Where to look
The best places to date after 35
Where single men aged 35 to 50 most often pass a realistic list, state by state, and where they still outnumber single women. In Canada, Alberta wins on both.
Dating after 35 is a different market. Fewer men are single, more of the single men are divorced, and the ones who are single earn more than they did at 28. Where you live changes all three.
We looked at single or divorced, straight men aged 35 to 50 with no criminal record: the men a woman in her late 30s or 40s is most likely to date. "Pass the list" is the share of them who also meet the meter's Realistic standards: lean to average build (13–22% body fat), at least 5'9" (175 cm), and at least 80,000 a year in local currency. "Good men" is how many that is.
To show the competition, we added a second measure that comes from census counts of real people, not from the meter: single men per 100 single women aged 35 to 44. It's the same data as our article on where single men outnumber single women.
Country by country
| Country | Single men 35–50 | Divorced | Pass the list | Good men | Men per 100 women |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 577,000 | 26% | 7.7% | 44,400 | 92 |
| United States | 6.82 million | 30% | 6.1% | 415,000 | 111 |
| Canada | 943,000 | 24% | 7.1% | 67,000 | 111 |
| New Zealand | 84,000 | 23% | 7.5% | 6,290 | 96 |
| United Kingdom | 1.32 million | 25% | 2.2% | 29,200 | 92 |
The UK's pass rate is much lower because £80,000 is a high salary there. The US and Canadian ratios count legal marital status, so a man living with his girlfriend counts as single, which keeps them above 100. Australia, the UK and New Zealand count who actually lives with a partner, and on that measure single women outnumber single men after 35.
United States: top 10 and bottom 5 states
| Region | Pass the list | Good men | Divorced | Men per 100 women |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington, D.C. | 10.5% | 2,180 | 21% | 91 |
| Massachusetts | 8.0% | 10,600 | 23% | 105 |
| Washington | 7.8% | 11,900 | 28% | 120 |
| Colorado | 7.8% | 9,090 | 32% | 120 |
| New Jersey | 7.7% | 14,000 | 24% | 111 |
| Maryland | 7.7% | 10,100 | 26% | 100 |
| Connecticut | 7.5% | 5,140 | 23% | 104 |
| Virginia | 7.3% | 12,400 | 33% | 103 |
| New Hampshire | 7.2% | 1,700 | 33% | 123 |
| Utah | 7.1% | 4,320 | 38% | 118 |
| Oklahoma | 4.6% | 3,890 | 44% | 119 |
| Kentucky | 4.4% | 4,050 | 41% | 116 |
| West Virginia | 4.2% | 1,520 | 41% | 121 |
| Arkansas | 4.1% | 2,460 | 41% | 110 |
| Mississippi | 4.1% | 2,620 | 37% | 89 |
Washington, D.C. has the highest pass rate by far, 10.5%, but also one of the lowest numbers of single men per single woman: 91 per 100. Lots of high earners, and lots of competition for them. Colorado and Washington state do well on both measures, with pass rates near 8% and about 120 single men for every 100 single women.
For sheer numbers, California (58,600), Texas (38,900), New York (28,200) and Florida (24,600) have the most men who pass. Divorce rates vary a lot too: in Oklahoma, Idaho, West Virginia, Kentucky, Arkansas and Alabama more than 4 in 10 single men in this age group are divorced. In D.C. and New York it's about 1 in 5.
Australia: Canberra and Western Australia
| Region | Pass the list | Good men | Divorced | Men per 100 women |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Capital Territory | 9.1% | 908 | 26% | 93 |
| Western Australia | 8.8% | 5,920 | 26% | 96 |
| Northern Territory | 8.3% | 555 | 22% | 85 |
| New South Wales | 7.8% | 13,700 | 26% | 95 |
| Queensland | 7.6% | 8,960 | 28% | 88 |
| Victoria | 7.5% | 10,900 | 25% | 91 |
| South Australia | 6.8% | 2,790 | 26% | 97 |
| Tasmania | 6.3% | 757 | 25% | 86 |
Canberra's public-service salaries and Western Australia's mining wages give them the highest pass rates. Western Australia also has one of the more even balances of single men and women, so on both measures it's the pick. New South Wales has the most men who pass, about 13,700.
