These Are The 10 Worst Places To Find Love In California


We used science and data to determine which cities in California are not that into you.

This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. Don’t freak out.

Swipe left for slideshow
Advertisement

[adrotate banner=”5″]

California has often been called The Golden State. And lot of people romanticize about California being the place of dreams, where everyone is sitting on the beach, looking good in their tight fitting, trendy clothes. A place where it shouldn’t be too hard to find excitement.

It should be easy to find your soulmate, here, right? After all, California is supposed to be party central. At least that’s what Katy Perry sings about.

But is it really like that in California? Of course not. Sure, there are certain locations where it’s a lot easier to find the man or woman of your dreams. But the purpose of this post is to use science and data to determine which places are the worst you could possibly live in California if you have to find true love.

After analyzing 425 of the state’s most populous cities (over 5,000 people), we came up with this list as the 10 hardest places to find love in California:

  1. Hillsborough
  2. Woodside
  3. Los Altos
  4. La Habra Heights
  5. Saratoga
  6. Rolling Hills Estates
  7. Atherton
  8. Indian Wells
  9. Orinda
  10. La Cañada Flintridge

You might be thinking, “I live here, and I found true love.” Well, the odds are, you didn’t meet your spouse in the city you live. You probably moved there after you were married. Because these places are real snooze fests.

Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers and see how your city fared. Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco are all much easier places to find that perfect someone. But not necessarily the best places.

The best place to find love in California? That would be Davis. More on that later.

How do you decide if a place is romantic or not?

In order to rank the worst places to find love in California, we had to determine what criteria helps people meet. It isn’t a stretch to assume that people will meet where there are plenty of young singles in areas with high population densities.

So we scraped the internet for those criteria, asked for the opposite of those, and it spit out the answer. Like magic.

How we crunched the numbers

We threw a lot of criteria at this one in order to get the best, most complete results possible. Using the census bureau, we analyzed:

  • Population Density (The higher the better – meaning there’s a better chance to meet someone you like)
  • Population with residents over 35 years old
  • Population with residents over 65 years old
  • Number of married households
  • Average resident age
  • Number of people with children

If you’d like to see the complete list of cities, scroll to the bottom of this post to see a link to the entire data set.

This list is a scientific analysis based on real data and is completely unbiased.

1. Hillsborough

Source: Google Maps

Population: 11,000

When you’re looking at science and data, Hillsborough is by far and away where you’ll be looking for love in all the wrong places. Let’s see why.

Hillsborough is a suburb of San Francisco, near San Mateo. First off, 70% of the people here are married. You’re not gonna get lucky going out here, trying to find Mr. Right. That is, unless he’s visiting from out of town.

The average age of someone in Hillsborough is 46. If you’re not married by the age of 46, you’re probably not going to get married. That’s just the way it is, folks.

And when you consider that 43% of the people here have kids, if you’re out trolling town for someone to love you, odds are, you’re going to be pretty disappointed.

Add it all up, and you’re better off getting on the CalTrain and heading up to San Fran if you want to find someone to spend your weekends with.

2. Woodside

Source: Google Maps

Population: 5,354

So far, the Bay Area is 0-2 when it comes to its suburbs being love land.

Woodside is a tiny place located in the hills behind Stanford. If you are a student at Stanford, there’s no use hiking up the hill to seek out your mate. Because you’ll be really disappointed.

64% of the population here is older than 35. And since it’s a ritzy area, if you don’t have a lot of money, odds are that the people under 35 won’t date you unless you’re loaded. Hey, that’s just the way it is, folks.

Plus, more than half of the people here are old. Like 65 years or older. Sure, if you’re single, and looking to mingle in elderly land, you might join a church group in Hillsborough and try and bump into someone at the weekly Bingo game. Or, you could just go to OurTime.com and try your luck there.

3. Los Altos

Source: City of Los Altos on Facebook

Population: 8,126

Ouch, Bay Area. You’re 0 for 3.

Los Altos is a smallish community right outside of Mountain View. If you work at Facebook, or some other tech startup, you might want to just look for your soulmate within the confines of work, because you’re most likely not going to find it down the street, where 71% of the people are already married, and 52% of them are over 65.

4. La Habra Heights

Source: Google Maps

Population: 5,371

If you’re looking for someone to love you, and you’re wandering around in the hillsides above La Habra, you’re already starting off on the wrong foot. Located in the suburbs of Los Angeles, you’d be better off heading down to the beach to score.

