Love and relationships are difficult to understand. We all need them, but sometimes they can make our heads explode with confusion and uncertainty. As relationship statistics reveal, love is still the main reason for marriage in the US. And with divorce rates declining, there’s still hope for love and all the romantics out there.
To make love and relationships less complicated and confusing, we have compiled this list of statistics and facts proving that your true love is waiting for you in 2022. Without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the most interesting figures and facts about relationships.
The Top 10 Statistics About Relationships
- The majority of people decide if they’re attracted to someone within the first 3 seconds of meeting them.
- There is a 60% chance that your long-distance relationship will succeed.
- Around 71% of people believe in love at first sight.
- 48% of men fall in love at first sight.
- According to relationship abuse statistics, close to 1.5 million high school students in the US fall victim to such violence.
- About 33% of people who date online end up in a relationship.
- Relationship statistics on breakups show that 70% of unmarried straight couples break up after one year.
- Dating someone for 3 months will most likely turn into a serious relationship.
- Some romantic relationship statistics indicate that holding hands with your partner relieves stress and pain.
- Couples in healthy relationships have at least one fight per week.
Basic Relationship Statistics for 2022
Let’s start this article on a positive note — it’s more than enough that we had a rocky start in 2021. Here are some things you probably didn’t know when it comes to how relationships begin and affect us.
1. The majority of people decide if they’re attracted to someone within the first 3 seconds of meeting them.
(FactRetriever)
In 1999, a rabbi from LA invented speed dating. He designed it in a way that mixes the Jewish tradition of chaperoned gatherings of young Jewish singles.
Since then, scientists have observed more than 10,000 speed data centers and concluded that the first seconds are crucial for attraction between two people.
2. Funny relationship statistics reveal that watching romantic movies lowers the divorce rate by 50%.
(Cracked)
A study has discovered that watching and discussing a chick flick that deals with relationship problems with your partner can lower your chances of divorce. Researchers also claim that this method is as effective as going to a marriage counselor but far cheaper.
3. Some romantic relationship statistics indicate that holding hands with your partner relieves stress and pain.
(Bored Panda)
Long-term couples who have a deep connection can soothe each other in highly stressful situations by merely holding hands. Additionally, researchers have found that even looking at a picture of the person you love can relieve your pain.
4. About 33% of people who date online end up in a relationship.
(FactRetriever)
33% don’t get into a relationship at all, and 33% give up altogether. According to some stats on relationships, women are afraid they will meet a serial killer in the online dating world.
This is possible since 3% of men are psychopaths, and a small number of that percentage are also serial killers.
Conversely, the biggest fear men have is meeting someone who is overweight.
5. Relationship statistics reveal that men have 1 hour to leave an impression on a woman.
(Visual.ly)
At the same time, women have only 15 minutes to impress a man. Furthermore, 30% of people favor personality over looks when it comes to first dates.
23% of daters prefer good looks and a beautiful smile, while 14% appreciate a good sense of humor.
6. Around 71% of people believe in love at first sight.
(Visual.ly)
A quarter of daters believe that flirting by touch is effective, and 51% of surveyed single people say that flattering them is the best way to attract someone’s attention.
Relation Stats to Make Your Day
Love is nice. Love is fuzzy. Love can save the world. Even our pandemic-ridden world, and here is why relationships are indeed holding our society together:
7. 48% of men fall in love at first sight.
(Reader’s Digest)
Statistics have revealed that men fall in love faster than women. In fact, 48% of men fall in love at first sight, while this is the case for only 28% of the female population. Moreover, men also crave romance more than women do.
8. There is a 60% chance that your long-distance relationship will succeed.
(Relationship Hub)
Despite being way more complicated than a traditional relationship. However, with a lot of patience, trust, love, and communication, any long-distance relationship can succeed.
9. Close to 4 in every 10 adults claim that interracial marriages are good for society, according to interracial relationship statistics.
