There seems to be an endless flow of online dating stats coming at us on a daily basis. It becomes difficult to weed through all of them and figure out which of them is most pertinent.
The latest online dating stats tell us that there are close to 40 million United States citizens participate in online dating. That number seems huge until you take a look and see that an estimated 140 million Chinese citizens are looking for love online.
Even large countries such as India, which is a culture based on arranged marriages, are starting to see an increase in this top of matchmaking. Some online dating stats estimate that close to 15 million Indian citizens use some sort of online dating service to find love online.
Some of the online dating statistics that we’ve seen online are repeated so much that they can be taken as gospel. Here’s a few of the most popular ones.
- Approximately 5% of all internet users have signed up for an online dating service at least once.
- The online dating industry generates over $4 billion yearly worldwide.
- One out of every five singles has dated someone they’ve met over the internet
- Dating site members spend on average $239 per year in membership dues.
- 17% of all marriages started their courtship online.
- Over 110 million visit a dating site each and every month of the year.
These online dating stats are impressive and I think it’s safe to assume that this numbers will continue to grow over time. It’s shocking to think that there are new people every day who are using the internet for the first time. Many of us just take it for granted.
Research also shows that more and more people are becoming comfortable finding other singles online. It works really well for older singles who have become divorced or widowed and are back in the singles game for the first time in years.
These singles are generally established working professionals who often have their own established families. Unlike younger singles who are focusing on someone to settle down with and start a family, online dating stats show that these older singles are most interested in finding someone to share their companionship with. They aren’t looking for someone to settle down and marry; they are interested in someone who shares the same likes and goals as they do.
Online dating stats show that “meeting” a single online is the third most popular method of finding someone new. It ranks just behind meeting someone at school or work (#1) or being introduced to someone by family or friends (#2). It’s a great time saver for many working professionals because it gives you the option to weed through a myriad of other singles before getting involved with someone. Talk about a time (and in some cases money) saver. When you start to look at how much money it costs to go out on a date, the monthly membership fees suddenly don’t look so large.
The amount of time that a courtship lasts seems to be skinned down significantly by couples that meet online. Online dating stats show that married couples who met offline take on average 42 months from first meeting to their marriage date. Online daters seem to get to know each other a lot quicker with only a courtship of 18.5 months. I don’t know what the divorce rate looks like for these two groups but I think I can safely assume that the online daters know each others personalities more intimately.
Thanks again for taking the time to stop by my dating blog. These online dating stats give a nice glimpse into the world of internet dating and I look forward to you stopping by again. ~Mac
