2 MS cities rank among the worst in the US for dating, ranking says. See where & why

From ghosting to misaligned expectations to dating-app fatigue — 2025 was widely considered a hard year for falling in love.

While some completely called it quits on dating, others wondered if they might have better luck in a different city.

A recent study compared more than 182 cities in the United States based the following three categories to determine which cities are the best for dating:

• Economics, including cost for dates
• Number of fun and recreational activities available
• Dating opportunities, including the population of single people and how many people own a smartphone

Two Mississippi cities ranked among the worst in the country for single people looking to find love, according to the December ranking by WalletHub.

If you’re considering moving somewhere in 2026 in hopes of finding love, here are the Mississippi cities that you may want to think twice about, per the ranking.

Jackson

Mississippi’s capital, Jackson, is ranked 10th worst city for dating, according to WalletHub.

For individuals looking to be in a heterosexual relationship, the odds don’t look so great — the city has the worst gender balance among singles, the WalletHub study found.

Here’s where Jackson ranks in each category of the WalletHub study.

• Economics rank: 75
• Fun & recreation rank: 180
• Dating opportunities rank: 170

Gulfport

While Gulfport may have romantic views with its location on the beautiful Mississippi Gulf Coast, the odds of sparks flying between single people are pretty low — the city is ranked 25th worst city for dating, according to the WalletHub study.

One silver lining for singles looking to date in Gulfport is that the city does have the second-lowest restaurant meal costs, tied with Charleston, West Virginia, the study found.

Here’s where Gulfport ranks in each category of the WalletHub study.

• Economics rank: 99
• Fun & recreation rank: 177
• Dating opportunities rank: 124

Which are the top 5 best US cities for dating?

These are the best cities for single people looking to find love, according to WalletHub’s ranking:

1. Atlanta, Georgia

2. Las Vegas, Nevada

3. Tampa, Florida

4. Seattle, Washington

5. Denver, Colorado

Natalie Demaree

mcclatchy-newsroom

479-616-0125

Natalie Demaree is a service journalism reporter covering Mississippi for McClatchy Media. She holds a master’s in journalism from Columbia Journalism School and a bachelor’s in journalism and political science with a specialization in African and African American Studies from the University of Arkansas.