New Study: Why Funny Singles Are Attractive (and Where to Meet Them)

Funny Singles are Attractive

If you find funny singles attractive, you’re in good company. In an EliteSingles poll of 700 people, 96% agreed that it’s important for couples to share a sense of humor. What’s more, 92% of singles admitted to being more attracted to someone if that person could make them laugh, and 81% said that they’d be more attracted to someone if that person laughed at their jokes.

Laughter clearly matters for those seeking a partner. But just where do you go about meeting funny singles that will help you find that laughter? EliteSingles’ latest dating data study is here to help with a look at the country’s funny hotspots.

Finding Funny Singles

For this study, the research team looked at anonymous data from 458,000 randomly selected members of EliteSingles, and found the percentage of people who identify strongly with the the statement “I can easily make others laugh.”

The team then looked at the percentage of people in various American cities¹ who agreed with the “I can easily make others laugh” statement, finding the cities where singles are most likely to consider themselves funny.

America’s Funniest Singles

Looking for funny singles in America? The study revealed that… drumroll please… the best place to find them is Scottsdale, Arizona!

Second on the overall list is Rockville, Maryland, followed by Durham, North Carolina in third. San Francisco, California and Seattle, Washington round out the top five. Arlington, Virginia is in sixth place followed by Denver, Colorado in seventh; San Jose, California in eighth; and Madison, Wisconsin in ninth. Fairfax, Virginia completes the top ten.

Where to Find America’s Funniest Singles

1. Scottsdale, AZ 
2. Rockville, MD
3. Durham, NC
4. San Francisco, CA 
5. Seattle, WA
6. Arlington, VA
7. Denver, CO 
8. San Jose, CA
9. Madison, WI
10. Fairfax, VA

America’s Funniest Single Men

When it comes to finding the country’s funniest single men, Scottsdale again tops the list. Interestingly, it’s not the first time Scottsdale’s male population has done well on an EliteSingles survey: in a 2016 study Scottsdale was revealed as the home of America’s most monogamous men. Clearly, single guys in Scottsdale have something going for them!

Rockville is home to the country’s second-funniest single men, while Arlington jumps into third. Durham is in fourth place, and Fort Myers, Florida takes fifth. Sixth place goes to Denver; Irvine, California takes seventh; Seattle eighth; Fairfax, Virginia is in ninth; and Huntington Beach, California is in tenth.

Where to Find America’s Funniest Single Men

1. Scottsdale, AZ
2. Rockville, MD
3. Arlington, VA
4. Durham, NC
5. Fort Myers, FL
6. Denver, CO
7. Irvine, CA
8. Seattle, WA
9. Fairfax, VA
10. Huntington Beach, CA

America’s Funniest Single Women

If you’re enamoured by funny women, then according to the study the best city to find them in is San Francisco, California.

Durham jumps to second place on the funniest single women list, followed by Scottsdale – the city’s third podium finish. Seattle comes in at number four and Rockville rounds out the top five. The rest of the top ten includes Denver in sixth; Eugene, Oregon in seventh; Asheville in eighth; Chesapeake, Virginia in ninth; and Reno, Nevada in at tenth.

Where to Find America’s Funniest Single Women

1. San Francisco, CA
2. Durham, NC
3. Scottsdale, AZ
4. Seattle, WA
5. Rockville, MD
6. Denver, CO
7. Eugene, OR
8. Asheville, NC
9. Chesapeake, VA
10. Reno, NV

Meeting Witty Singles

For those keeping score, that means Scottsdale and Durham are in the top five on all three lists, while Rockville, Denver, and Seattle make the top ten all three times. Certain states are well represented too; California has four cities in the top lists, Virginia three, and North Carolina two.

As for the funniest hotspot overall? Well, there are a few areas that are partcularly stacked when it comes to funny cities. Of the 17 cities represented across the three lists, two are in Orange County, CA, two are in the Bay Area, and two are in the Pacific Northwest.

And seven cities – more than a third of the total – are roughly between the DC Metro area and the Research Triangle area of the East Coast. If you’re looking for funny singles, North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland could be great places to start.

Does Humor Matter When it Comes to Love?

With 92% of people admitting that their attraction to someone increases if that person is funny, it’s clear that humor matters when it comes to dating. But do funny singles also have an advantage when it comes to finding love?

In all likelihood, yes. The old saying goes that ‘those who laugh together stay together,’ and there’s some evidence to support the truth behind the proverb. In our previous study on funny Americans, former EliteSingles psychologist Salama Marine noted that ‘’laughing together is probably the best sign of a healthy relationship for a couple… When two partners can laugh at themselves and they’re not afraid to be ridiculous around each other, it indicates a strong bond. This in turn is essential for a lasting relationship.”

Meanwhile, A Reader’s Digest article talks about the “magic of shared laughter,” citing University of Kansas research that links shared humor to relationships that are “stronger and more satisfying.” And a piece in Psychology Today points out “humor is sexy,” mentioning a study that indicates a good sense of humor can make singles seem more attractive, more intelligent and, perhaps, better in bed.

In other words, if you’re funny, embrace it. You’ve got something that other singles are looking for.

EliteSingles Editorial

July 2020

If your have questions about this study, get in touch! You can reach the EliteSingles PR team at [email protected]