Online dating
How to unmatch someone on Bumble
Use Bumble's Unmatch control from a chat. Know what ends immediately, what cannot be undone, and when to report someone first.
Dating and relationships
Nora Hale
Nora Hale writes about dating apps, relationships, and the numbers behind common dating claims. Whenever a number makes the rounds, she starts with who was counted, when, and what the survey actually asked.
The question behind the work
Is dating getting harder, or does it feel that way? A personal story and a national statistic can point to different answers. Nora starts with that gap.
She looks past the headline. Who answered the survey? What did the question ask? Does the result fit the reader? Her aim is to make dating research useful without turning a percentage into a prediction about someone’s life.
You can expect the sourced answer first, then a plain account of what that number can and cannot say about your own life. Your preferences are yours, and no survey can promise who you will meet.
Nora Hale is The Pool Report’s editorial pen name. The Research Desk is responsible for articles, sources, and corrections. Read our editorial policy and methods and limits.
Articles by Nora Hale
Online dating
Bumble Travel Mode: location, visibility and limits
See how Bumble Travel Mode changes your selected location, which plans include it, and why an earlier Like can still lead to a match.
Online dating
How to change your Hinge location and check the result
Change your Hinge neighborhood, check the profile preview, and keep location, hometown and distance settings separate when moving or traveling.
Online dating
Hinge Hide vs. Unmatch: what happens to the chat
Hiding keeps a Hinge connection available. Unmatching ends it permanently. Learn where hidden chats go and how reporting after an unmatch can work.
Online dating
How to pause Hinge and keep your existing chats
Pause new Hinge discovery while keeping existing chats. Check earlier Likes, billing and account-deletion differences before taking a break.
Demographics
Single Moms vs. Single Dads: What U.S. Census Data Counts
Census data show that mothers maintained 80% of U.S. one-parent family groups in 2022. See what the count includes and what it cannot say.
Online dating
Tinder Block Contacts: manual entry and privacy limits
Use Tinder Block Contacts without uploading your whole address book. Understand identifier mismatches, existing matches and permanent profile blocking.
Demographics
Average Age to Lose Virginity in the U.S.: What 17.1 Actually Measures
CDC data puts first vaginal intercourse at a mean age of 17.1 for women and 17.2 for men. See who was counted and what the average leaves out.
Marriage
What Percentage of Divorces Are Initiated by Women? What the 69% Statistic Means
A Stanford study found that women accounted for 69% of heterosexual marital breakups. See the sample, question, margin, and how the measure differs from filing records.
Couples
What Percentage of Men Cheat? What U.S. Surveys Actually Asked
A pooled U.S. survey analysis found 16.5% of ever-married men reported sex outside marriage. See the question, scope, and why broader surveys differ.
Demographics
Top 10 Gayest States? LGBT Adult Population by State
Oregon has the highest published state estimate: 7.8% of adults identified as LGBT. The table shows state ranks, D.C., model-based rows, ties, and uncertainty.
Marriage
Lesbian Divorce Rate: How Female, Male, and Opposite-Sex Couples Compare
No official U.S. lesbian divorce rate exists. In Sweden, Norway, England and Wales, female couples end unions more often. See the figures and how to read them.
Demographics
What Percentage of Men Are Gay? U.S. Survey Data for Men and Women
About 2% to 3% of U.S. men identify as gay in Gallup and CDC surveys. See bisexual shares, women's figures, and why the surveys differ.
Demographics
Average Body Count: What CDC Survey Data Shows for Men and Women
Average body count in CDC survey data: the median is 4.3 lifetime opposite-sex partners for women and 6.3 for men ages 25 to 49. The spread and its limits are included.
Marriage
Average Length of Marriage in the U.S.: 3 Numbers That Answer Different Questions
Average length of marriage in the U.S.: current marriages have lasted a median of 20 years. First marriages ending in divorce lasted 8 years. About half reach 20 years.
Demographics
Male to Female Ratio in the US: How It Flips by Age
The U.S. has 97.9 men per 100 women in the 2024 American Community Survey. The ratio shifts from more men at younger ages to more women at older ages.
Demographics
Income percentile by age: compare your income
Compare annual personal income with U.S. adults in your five-year age group. See source-backed percentile brackets and the calculation limits.
Online dating
Bumble Snooze Mode: what happens to your matches
How Bumble Snooze Mode works, step by step: taking a break, what happens to matches and billing, and returning when you are ready.
Online dating
Hinge Standouts: how Roses and daily picks work
See how Hinge Standouts differs from Discover, how free Roses work, and what to check before buying more. Based on Hinge's official help pages.
