For those out there looking for love in the state that sells itself as the place for lovers, the search for a romantic partner can seem daunting during the COVID-19 pandemic. Knowing the best places to find other singles in Virginia could be the ticket to making a love connection this Valentine’s Day.

About half of Virginia residents age 20 or older—or nearly 3,000,000 Virginians—were single in 2019. This number includes individuals who have never been married, as well as those who were separated, divorced, or widowed. It also includes people who are living together without being married; in Virginia about 6% of households are unmarried-couple households.

COVID-19 has had a big impact on how we couple up. Last year, there were fewer marriages (and fewer divorces) as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. But online dating has been surging, and people are still looking for love.

Where the Single People Are

For those looking for love this Valentine’s Day, we’ve used data from the U.S. Census Bureau to find the cities and counties in Virginia with the greatest share of single residents. We’ve broken the data out by age cohorts or generations.

For Millennials (ages 20 to 34), Virginia’s small college towns, such as Lexington and Williamsburg, hold out the most promise for meeting fellow singles. In the City of Lexington, for example, 93% of 20-to-34 year olds are single. In Williamsburg, the share is nearly 90%.

Top 5 Places to Find Love: Millennials

Virginia’s Gen X’ers (ages 35 to 54) should head to the state’s southern border, where about two-thirds of 35-to-54 year olds in Brunswick County and Greensville County are single. (See note below.) The Richmond region—specifically the cities of Petersburg and Richmond—also have high shares of single Gen X’ers. More than 8 out of 10 35-to-54 year olds in these cities are single.

Top 5 Places to Find Love: Gen X’ers

Single Baby Boomers (age 55 and older) looking for love should also head to the Richmond area. Nearly 7 out of 10 Boomers in the City of Petersburg are single, and 63.5% of Richmond’s Baby Boomers are single. College towns are also a good option for single Boomers, particularly Radford and Lexington, where more than 60% of residents age 55 and older are single.

Top 5 Places for Love: Baby Boomers

For more data on Virginia, why not spend your Valentine’s Day checking out Virginia REALTORS^® Research & Statistics webpage! Or, don’t hesitate to connect if you need more information.