(Pew Research Center)
Approximately 39% of US adults believe that mixed marriages are good for society, compared to only 24% in 2010. Moreover, Americans today are also less likely to oppose a close relative marrying someone of a different race. Only 10% of US adults would object to this kind of marriage, compared to 31% in 2000.
10. About 59% of US adults believe that the internet is an excellent place to meet someone.
(The Date Mix)
The stigma of online dating is slowly but surely beginning to fade. Romantic relationship statistics for 2021 show that the majority of people are now open to this possibility. In 2005, only 44% of surveyed Americans believed that online dating was a suitable way of meeting someone.
11. Tinder relationship statistics reveal that close to 80% of Tinder members use the app to find a long-term relationship.
(Dating Sites Reviews)
However, just 25% of them have had success in their search. Only 13% of members had relationships that lasted more than a month.
Despite this, dating app stats show that 66.4% of gay users and 62.1% of lesbian users still believe that Tinder can lead to a long-term relationship.
12. Relationship statistics indicate that 74% of people believe that the internet has a positive impact on their relationship.
(The Date Mix)
Furthermore, 21% of surveyed adults claim that they feel closer to their partner because of their conversations via text messages. In contrast, 9% reveal that text messages enabled them to resolve a conflict that they couldn’t settle in person.
Furthermore, 27% of internet users believe the internet influenced their relationship. The vast majority of them claim that this impact was positive.
13. Couples in healthy relationships have at least one fight per week.
(Your Tango)
Scientists claim that having arguments is healthy and that couples who fight more are happier. They claim that angry but honest conversations make couples more satisfied in the long run.
However, to maintain a positive relationship, statistics show that 90% of these couples never curse at their partners, which means that fighting with a partner isn’t equal to disrespecting them.
14. More than 61% of the same-sex couples who live together are married.
(Pew Research Center)
Marriage statistics reveal that support for same-sex marriage has grown immensely over the last few years. In 2017, only 10% of LGBT couples were married, compared to today’s 61%.
Stats on relationships show that millennials and Gen Zers are the ones most responsible for changing the views on same-sex marriage.
Over half of the Millennials and Gen Z population claim that allowing same-sex marriages is good for society. In 2007, 54% of the population opposed this type of marriage. Today, 62% of the US population supports it.
Unhealthy Relationship Statistics to Keep in Mind
Ok, let’s get serious for a couple of minutes and look into what happens when things between people turn ugly. Although the topic of relationship abuse is still considered taboo, it is crucial to talk about it.
It is worrying that we’re in 2022, and some states still don’t recognize relationship abuse as domestic violence. So, here are some awareness-raising relationship stats to shed light on this matter.
15. A staggering 57% of people admit that they have felt fearful or uncomfortable at some point in their current relationship.
(Aware)
Even though emotional abuse is much more difficult to recognize, it can be just as damaging as physical abuse. Verbal assaults, demeaning comments, humiliation, and isolation of the victim from their friends and family are only some forms of emotional abuse.
16. According to relationship abuse statistics, close to 1.5 million high school students in the US fall victim to such violence.
(Loveisrespect.org)
Statistics show that physical abuse in relationships is alarmingly common. Namely, 1 in 3 adolescents is a victim of emotional, verbal, sexual, or physical abuse in their current relationship. At the same time, 1 in 10 has been slapped, hit, or hurt physically by their current partner.
17. Relationship violence statistics reveal that every minute, 24 people in the US are raped, physically abused, and stalked by their intimate partner.
(The National Domestic Violence Hotline)
More than 12 million men and women in the US have experienced some form of abuse by their intimate partners. One in every four women and one in every seven men over 18 are physically abused by their partner.
18. 8 states in the US don’t include dating relationships in domestic abuse.
(Healthy and Unhealthy Relationships)
As abusive relationship statistics show, this is the main reason why a significant number of young victims of dating abuse can’t file for a restraining order. Only New Hampshire law allows minors of all ages to apply for a protection order. At the same time, half of the states don’t specify the minimum age of the petitioner.