LHH has the 12th oldest population in the state, where 54% of the people here are older than 65. Plus, 62% are married, and 32% have kids.

5. Saratoga

Source: City of Saratoga on Facebook

Population: 30,335

At least there’s a lot of people in Saratoga. But there’s a lot of people who aren’t interested in you. You’d be much better off driving to San Jose, which ranks a lot younger and a lot more single (read: more into you).

The population of Saratoga is very much older than most cities in the state. 67% are over the age of 35, and 38% already have children. Which means while you’re trying to make eye contact with that cute guy across the street, he’s chasing down his kids.

6. Rolling Hills Estates

Source: City of Rolling Hills Estates on Facebook

Population: 8,132

Let’s be honest here. If you’ve ever been to Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills Estates or anywhere near this part of Los Angeles County, you’d know that unless you happen to bump into a cutie pie at Whole Foods who is single for some reason, and you don’t drive a nice car and you don’t have a desirable area code, they’re not interested.

Forget about the stats on how old and married everyone here is. She’s just not that into you.

7. Atherton

Source: Google Maps

Population: 6,993

Boy, the whole area in the south bay is just snoozeville when it comes to excitement. Here in Atherton, a small town near Redwood City, you’d have a better chance using Tinder or Match than you would trying to meet someone your age who wants to date you.

53% of the population here is considered elderly, and 65% are married. In fact, there are only 12 other cities in California with less married people per capita.

8. Indian Wells

Source: City of Indian Wells on Facebook

Population: 5,040

Indian Wells has the 2nd oldest population in the state, where 81% of the population is elderly. So if you’re in Indian Wells trying to find a soulmate, you’re most likely looking for someone with deep pockets. Go down the street to Palm Springs if you want to pull that stuff. Everyone will spot it a mile away, you jerk.

9. Orinda

Source: City of Orinda on Facebook

Population: 18,108

Orinda is up in the hills above Berkeley. You’d be a lot better off going down to Berkeley if you want to meet a hippie to share your life with. Because there are only 8 other cities in California with more married people. A full 68% of the population is already hitched, and 64% are over the age of 35.

10. La Cañada Flintridge

Source: Google Maps

Population: 4,730

There’s ñot a good chance that very many people in La Cañada will be into you. 60% are over the age of 35, and almost half of the people already have kids.

You’d be much better off ñot wasting your time here, and heading down the 210, where in Pasadena, and Glendale, there’s a much younger, more exciting vibe. And a much better chance that your advances will be reciprocated.

There You Have It

If you’re looking at cities in California where it’s hard to find love, where the populations are very old, married already, and already have little ones running about, this is an accurate list.
Mobile users: Here’s a link to the complete data chart.

If you’re also curious enough, here are the best places to find love in California, according to science.

  1. Davis (Pop. 65,670)
  2. San Luis Obispo (Pop. 45,454)
  3. Santa Cruz (Pop. 61,235)
  4. Emeryville (Pop. 10,026)
  5. Arcata (Pop. 17,559)
  6. Berkeley (Pop. 114,046)

We also wrote a story on the worst places to live in California. You might find it stimulating. Click here to read it.

Disclaimer: This article is an opinion based on data. It should not be taken as fact.