Canada: Alberta
| Region | Pass the list | Good men | Divorced | Men per 100 women |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Territories | 9.2% | 119 | 15% | 117 |
| Alberta | 8.5% | 9,900 | 29% | 124 |
| Yukon | 8.4% | 118 | 21% | 104 |
| British Columbia | 7.3% | 9,640 | 25% | 112 |
| Saskatchewan | 7.2% | 2,010 | 28% | 111 |
| Ontario | 7.1% | 24,400 | 26% | 106 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 6.8% | 800 | 23% | 102 |
| Quebec | 6.7% | 15,200 | 17% | 111 |
| Nunavut | 6.3% | 71 | 13% | 119 |
| Nova Scotia | 5.9% | 1,430 | 25% | 104 |
| Manitoba | 5.6% | 1,800 | 25% | 116 |
| New Brunswick | 5.4% | 1,080 | 26% | 109 |
| Prince Edward Island | 4.8% | 160 | 26% | 113 |
Alberta is the standout. Its pass rate is the highest of any big province, and it has about 124 single men for every 100 single women aged 35 to 44. The Northwest Territories score higher still, but on only about 119 men. Quebec has the lowest share of divorced men among single men of any big province, at 17%, partly because fewer couples there marry in the first place.
New Zealand: Wellington, or head south
| Region | Pass the list | Good men | Divorced | Men per 100 women |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wellington | 9.3% | 819 | 22% | 93 |
| Auckland | 8.2% | 2,320 | 25% | 96 |
| Canterbury | 7.4% | 798 | 24% | 103 |
| Taranaki | 6.9% | 141 | 24% | 94 |
| Waikato | 6.9% | 580 | 23% | 96 |
| Otago | 6.9% | 273 | 21% | 107 |
| Bay of Plenty | 6.7% | 358 | 23% | 83 |
| Marlborough | 6.6% | 47 | 22% | 99 |
| Tasman | 6.5% | 52 | 24% | 90 |
| Southland | 6.3% | 112 | 22% | 109 |
| Hawke's Bay | 6.3% | 182 | 22% | 91 |
| Nelson | 6.2% | 55 | 26% | 93 |
| Manawatū-Whanganui | 5.6% | 238 | 22% | 93 |
| West Coast | 5.5% | 35 | 21% | 129 |
| Northland | 5.0% | 162 | 22% | 92 |
| Gisborne | 4.8% | 49 | 18% | 87 |
Wellington has the highest pass rate, but single women outnumber single men there. The South Island has the better balance: Canterbury, Otago, Southland and the West Coast are the only regions with more single men than single women aged 35 to 44. Canterbury is the best mix of both, with about 798 men who pass.
United Kingdom: London, with competition
| Region | Pass the list | Good men | Divorced | Men per 100 women |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | 3.9% | 8,010 | 21% | 87 |
| South East | 3.4% | 5,350 | 27% | 92 |
| East of England | 2.7% | 3,120 | 27% | 93 |
| South West | 1.9% | 1,880 | 27% | 96 |
| Scotland | 1.7% | 1,920 | 21% | 91 |
| East Midlands | 1.5% | 1,380 | 28% | 96 |
| North West | 1.5% | 2,310 | 23% | 94 |
| West Midlands | 1.5% | 1,690 | 26% | 95 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 1.3% | 1,400 | 26% | 95 |
| North East | 1.2% | 642 | 25% | 91 |
| Wales | 1.1% | 681 | 24% | 93 |
| Northern Ireland | 1.1% | 459 | 23% | 91 |
London has the highest pass rate, but only 87 single men for every 100 single women aged 35 to 44, the lowest in the UK. The South East and the East of England are a middle path: lower pass rates, more even numbers, and an easy train ride to London.
So where should you look?
- Australia: Western Australia, then Canberra.
- United States: Colorado and Washington state. D.C. if you don't mind the competition.
- Canada: Alberta.
- New Zealand: Canterbury, or Wellington for earners.
- United Kingdom: London for earners, the South East for balance.
Moving isn't the only fix. The best region in each country lifts the pass rate by between about a fifth and three quarters over the national figure. Accepting men a few years younger than you nearly doubles the pool: see how much an age gap grows your pool. And between about 1 in 4 and 3 in 10 of the single men in this age group are divorced, so ruling them out costs a lot: see should you date a divorced man?
Regional differences in the pass rate come from income and relationship status; height, body and orientation use national figures. The men-per-100-women column covers ages 35 to 44 and counts people of every orientation. US figures are from the American Community Survey 2024; the others are from each country's most recent census (see the sources).
Run your own list on the meter
Estimates come from the same model as the meter: official population, census, health-survey and tax data for each country, combined age by age. Filters are treated as independent within each age, so treat the results as estimates, not a head count. The full method and every source, country by country, are on the methodology page. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.