sucks to be single
tommyForbes recently listed the best US cities for singles. Tampa ranked 35th of the 40 cities included. The top place was Denver/Boulder, and the worst place for singles is Greensboro, NC. The only reason Tampa didn’t rank dead last is because we were 7th in online dating, and 13th in job growth.
The most important factor in this list is the number of singles, or percentage of people 15 or older and never married. Only Las Vegas has fewer than us. Tampa ranks 35th in culture – determined by the number of museums, pro sports teams and live theater and concert venues per capita, as well as the university population. The cost of living alone (Tampa ranked 30th) is determined by the average cost of apartment rent, a Pizza Hut pizza, a movie ticket and a six-pack of Heineken. In nightlife Tampa has the 25th highest number of restaurants, bars and nightclubs per capita listed in AOL CityGuide. We ranked 13th in Job Growth, and Tampa’s best showing was 7th for online dating - the number of active profiles per capita on Match.com. There was also a “coolness” factor. Coolness is determined by diversity and its number of creative workers. The coolness rank is not revealed, but it looks like LA gained 9 spots for cool, while Las Vegas lost 7. Tampa lost 4 spots in that category.
Miami, which beats us in culture, nightlife and number of singles, ranked 10th best, while Orlando ranked 24th and beat us in each category except the cost of pizza & beer. The worst part of the story is that in addition to those 2 Florida cities, such great places as Pittsburgh and Detroit rank higher than Tampa.
I don’t know if I would put much stock into a survey that uses Pizza Hut & Heineken as any indicator of reality. I mean, why wouldn’t you reference the fantastic pedestrian fatality rate, the numerous opportunities for fishing or golfing dates, and the incredible number of strip clubs?
Loading ...
August 7th, 2006 at 7:12 pm
I don’t really know what to say. I’m single, and have been since I moved here after a fantastic social life in Ohio. I hate to stereotype, but I get asked (or my friends get asked, about me) what kind of car I drive (or similar superficial questions) more than I’ve ever experienced in my life. It’s pretty much led me to abandon hanging out in south Tampa. Now I live in Pinellas, and despite my overactive social life and constant cruising to hotspots, I’m still not finding much going on.
Meanwhile, every time I go to Las Vegas (and I just returned) things seem to be a jackpot. Go figure.
I don’t mean to slam the Bay area… it just seems that everywhere (and I’m talking everything from nightclubs to bookstores) I go there’s five men to every one woman. It’s one of the oddest phenomena I’ve ever observed.
August 8th, 2006 at 9:26 am
I find it interesting that football teams constitute culture…
August 8th, 2006 at 11:14 am
Go figure someone asks “what kind of car do you drive” in South Tampa, where pretense is so thick you have to cut it with a sling blade (some folks call it kiser blade, mhmm). That’s why I do my socializing in Ybor.
August 8th, 2006 at 12:27 pm
this whole ‘car’ business is pretty funny considering tampa is basically a cow town, pretty rough around the edges. when someone calls ’soho’ artsy, i have to laugh. what does that mean, exactly? theres really nothing there but a few bars and restaurants.
August 8th, 2006 at 1:33 pm
I dunno, but who eats Pizza Hut pizza? You might as well soak a sponge in olive oil and eat that.
Meanwhile, I think we have plenty of pro sports teams, we have an enormous university population, and we have quite a few museums. Also, we have the best local theater in the Southeast to boot.
I guess it’s not clear if the survey was about Tampa proper or about “Tampa” (aka “Tampa Bay”).
August 8th, 2006 at 4:05 pm
[...] Remember a while back when I posted about being rejected by eHarmony? I was interviewed today by a reporter from the Wall Street Journal about being turned down by eHarmony. Well as it turns out, apparently it sucks to be single in Tampa. Forbes recently listed the best US cities for singles. Tampa ranked 35th of the 40 cities included. The top place was Denver/Boulder, and the worst place for singles is Greensboro, NC. The only reason Tampa didn’t rank dead last is because we were 7th in online dating, and 13th in job growth. [...]
