Are you looking for love in California?
Or are you just hoping to hook up with a hot Californian?
Either way, we’ve got you covered here.
If you live in California, there’s a pretty good chance there are a lot of singles in your area. The Golden 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 California? We used Saturday Night Science to find out.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Best Cities For Singles In California For 2024
So, what was the best city for singles in California? Los Angeles ranks as the best place for singles in California 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 California reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In California
- Cheapest Places To Live In California
- Most Dangerous Cities In California
The 10 Best Cities For Singles In California For 2024
/10
Population: 3,881,041
Median Age: 36.5
Married households: 10.0%
Households with kids: 27.8%
More on Los Angeles: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
There is some crime going on, but it really depends where in LA you’re staying at. What I love is that everything is in close proximity so you don’t need to go very far. Also, they have so many amazing restaurants to check out and love. There are so many different cultures, and that’s what I really like about it.
There is a lot of graffiti and homeless people living in LA, so it makes you not want to go to certain locations. It is also very very overpopulated, and because of this, there is always too much traffic. What should only take 30 minutes to get to, takes over an hour.
/10
Population: 12,840
Median Age: 35.8
Married households: 8.0%
Households with kids: 9.4%
More on Emeryville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 121,385
Median Age: 32.5
Married households: 11.0%
Households with kids: 19.2%
More on Berkeley: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Berkeley welcomes all homeless, does nothing to dissuade transient crime, bums are deeply comfortable strewing their trash and feces all over the streets and have taken over downtown.
Berkeley is the perfect college town! There are so many amazing places to eat and hangout, and the weather is usually pretty nice.
Berkeley is a wonderful city full of an interesting, open-minded and intelligent group of people. The city is very culturally diverse and open to accepting anyone from anywhere. The food scene is to die for and if organically grown is what you live by, look no further than Berkeley grocery stores, farmers markets and more.
/10
Population: 61,367
Median Age: 29.5
Married households: 14.0%
Households with kids: 21.5%
More on Santa Cruz: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Santa Cruz is one of my favorite places on the planet. It has a laid-back, surfer, hippie feel to it. While I would recommend holding on to one’s purse in the downtown area, the overall feel of Santa Cruz is one of chic cafes, interesting shops, artsy souvenirs, street musicians, bookstores, etc.
One of my favorite places includes Miramar’s on the wharf. I love the restaurant’s glass wall that allows me to watch surfers, sea lions and sailboats while I indulge in clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl.
I especially love being in Santa Cruz for the Woodies on the Wharf parade. The classic cars are a beautiful sight against the sun, the sand and the surf.
/10
Population: 104,165
Median Age: 38.1
Married households: 16.0%
Households with kids: 28.5%
More on San Mateo: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 49,704
Median Age: 32.8
Married households: 14.0%
Households with kids: 35.6%
More on Azusa: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 18,536
Median Age: 27.2
Married households: 9.0%
Households with kids: 19.0%
More on Arcata: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 92,168
Median Age: 42.1
Married households: 9.0%
Households with kids: 16.8%
More on Santa Monica: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 53,255
Median Age: 31.9
Married households: 10.0%
Households with kids: 48.7%
More on Paramount: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 39,263
Median Age: 31.1
Married households: 7.0%
Households with kids: 51.6%
More on Bell Gardens: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Methodology: How do you determine which city is best for singles in California anyways?
To give you the places in California 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 2018-2022 American Community Survey Census data produced for the state of California, 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 California, that meant a total of 361 cities.
We updated this article for 2024. This is our tenth time ranking the best cities for singles in California.
Read on to see why Los Angeles is the talk of the town while Norco is probably a bit on the bland side.
Summary: The Best Cities for Singles in California for 2024
If you’re looking for a breakdown of cities in California 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 California are Los Angeles, Emeryville, Berkeley, Santa Cruz, San Mateo, Azusa, Arcata, Santa Monica, Paramount, and Bell Gardens.
