Last year we discussed the Forbes.com analysis of the best cities for singles in America. They take the 40 largest cities in the country, as defined by the 2000 U.S. Census, and grade them based on a list of criteria. Here are the factors by which each city was ranked, along with how Phoenix was rated for that category:
Forbes.com Criteria for Best Cities for Singles
1- Number of singles (age 15 or older that has never been married)
Phoenix ranked 30 out of 40
2- Number of restaurants, bars, and nightclubs
Phoenix ranked 11 out of 40
3- Number of museums, pro sports teams, and live theaters, as well as the university population
Phoenix ranked 11 out of 40
4- Diversity and number of creative workers (those whose jobs require creativity, such as artists, scientists, teachers and musicians)
Phoenix ranked 23 out of 40
5- Projected percentage of job growth over the next five years
Phoenix ranked 3 out of 40
6- Average cost of apartment rent, a Pizza Hut pizza, a movie ticket and a six-pack of Heineken.
Phoenix ranked 6 out of 40
So What Were the Results?
Same as last year, Phoenix received high ratings based on expected job growth and cost of living for singles.
Phoenix jumped in the rankings by the largest number of any city in the top 40--from 21 last year to 7 this year. Even though the ranking was good this year, I still am skeptical. The comment about the nightlife involved Alice Cooper'stown and Jenna Jameson. Well, Alice Cooper has had his restaurant downtown for about five years now--did they just notice it? And the fact that Jenna Jameson lives here makes the city a cool place? Suffice it to say that this isn't the most scientific of research studies, but it is interesting anyway!
So, which city came in at number 1? The Denver-Boulder metro area in Colorado got the nod this year. You can see the Forbes.com rankings of the largest 40 cities here.
Find Out About Being Single in Other Cities Covered by About
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