August 8th, 2006 at 7:08 pm
re the student population: maybe, but usf and, worse, ut, add nothing to the area’s cultural offerings. you wdnt even know they are here but for the coeds in the bars of channelside and ybor.
as for museums, all are rather pathetic, except maybe the dali and st pete fine arts, though neither is very big or worth paying admission more than once.
as for best theater? i think sarasota and the coconut grove playhouse in miami might dispute that claim.
August 8th, 2006 at 8:24 pm
Hey, Tim, what kind of car do you drive?
No, really, did you ever think that one seemingly superficial question answers, at lesat in part, the following other questions:
1. Do you have pets?
2. Are we going to be able to take romantic road trips together?
3. What kind of car-sex games can I make you blind with on our first few dates?
4. Can we do sporty, fun activity-things, like drag canoes around and stuff?
5. Will you valet? Without making mob jokes?
6. And, obviously, yes, do you make some kind of decent money, but frankly, who wants to be with a girl who thinks so little of herself she’ll go out with any schmuck without a job?
On the other hand, a lot of dudes around here can’t dress for sh*t and guys in the ‘Burg need to learn about this thing called THE GYM!! YOU GO THERE TO BUILD MUSCLES!! SO YOU DON’T LOOK LIKE A F*CKING TWELVE-YEAR-OLD!!
February 2nd, 2007 at 9:49 am
The survey considered only never-married singles? For a retirement state/area? pffffttt….
August 24th, 2007 at 6:47 pm
Tampa does suck. Ithas turned into a low rent LA. The traffic has become a nightmare. 2 hours plus toget home at night and we are only talking 20 miles. Women will not talk to you unless you are driving a bmw and making over 100k. I am packing to move tonight after my 2 1/2nightly commute. Goodbye and so long to this hell hole of a town.
August 28th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
[...] wrote last year about how Forbes ranked Tampa-St. Pete #35 (of 40) on their list of “best cities to be single.” The most important factor in this list is the number of singles, or percentage of people 15 or [...]
November 5th, 2007 at 6:17 pm
Tampa may be bad and miami is a racist superficial shit hole. However, no place is worst than the entire state of Georgia. This place is absolute scum and the oldest city in georgia is the worse. On the surface it looks like this “wonderful place” but in reality its New orleans #2 and a disaster waiting to happen. No one in my family has Ever met anyone here. So far the only thing i have come across are racists, (gangsta’)ignorant women, lesbians, All about the money degree $$$ women and crackheads. That’s your selection in georgia unless you appreciate women who are the above.
January 25th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Tampa does suck! I have lived in a few worse places but this is bad. Too expensive to live in the city which btw has nothing to offer. Whoa wait, one grocery store! This place blows and I can’t wait to move back to Atlanta! Also good call on the chick factor here, most of the “hot” women don’t live here they are on vacation. Most women here are stuck up, crabby, negeative northern chicks that don’t make shit and are looking for a guy with money beacuse they can’t make it on their own. It’ll be a long wait ladies because most of the “ballers” here are broke dick turds. Don’t even get me started on the workforce either, one word for that “LAZY” ! This does not address all things tampa but pretty much sums it up for me at least.
March 16th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
I guess some of you are here for bitches, not beaches. I’m a 43 year old single white female who makes just over 100k. If you drive a BMW it’s a turn-off to me because I think you may be superficial. I swear 2 out of 3 that drive expensive cars can least afford them. Anyway…I like the Bay Area. The culture is lacking, but the weather is good, the money is good and the beaches are nice.
May 18th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Tampa is great if you are a woman or minority. They are the ones who get the great paying jobs even if they are not qualified for them. I have worked at several large companies in Tampa and every time promotions went to minorities with no degrees and less experience. Tampa companies are hung up on “promoting diversity”.
July 5th, 2008 at 11:11 pm
The nightlife for singles in Tampa Bay is aweful. When you visit cities like Dallas, Denver, Atlanta, etc…you come back here and want to blow your brains out.