Here’s a look at the most boring cities in California according to the data:
- Norco
- Lincoln
- Brentwood
For more California reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In California
- Safest Places In California
- Worst Places To Live In California
Best Cities For Singles In California
| Rank | City | Population | Median Age | % Married Households | % Households /w Kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles, CA | 3,881,041 | 36.5 | 10.0% | 27.8% |
| 2 | Emeryville, CA | 12,840 | 35.8 | 8.0% | 9.4% |
| 3 | Berkeley, CA | 121,385 | 32.5 | 11.0% | 19.2% |
| 4 | Santa Cruz, CA | 61,367 | 29.5 | 14.0% | 21.5% |
| 5 | San Mateo, CA | 104,165 | 38.1 | 16.0% | 28.5% |
| 6 | Azusa, CA | 49,704 | 32.8 | 14.0% | 35.6% |
| 7 | Arcata, CA | 18,536 | 27.2 | 9.0% | 19.0% |
| 8 | Santa Monica, CA | 92,168 | 42.1 | 9.0% | 16.8% |
| 9 | Paramount, CA | 53,255 | 31.9 | 10.0% | 48.7% |
| 10 | Bell Gardens, CA | 39,263 | 31.1 | 7.0% | 51.6% |
| 11 | Lynwood, CA | 66,346 | 32.3 | 10.0% | 51.2% |
| 12 | Long Beach, CA | 462,293 | 36.1 | 15.0% | 28.9% |
| 13 | San Luis Obispo, CA | 47,529 | 25.2 | 16.0% | 14.2% |
| 14 | Signal Hill, CA | 11,678 | 36.8 | 17.0% | 27.1% |
| 15 | Davis, CA | 67,203 | 26.3 | 14.0% | 20.6% |
| 16 | Parlier, CA | 14,625 | 28.2 | 9.0% | 55.0% |
| 17 | Cudahy, CA | 22,657 | 30.7 | 8.0% | 47.2% |
| 18 | San Francisco, CA | 851,036 | 39.3 | 9.0% | 18.4% |
| 19 | Oakland, CA | 437,825 | 37.5 | 12.0% | 26.4% |
| 20 | Inglewood, CA | 106,806 | 37.3 | 10.0% | 32.5% |
| 21 | Baldwin Park, CA | 71,692 | 37.1 | 10.0% | 40.8% |
| 22 | Huntington Park, CA | 54,547 | 33.5 | 7.0% | 47.7% |
| 23 | Buena Park, CA | 83,542 | 36.9 | 16.0% | 36.6% |
| 24 | East Palo Alto, CA | 29,520 | 34.3 | 8.0% | 38.0% |
| 25 | San Pablo, CA | 31,907 | 33.2 | 9.0% | 46.5% |
| 26 | Hawthorne, CA | 86,978 | 33.3 | 11.0% | 37.9% |
| 27 | El Monte, CA | 108,682 | 37.4 | 8.0% | 39.1% |
| 28 | San Gabriel, CA | 39,211 | 44.3 | 10.0% | 29.8% |
| 29 | South San Francisco, CA | 65,596 | 42.3 | 16.0% | 29.7% |
| 30 | Redondo Beach, CA | 70,620 | 40.1 | 17.0% | 30.4% |
| 31 | Bell, CA | 33,377 | 33.7 | 8.0% | 47.2% |
| 32 | Seaside, CA | 32,291 | 34.0 | 12.0% | 35.3% |
| 33 | Mountain View, CA | 82,132 | 35.5 | 9.0% | 27.6% |
| 34 | Rosemead, CA | 51,043 | 43.1 | 7.0% | 35.0% |
| 35 | Santa Maria, CA | 109,543 | 29.3 | 13.0% | 49.1% |
| 36 | Santa Paula, CA | 30,788 | 34.6 | 18.0% | 38.8% |
| 37 | Garden Grove, CA | 171,637 | 39.2 | 12.0% | 37.6% |
| 38 | Watsonville, CA | 52,457 | 33.0 | 13.0% | 43.6% |
| 39 | Hawaiian Gardens, CA | 14,011 | 32.7 | 10.0% | 45.5% |
| 40 | West Hollywood, CA | 35,358 | 40.3 | 5.0% | 4.0% |
| 41 | Escondido, CA | 151,114 | 36.5 | 16.0% | 34.0% |
| 42 | Imperial Beach, CA | 26,157 | 33.7 | 16.0% | 33.3% |
| 43 | Pasadena, CA | 137,554 | 39.9 | 14.0% | 22.0% |
| 44 | San Diego, CA | 1,383,987 | 35.8 | 13.0% | 27.6% |
| 45 | South Gate, CA | 92,381 | 33.7 | 11.0% | 47.3% |
| 46 | San Leandro, CA | 89,723 | 41.5 | 15.0% | 28.9% |