Online dating
How to cancel a Hinge subscription
Cancel Hinge through Apple, Google Play, or direct Hinge payment. Find the right billing account, confirm cancellation, and handle refunds separately.
Online dating
How to delete your Tinder account
Delete your Tinder account in the app or online. Save your data, cancel billing, and understand what happens to matches, messages, and stored records.
Demographics
Are there more single men or women?
Compare the U.S. ratio of unmarried men and women. The answer changes with the age range.
Online dating
Tinder Passport: change your location before a trip
Use Tinder Passport to choose another city. Check access options, location timing, and Face Check requirements before paying or making travel plans.
Online dating
Dating apps for lesbians: HER, Hinge, or Bumble?
Compare HER, Hinge, and Bumble for lesbian dating. Check audience, messaging, and privacy controls, then see who is nearby on the free version before paying.
Demographics
Male height percentile chart and table
Compare official U.S. male height percentiles, including the median and the 95th percentile, by age.
Online dating
Best dating apps for serious relationships
Compare Hinge, Bumble, Match, and eharmony by profiles, relationship goals, filters, and paid features.
Online dating
Best paid dating apps: compare the features
Compare Hinge, Bumble, Tinder, and eharmony plans. Find the feature you need and check the full cost before paying.
Online dating
Hinge vs Bumble: profiles, filters, and plans
Compare how Hinge and Bumble handle profiles, dating goals, filters, privacy, and paid plans.
Online dating
Hinge vs Tinder: profiles, filters, and plans
Compare Hinge and Tinder by profile format, free filters, and paid features.
Online dating
Bumble vs Tinder: goals, privacy, and plans
Compare Bumble and Tinder by relationship goals, privacy, travel tools, and paid plans.
Online dating
eharmony vs Match: quizzes, profiles, and plans
Compare eharmony’s quiz-based suggestions with Match’s detailed profiles. Check access and cost before subscribing.
Online dating
Best dating sites for people over 50
Compare OurTime, SilverSingles, Match, and eharmony. Check age focus, profiles, and paid access.
Online dating
Is Tinder Gold worth it?
See what Tinder Gold adds, when incoming likes may save time, and what to check before paying.
Online dating
Is eharmony worth it?
Compare eharmony Basic and Premium. Check quiz-based suggestions, paid access, and the full subscription commitment.
Online dating
Hinge+ vs HingeX: what does each plan add?
Compare Hinge+ and HingeX features, including filters, incoming likes, Priority Likes, and billing rules.
Online dating
Tinder Gold vs Platinum: what is the difference?
Compare Gold’s incoming Likes with Platinum’s Priority Likes, plus plan limits, cost, and cancellation.
Online dating
Bumble Boost vs Premium vs Premium+
Compare Bumble’s paid plans. Check likes, filters, privacy, travel, and weekly extras.
Online dating
eharmony vs Hinge: setup, messages, and plans
Compare eharmony’s quiz-based suggestions with Hinge’s profiles and free messaging.
Online dating
Best dating apps in your 30s
Compare Hinge, Bumble, Tinder, Match, and eharmony by goals, filters, privacy, and setup.
Online dating
Best dating apps for people over 40
Compare Hinge, Bumble, Match, and eharmony by profile format, free access, privacy, and filters.
Online dating
Best dating apps for busy professionals
Compare dating apps by review time, privacy, filters, and setup. Find features that fit your schedule.
Online dating
Dating apps with height filters
Compare height filters on Hinge, Bumble, eharmony, Tinder, and Match. Check which plan includes the control you need.
Online dating
Online dating statistics in the U.S.
Survey results on dating app use, popular apps, relationships, and safety.
Online dating
Dating app use by age and identity
Compare U.S. survey results on online dating by age, LGBTQIA+ identity, and platform.
Online dating
Dating app use by age
Compare past and current online dating use among U.S. adults under 30, ages 30 to 49, and 50 or older.
Online dating
Tinder usage statistics in the U.S.
How many online daters have tried Tinder, with results by age and comparisons across years.
Online dating
Dating app success rates
What surveys say about relationships formed online, current partners, and user experience.
Online dating
How many couples meet online?
Pew’s findings on current partners who met through dating sites or apps, with results by age and identity.
Online dating
Online dating experiences: survey results
How U.S. online daters rated their experiences in Pew’s 2022 survey.
Online dating
How many dating app users have paid?
Pew’s findings on paid dating services and features, with results by household income.
Safety
Online dating safety statistics
Pew’s findings on safety concerns and support for background checks.
Safety
Dating app harassment statistics
Pew asked online daters about unwanted sexual content, repeated contact, insults, and threats in 2022.
