For the under-35 set, more than half have tried it.
The overall number, which amounts to 30%, is unchanged since 2019, the last time the center took a broad look at online dating. In 2015, 15% of U.S. adults said they had used a dating site or app, said lead researcher Colleen McClain.
"When we talk to users who have been on the sites more recently, we see that there is really a mix of emotions,” she said. “Everything from burnout to elation." Among the study's key takeaways for McClain: 1 in 10 adults who have a partner said they met their current significant other on a dating site or app. The number rises to 1 in 5 for those under 30.
Asked about their reasons for using the platforms, 44% of current or recent users had finding a long-term partner top of mind, with 40% responding that they wanted to date casually. Twenty-four percent were in search of casual sex and 22% were hunting for new friends.
Using dating sites and apps is most popular among adults under 30, Pew reported, with 53% saying they have done it. That compares with 37% of those ages 30 to 49; 20% of those 50 to 64; and 13% of those 65 and older.
Atlanta firefighter Andy Giron, 33, is among the pleasantly surprised. He said he had always considered digital dating "a little weird" until recently.
Giron had just gotten out of a long-term relationship in 2019 when he decided to give Tinder a try for some casual dating. That didn't work out after a couple of times but he hit gold on Hinge a short time later.
"My wife was my first date on Hinge," he said. "She was so easy to talk to and we had a lot in common. There was an immediate connection when we first met in person."
The two married six months later, soon after the COVID-19 pandemic hit. They now have a year-old daughter. Giron was inspired to turn to online dating by his sister, who found her spouse the same way.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
NEW JERSEY OFFSHORE WIND FARM CLEARS BIG FEDERAL HURDLE AMID ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS
The federal government gave a key approval this week to an offshore wind farm in New Jersey, even as residents in the town where its power cable would come ashore worry it could go through underground toxic waste that’s still being cleaned up.
AUSTRALIA'S ONLINE DATING INDUSTRY ADOPTS CODE OF CONDUCT TO KEEP USERS SAFER
A code of conduct will be enforced on the online dating industry to better protect Australian users after research found that three-in-four people suffer some form of sexual violence through the platforms, Australia’s government said this week.
PARENTS WILL HAVE TO SET ASIDE SOME EARNINGS FOR CHILD INFLUENCERS UNDER NEW CALIFORNIA LAWS
Parents in California who profit from social media posts featuring their children will be required to set aside some earnings for their minor influencers under a pair of measures signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
WARREN BUFFETT BUYS REST OF BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY'S UTILITIES.BUT INVESTORS MUST GUESS AT THE PRICE
Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway is buying the rest of its utility unit from the estate of a longtime board member who died three years ago, but it’s not clear exactly how much it will pay for that 8% stake in the massive utility business.
SPACEX LAUNCHES RESCUE MISSION FOR 2 NASA ASTRONAUTS WHO ARE STUCK IN SPACE UNTIL NEXT YEAR
SpaceX launched a rescue mission for the two stuck astronauts at the International Space Station, sending up a downsized crew to bring them home but not until next year.
TESLA POSTS FIRST QUARTERLY INCREASE IN DELIVERIES, BUT SHARES SLUMP WITH INVESTORS HOPING FOR MORE
Low interest financing, sweet lease deals, price cuts and free charging boosted Tesla’s global deliveries in the third quarter, the first increase this year for the electric vehicle maker.
ARKANSAS SUES YOUTUBE OVER CLAIMS THAT THE SITE IS FUELING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS
Arkansas sued YouTube and parent company Alphabet this week, saying the video-sharing platform is made deliberately addictive and fueling a mental health crisis among youth in the state.
EPIC GAMES SUES GOOGLE AND SAMSUNG OVER PHONE SETTINGS, ACCUSING THEM OF VIOLATING ANTITRUST LAWS
Video game maker Epic Games sued Google and Samsung this week, accusing the tech companies of coordinating to block third-party competition in application distribution on Samsung devices.
JAPANESE SPONSORS TOYOTA BRIDGESTONE AND PANASONIC END OLYMPIC CONTRACTS
The International Olympic Committee’s three major Japanese sponsors — Toyota, Panasonic and Bridgestone — are terminating their contracts.
SATELLITE SERVICE DIRECTV BUYS RIVAL DISH AS IT FIGHTS THE ONSLAUGHT OF STREAMING SERVICES
DirecTV is buying Dish and Sling, a deal it has sought to complete for years, as the company seeks to better compete against streaming services that have become dominant.