| 47 | Tustin, CA | 79,514 | 36.2 | 16.0% | 36.3% |
| 48 | Westminster, CA | 90,638 | 41.6 | 12.0% | 35.6% |
| 49 | Santa Barbara, CA | 88,640 | 39.6 | 16.0% | 22.9% |
| 50 | Oceanside, CA | 173,722 | 37.5 | 18.0% | 30.7% |
| 51 | Sunnyvale, CA | 154,573 | 35.1 | 9.0% | 31.4% |
| 52 | Irvine, CA | 304,527 | 33.8 | 11.0% | 34.1% |
| 53 | Sacramento, CA | 523,600 | 35.2 | 18.0% | 30.1% |
| 54 | Santa Clara, CA | 128,058 | 34.5 | 11.0% | 29.6% |
| 55 | Cerritos, CA | 49,016 | 46.6 | 13.0% | 30.7% |
| 56 | El Centro, CA | 44,184 | 32.2 | 17.0% | 42.4% |
| 57 | Alhambra, CA | 82,295 | 41.1 | 11.0% | 28.0% |
| 58 | Monterey, CA | 30,007 | 36.8 | 17.0% | 18.1% |
| 59 | Fresno, CA | 541,528 | 32.1 | 20.0% | 38.2% |
| 60 | Norwalk, CA | 101,893 | 35.6 | 16.0% | 43.3% |
| 61 | Maywood, CA | 25,009 | 31.8 | 6.0% | 51.5% |
| 62 | Fountain Valley, CA | 56,754 | 44.3 | 16.0% | 30.9% |
| 63 | Fullerton, CA | 142,280 | 35.5 | 18.0% | 33.0% |
| 64 | South Pasadena, CA | 26,583 | 40.6 | 20.0% | 33.3% |
| 65 | San Bruno, CA | 43,218 | 39.0 | 19.0% | 30.8% |
| 66 | San Fernando, CA | 23,958 | 35.8 | 15.0% | 40.8% |
| 67 | Campbell, CA | 43,464 | 39.3 | 18.0% | 32.3% |
| 68 | Santa Ana, CA | 311,379 | 33.4 | 10.0% | 44.6% |
| 69 | Pomona, CA | 149,831 | 34.4 | 14.0% | 41.2% |
| 70 | South El Monte, CA | 19,694 | 37.4 | 9.0% | 41.8% |
| 71 | Farmersville, CA | 10,393 | 29.4 | 16.0% | 51.2% |
| 72 | Oxnard, CA | 202,279 | 33.5 | 14.0% | 44.5% |
| 73 | San Bernardino, CA | 221,041 | 31.2 | 16.0% | 44.9% |
| 74 | Carson, CA | 94,475 | 41.3 | 12.0% | 35.3% |
| 75 | Vista, CA | 98,392 | 34.9 | 17.0% | 37.1% |
| 76 | Port Hueneme, CA | 21,847 | 34.8 | 16.0% | 34.7% |
| 77 | Compton, CA | 94,822 | 33.4 | 12.0% | 46.6% |
| 78 | Stanton, CA | 38,271 | 37.4 | 11.0% | 36.0% |
| 79 | Atwater, CA | 31,841 | 33.5 | 20.0% | 42.7% |
| 80 | Monterey Park, CA | 60,386 | 44.7 | 11.0% | 27.4% |
| 81 | Marysville, CA | 12,681 | 33.6 | 16.0% | 36.4% |
| 82 | Chula Vista, CA | 276,103 | 36.1 | 17.0% | 43.0% |
| 83 | Huntington Beach, CA | 197,481 | 43.3 | 24.0% | 25.2% |
| 84 | El Cajon, CA | 105,721 | 35.6 | 16.0% | 37.4% |
| 85 | Costa Mesa, CA | 111,490 | 36.4 | 19.0% | 27.4% |
| 86 | Lawndale, CA | 31,553 | 35.4 | 12.0% | 37.2% |
| 87 | Richmond, CA | 115,619 | 37.1 | 10.0% | 35.9% |
| 88 | Moreno Valley, CA | 209,578 | 31.8 | 17.0% | 48.6% |
| 89 | Anaheim, CA | 347,111 | 35.4 | 15.0% | 37.3% |
| 90 | Montebello, CA | 62,056 | 38.0 | 14.0% | 33.9% |
| 91 | Riverside, CA | 316,076 | 32.4 | 19.0% | 39.8% |
| 92 | San Jose, CA | 1,001,176 | 37.8 | 12.0% | 35.3% |
| 93 | Salinas, CA | 162,783 | 31.7 | 14.0% | 48.0% |
| 94 | Lemon Grove, CA | 27,482 | 37.5 | 20.0% | 34.4% |
| 95 | Lomita, CA | 20,662 | 40.5 | 20.0% | 28.0% |
| 96 | Glendale, CA | 194,512 | 41.1 | 9.0% | 27.5% |
| 97 | Hermosa Beach, CA | 19,551 | 40.2 | 16.0% | 22.2% |
| 98 | South Lake Tahoe, CA | 21,346 | 38.9 | 14.0% | 23.6% |
| 99 | Torrance, CA | 145,454 | 42.9 | 17.0% | 29.6% |
| 100 | Chico, CA | 102,790 | 30.4 | 21.0% | 24.9% |