Safety
Romance scam warning signs
Recognize money requests, check an online contact, and report suspected fraud.
Couples
Average age gap between couples
The average age gap in U.S. marriages and how it has changed over time.
Couples
How common is a 10-year age gap?
U.S. Census counts of couples with an age gap of at least 10 years.
Couples
How couples’ work earnings compare
Census findings on earnings differences between partners who live together.
Couples
Same-sex couple households in the U.S.
Census counted married and unmarried same-sex couple households in 2024. See the current U.S. totals.
Couples
Interracial married couples: Census data
How often do married couples who share a home have different races? See the 2024 Census data.
Marriage
Living together before or without marriage
U.S. survey findings on people who have lived with an unmarried partner.
Marriage
Unmarried couples living together in the U.S.
Survey estimates for unmarried partners who share a home and why the figures differ.
Marriage
U.S. marriage statistics
Annual marriage counts, rates, and the estimated age at first marriage.
Marriage
Marriage rate by state
The provisional 2023 CDC marriage rate for each state and Washington, D.C.
Marriage
How much later are Americans marrying?
The change in estimated first-marriage age from 1975 to 2025.
Guides by Nora Hale
Answers and tools based on public data. Each guide explains its method and limits.
How does the dating standards calculator work?
A delusion calculator shows how common a set of dating standards is. Learn what the term means, where it came from, and how to use a neutral version.
How rare are my standards?
See how common your dating standards are. Change one filter at a time and compare the result with verified U.S. data.
How many men are 6 feet or taller?
See a CDC-based estimate of the share of U.S. men ages 20–69 who are 6 feet or taller. Then test height with income, age, and status.
What percentage of men make $100,000 or more?
See the share of U.S. men ages 20–69 with at least $100,000 in annual personal income. The estimate uses 2024 ACS Census records.
What percentage of women make $100,000 or more?
See the share of U.S. women ages 20–69 with at least $100,000 in annual personal income. The estimate uses 2024 ACS Census records.
How many men meet these standards?
How many men meet your standards? Run one checklist against the estimated U.S. men’s group and see the percentage, count, and one-in-N result.
How many women meet these standards?
Estimate how many women meet your dating standards. Choose filters and see the results, sources, and calculation details.
Male vs. female dating standards.
Use one filter set to compare the estimated U.S. men’s and women’s groups side by side. See the size difference and what drives it.
How many men meet my standards?
Estimate how many U.S. men meet your age, height, income, relationship-status, and BMI standards. Then compare the same filters with women.
How many women meet my standards?
Estimate how many U.S. women meet your age, height, income, relationship-status, and BMI standards, with the equivalent male pool beside it.
Are my dating standards too high?
See how common your dating standards are with a sourced, side-by-side calculator. Rarity is shown clearly without calling your preferences right or wrong.
What is the average height for U.S. men?
The average height for U.S. men ages 20 and older is 68.9 inches, according to measured CDC data from August 2021–August 2023.
What is the average height for U.S. women?
The average height for U.S. women ages 20 and older is 63.5 inches, according to measured CDC data from August 2021–August 2023.
What percentage of men are single?
See the share of U.S. men ages 20–69 who are not currently married in 2024 ACS Census records. Here, single is a Census marital-status shorthand, not a dating-availability count.
What percentage of women are single?
See the share of U.S. women ages 20–69 who are not currently married in 2024 ACS Census records. Here, single is a Census marital-status shorthand, not a dating-availability count.
Gen Z dating statistics
Five sourced Gen Z dating statistics from a 2026 Bank of America and Ipsos survey of 1,133 U.S. adults ages 18–29. The results were adjusted to match national benchmarks.
Is Gen Z dating less?
Is Gen Z dating less? See what two recent U.S. surveys found about dating activity, relationship interest, money barriers, and zero dating spend.
What is the median age at first marriage in the U.S.?
Census estimates the 2025 median age at first marriage at 30.8 for men and 28.4 for women. Compare separate 2024 state medians.
What does dating pool mean?
What does dating pool mean? Learn the practical definition, how filters change the full group used for a percentage, and what population data cannot measure.
Interracial marriage statistics
See 2024 Census statistics for interracial married couple households. Learn what these marriage estimates do and do not say about dating.
How long do couples date before marriage?
How long do couples date before marriage? This page reports The Knot’s pre-engagement ranges and explains why they do not equal total time from the first date to the wedding.
Dating spend calculator
Calculate your monthly and annual dating spend and compare it with a 2026 survey of U.S. Gen Z adults. The survey results were adjusted to match national benchmarks.