19. Approximately 20% of men and 13% of women cheat.
(IFS)
Research shows that men are generally more likely to engage in infidelity than women. Furthermore, cheating statistics reveal that the partner’s age can influence infidelity. And among married adults aged 18 to 29, women are more likely to cheat than men—11% versus 10%.
Moreover, chances for cheating increase with age, so women in their 60s have a 16% infidelity rate. In comparison, men in their 70s have a 26% infidelity rate, which is the highest cheating rate among all age groups.
20. Negative relationship statistics reveal that close to 14% of adults admit to going through their partner’s social media to find signs of infidelity.
(McKinley Irvin)
In addition to this, 25% of all couples fight about Facebook at least once a week. This social network is also the number one source for online divorce evidence, as 81% of attorneys have searched social media for evidence in divorce litigations claim.
21. According to open relationship statistics, between 4% and 5% of heterosexual couples are in this type of relationship.
(PsychAlive)
People in open relationships and marriages give each other permission to be polygamous, i.e., have multiple partners. The only way for this to function is through honest communication and the command of unhealthy emotions such as jealousy, the desire to control, and victimization.
22. Rebound relationship statistics show that 90% of such relationships fail in the first three months.
(Lifehack)
The same research has discovered that rebound relationships have only one psychological purpose: to help the brokenhearted person move on and forget about their ex more quickly. Consequently, rebound relationships have meager chances of turning into something more serious.
23. Researchers have discovered that romantic love lasts only one year.
(Fact Factories)
According to the latest depressing relationship statistics, the main reason for this is the nerve growth factor. It is a hormone that increases initially but decreases as the relationship progresses, i.e., when people start feeling more comfortable and safe. Of course, this doesn’t mean that love disappears after one year, just that the relationship is entering a new phase. Even though people claim that the romantic love stage is the best part of a relationship, the period that follows is even better.
Relationship Statistics by Age
People enter relationships very young, and (un)surprisingly, the relationship’s quality can depend on the age you met your partner in. Here are several stats to paint the picture of how relationships differ in high school, college, and so on.
24. About 80% of men date women who are, on average, 5 years younger than them.
(Grab Stats)
Cliche or not — most men like younger women, and that most women seek older men. The average age gap for both genders is five years. Moreover, 76% of women date men who are at least five years older than them.
25. Teen relationship statistics show that only 35% of teenagers aged 13 to 17 have experience with relationships.
(HHS)
Moreover, only 19% of teenagers are currently in a relationship. The statistics also reveal that adolescents today don’t date as often as they used to. Only 14% of 12th graders didn’t date in 1991, compared to 38% in 2013.
26. Nearly 8% of all teenagers have dated someone they met online, according to the teenage relationship statistics.
(Pew Research Center)
Teens are the least likely age group to date online. Only 24% of all teenagers in the dating world have dated someone they met on the internet. However, 76% of all teens dated people they met in real life, while 57% started a friendship online.
27. High school sweetheart marriage statistics show that approximately 14% of couples meet in high school.
(Brandon Gaille)
Unfortunately, these high school relationship statistics will disappoint those who believe their high school love will last forever. It’s just a fact that high school sweethearts usually don’t last long and that only a small percent of them succeed.
28. An astounding 63% of college men admit they want to be in a traditional relationship, as suggested by college relationship statistics.
(The Atlantic)
Additionally, 83% of college women want the same, but they still engage in short-term, casual relationships. The reason for this is their focus on academic and career goals.
Consequently, between 60% and 80% of all college students engage in hookups instead of traditional relationships.
29. Millennial relationship statistics show that 87% of millennials want to be in a lifelong relationship.
(Relate)
Even though 13% of relationships don’t last, millennials still seek love. Even though almost half of their marriages end in divorce, 85% of millennials believe that meeting a soul mate in their twenties is realistic. Meanwhile, 75% of people aged 45 to 55 believe that too.