City Population Rank
Hillsborough Town, California 11006 1
Woodside Town, California 5354 2
Los Altos Hills Town, California 8126 3
La Habra Heights City, California 5371 4
Saratoga City, California 30335 5
Rolling Hills Estates City, California 8132 6
Atherton Town, California 6993 7
Indian Wells City, California 5040 8
Orinda City, California 18108 9
La Cañada Flintridge City, California 20380 10
Palos Verdes Estates City, California 13500 11
Lafayette City, California 24347 12
Calimesa City, California 8021 13
San Marino City, California 13205 14
La Quinta City, California 38073 15
Danville Town, California 42476 16
Villa Park City, California 5872 17
Westlake Village City, California 8320 18
Rancho Mirage City, California 17456 19
St. Helena City, California 5862 20
Tiburon Town, California 9042 21
Rancho Palos Verdes City, California 41980 22
Clayton City, California 11137 23
Mill Valley City, California 14046 24
Rio Vista City, California 7451 25
Moraga Town, California 16315 26
Half Moon Bay City, California 11555 27
Calabasas City, California 23629 28
Los Altos City, California 29389 29
Walnut City, California 29584 30
Corte Madera Town, California 9326 31
Novato City, California 52704 32
Loomis Town, California 6538 33
Palm Desert City, California 49306 34
Poway City, California 48547 35
Ojai City, California 7514 36
Malibu City, California 12751 37
Pismo Beach City, California 7746 38
Calistoga City, California 5204 38
Lincoln City, California 43467 40
Los Gatos Town, California 29809 41
Solvang City, California 5298 42
Agoura Hills City, California 20488 43
Piedmont City, California 10852 44
Seal Beach City, California 24333 45
Arroyo Grande City, California 17411 45
Thousand Oaks City, California 127356 47
San Juan Capistrano City, California 35160 48
Big Bear Lake City, California 5080 49
Auburn City, California 13573 50
Yorba Linda City, California 65425 51
Banning City, California 29968 52
Atascadero City, California 28613 53
Morro Bay City, California 10322 54
Paradise Town, California 26219 55
Cerritos City, California 49345 56
Benicia City, California 27225 57
Shasta Lake City, California 10135 58
Palo Alto City, California 65234 59
Walnut Creek City, California 65122 60
Canyon Lake City, California 10712 61
Norco City, California 27079 62
Laguna Beach City, California 22980 63
Sierra Madre City, California 10983 64
Pleasanton City, California 71488 65
Diamond Bar City, California 55950 66
San Dimas City, California 33582 67
Arcadia City, California 56758 68
Camarillo City, California 65476 69
San Anselmo Town, California 12431 70
Winters City, California 6772 70
Menifee City, California 79604 72
Larkspur City, California 12025 73
Mission Viejo City, California 94311 74
Palm Springs City, California 45317 75
Sonoma City, California 10710 76
Laguna Niguel City, California 63698 77
Cupertino City, California 59080 78
Millbrae City, California 21867 79
Carlsbad City, California 107307 80
San Clemente City, California 63994 81
Coronado City, California 22710 82
Union City City, California 70687 83
Glendora City, California 50500 84
Apple Valley Town, California 69785 85
Ione City, California 7504 86
Temple City City, California 35772 87
Sausalito City, California 7029 88
Pinole City, California 18587 88
Laguna Hills City, California 30551 90
Encinitas City, California 60321 91
Scotts Valley City, California 11618 92
Yucaipa City, California 51839 93
Escalon City, California 7182 94
Fountain Valley City, California 55911 95
Fremont City, California 218172 96
San Carlos City, California 28779 97
Windsor Town, California 26863 98
Wildomar City, California 32744 99
Solana Beach city, California 13021 100
Yreka City, California 7702 101
Pacifica City, California 37825 101
Ripon City, California 14467 103
Cloverdale City, California 8626 104
Morgan Hill City, California 38832 105
Chino Hills City, California 75551 106
Simi Valley City, California 124803 107
Petaluma City, California 58357 108
La Palma City, California 15697 109
Brea City, California 39843 110
Brentwood City, California 52494 111
Willows City, California 6138 112
Newport Beach City, California 86001 113
Duarte City, California 21499 114
Los Alamitos City, California 11527 114
La Verne City, California 31336 116
Monterey Park City, California 60591 117
El Paso De Robles (Paso Robles) City, California 30144 117
El Cerrito City, California 23862 119
American Canyon City, California 19656 120
Santa Fe Springs City, California 16587 121
Fortuna City, California 11851 122
Pacific Grove City, California 15241 123
Claremont City, California 35252 124
Martinez City, California 36471 125
Foster City City, California 31259 126
Rosemead City, California 54116 126
Belmont City, California 26200 128
Livermore City, California 82442 128
San Gabriel City, California 39953 130
Hercules City, California 24340 131
Healdsburg City, California 11356 132
Dana Point City, California 33652 133
Hemet City, California 79986 134
Cypress City, California 48358 135
California City City, California 13333 136
San Ramon City, California 72707 137
Milpitas City, California 67695 138
Laguna Woods City, California 16267 139
Menlo Park City, California 32450 140
Beaumont City, California 38143 141
Taft City, California 9192 142
Torrance City, California 146187 143
Redding City, California 90370 144
Yucca Valley Town, California 20864 145
Moorpark City, California 34707 146
Grass Valley City, California 12845 147
Westminster City, California 90625 148
San Rafael City, California 58162 149