Online Dating in 2025
New research by SSRS shows the growing importance of dating apps in the social lives of Americans. Nearly two-thirds of young adults aged 18-29 have used online dating platforms, and shared family values turn out to be a key factor when choosing a partner. The survey results shed light on the evolution of modern interpersonal relationships.Scale of the Phenomenon - Dating Apps at the Center of Social Life
The latest survey conducted by SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus on February 7-9, 2025 on a representative sample of 2,016 American adults reveals the scale of dating app penetration in American society. 39% of American adults admit they have ever used online dating sites or apps, while 7% actively use them currently.Particularly striking differences are seen in the generational breakdown. Among the youngest adult group aged 18-29, as many as 65% have had experience with dating platforms, and 16% currently use them. The 30-49 age group also shows high usage rates - 49% have had contact with this type of service.
The demographic profile of current users shows a dominance of men (57%) over women (38%). The age structure indicates that 40% of current users are 18-29, 44% fall in the 30-49 range, while only 12% are aged 50-64, and just 4% are over 65.
Dating App Landscape - Tinder Dominates Among Young People
Analysis of platform preferences reveals a clear leadership of Tinder, which 46% of all dating service users have used. Next in line are Plenty of Fish with 29%, Bumble with 26%, and Match with 25%.
App preferences show a strong correlation with user age. Among 18-29-year-olds, Tinder's dominance is overwhelming - 73% of users in this age group have used the platform, and 45% chose Bumble. Users aged 30-49 still prefer Tinder (46%), but Plenty of Fish appears in second place (36%).
Older age groups show different preferences. Among users aged 50-64, the leader is Match with 45%, followed by Plenty of Fish (37%) and eHarmony (35%). The oldest group, 65+, prefers Match (42%) and eHarmony (32%), with as many as 38% of this group using platforms outside the mainstream.
Family Values Key to Dating Success
The survey of factors determining partner compatibility online brings surprising conclusions about user priorities. 57% of respondents indicate sharing similar family values as the most important factor when choosing a potential partner. This significantly exceeds other criteria, such as similar political beliefs (33%), religious or spiritual beliefs (31%), and shared hobbies and interests (30%).
Interestingly, the least important factor turns out to be similar income level - only 12% of users consider it very important. This suggests that contemporary online dating focuses more on value compatibility than material status.
"Sharing family values was the top reported issue among all groups by gender, race, ethnicity, age, and political identification" - according to the SSRS report.
Gender Differences in Dating Preferences
Analysis of gender differences reveals significant variations in approach to partner selection criteria. Women much more often than men attach importance to family values - 66% of women consider this factor very important, compared to 49% of men.
Women also show greater sensitivity to political compatibility (39% vs. 26% of men) and religious and spiritual compatibility (39% vs. 24% of men). In turn, men more often attach importance to physical attractiveness - 32% of men consider it very important, compared to 23% of women. Interestingly, among men, physical attractiveness ranks second after family values.
Importance of Age in Dating Preferences
Young adults aged 18-29 much more often than older users attach importance to similar age of a potential partner. 48% of this group consider similar age very important, compared to only 15% of users over 30.
This may suggest that young people seek partners at a similar life stage, while older individuals are more open to intergenerational relationships.
Survey Context and Methodology
The survey was conducted by SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus on a representative national sample with a margin of error of +/-2.7 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.
The project was led by John M. Benson, a public opinion researcher with over thirty years of experience and author of more than 100 publications in renowned scientific journals.
"The SSRS Opinion Panel is a multimode panel encompassing web and phone surveys, ensuring representation by age, gender, race, ethnicity, education, region, and party identification" - explains SSRS methodology.
Implications for the Future of Online Dating
The survey results suggest that online dating has become a mainstream way of meeting partners, especially among younger generations. However, success on these platforms increasingly depends on deeper value compatibility rather than superficial traits.
The growing importance of shared family values, alongside declining importance of material factors, may indicate an evolution of social expectations toward relationships. Dating platforms will likely need to adapt their algorithms to these trends, placing greater emphasis on worldview compatibility.
SSRS
SSRS is a full-service research firm specializing in market research and public opinion polling. The company applies state-of-the-art research methodologies and has an industry-leading team of experts. It offers groundbreaking research solutions, including the SSRS Opinion Panel, Encipher, and SSRS Sports Poll. Areas of specialization include healthcare and health policy, public opinion, political and election polling, consumer trends, and sports and entertainment.
