10,077 | 41.5 | 38.0% | 31.5% |
| 77 | Scarsdale, NY | 18,010 | 41.5 | 28.0% | 55.9% |
| 78 | Canandaigua, NY | 10,514 | 45.5 | 27.0% | 18.1% |
| 79 | Depew, NY | 15,000 | 43.4 | 38.0% | 21.6% |
| 80 | Airmont, NY | 10,205 | 24.3 | 36.0% | 48.6% |
| 81 | Lynbrook, NY | 20,325 | 42.3 | 36.0% | 34.6% |
| 82 | Massena, NY | 10,238 | 42.6 | 28.0% | 22.8% |
| 83 | Rockville Centre, NY | 25,765 | 42.9 | 44.0% | 35.4% |
| 84 | Harrison, NY | 29,961 | 37.2 | 28.0% | 43.2% |
| 85 | Oneida, NY | 10,171 | 47.0 | 37.0% | 23.4% |
| 86 | Chestnut Ridge, NY | 10,557 | 26.9 | 34.0% | 47.4% |