30. Close to 8% of all married heterosexual couples have an age gap of 10 years or more.
(The Conversation)
In the majority of cases, such couples comprise of an older man and a younger woman. However, older woman/younger man relationship statistics reveal that 1% of these couples involve a more aged woman who partners with a younger man.
31. There is a significant age gap in 25% of male-male unions.
(The Conversation)
In addition to this, 15% of female-female unions also display a rather large age gap. The evidence on same-sex unions is limited, but the prevalence is much higher, as the age gap relationship statistics show. The majority of the population partners up with people close to them because their social circles tend to include people of similar ages and interests.
32. The smaller the age gap, the less likely the couple is to divorce.
(Business Insider)
When it comes to couples with an age gap of one year, the risk of divorce is only 3% higher than their same-age counterparts. However, a 5-year age difference increases this number to 18%, and for couples with a 10-year age gap, the divorce rate chance is at 39%.
Relationship Length Statistics
This is a very individual thing, but different research revealed several patterns in relationship length. Statistics on relationships show that it can be influenced by various factors such as the relationship itself’s age, and nature, so let’s find out more.
33. The average length of a relationship for people in their 20s is 4.2 years.
(Vice)
Of course, these years are not always consecutive, and 60% of people in this age group experience at least one on-again, off-again relationship. Furthermore, researchers have discovered that poor peer relationships affect the whole generation. It means that if a person’s peers have fewer relationships, they also have higher chances of having fewer and shorter relationships.
34. Relationship statistics on breakups show that 70% of unmarried straight couples break up after one year.
(Hack Spirit)
Scientists have shown that it’s much easier to fall in love than to stay in love. However, they have also discovered that couples who have been together for at least five years have only a 20% chance of breaking up.
35. Dating someone for 3 months will most likely turn into a serious relationship.
(The Date Mix)
Statistics on relationships lasting for three months report that these couples have good chances of being together for at least four years. In addition to this, couples who hit the 6-month milestone are more likely to discuss marriage. 56% of men and 54% of women who have been in a relationship for six months or more are open to discussing this topic.
FAQs
What is the percentage of breakups?
(Psychology Today)
Research shows that, on average, 40% of marriages end in divorce, and the statistics are even higher when it comes to relationships. Relationships require a lot of work, commitment, and trust. Many factors can ruin a healthy relationship. Selfishness, narcissism, rage, and infidelity are the leading causes of breakups and divorce.
What percentage of relationships are happy?
(PR Newswire)
According to the survey, 64% of US adults are in a happy relationship. In contrast, men and millennials are the ones who are satisfied the most. The study also reveals that more than 50% of Americans are satisfied with their sex lives.
How many relationships does the average person have?
(Her)
Statistics show that before they find “the one,” women go through three relationships that last a year or less and two relationships that last over a year. Men go through four relationships that last a year or less, and two relationships lasting longer than a year. Moreover, before they find true love, women kiss 15 different people, while men kiss 16.
The Bottom Line
Every relationship has its ups and downs and requires a lot of patience, trust, and commitment. Some of these relationship statistics are scary, such as the chances of going through a divorce or being cheated on, but finding love is still worth a shot.
Sources:
- Aware
- Bored Panda
- Brandon Gaille
- Business Insider
- Cracked
- Dating Sites Reviews
- Fact Factories
- FactRetriever
- Grab Stats
- Hack Spirit
- Healthy and Unhealthy Relationships
- Her
- HHS
- IFS
- Lifehack
- Loveisrespect.org
- McKinley Irvin
- Pew Research Center
- Pew Research Center
- Pew Research Center
- PR Newswire
- PsychAlive
- Psychology Today
- Reader’s Digest
- Relate
- Relationship Hub
- The Atlantic
- The Conversation
- The Date Mix
- The National Domestic Violence Hotline
- Vice
- Visual.ly
- Your Tango
