11 Ways Dating in Seattle Is Different Than Any Other City

For better or (much, much) worse, dating in Seattle isn’t like dating in any other city. Seriously, whether it’s the constant single shade of gray or the fact that we’re just too laid-back, there’s no place tougher to find the one… or even just someone to spend our nine months of winter with. Here’s what you’re up against:

Flickr/Dennis Hamilton

The endless gloom will affect your dating life

Seattle is the most overcast city in... well, the universe probably, and the weather will affect your personal life in several ways: the lack of sunshine can make you depressed; studies suggest people in warmer cities are more friendly, which certainly helps when you're looking for someone to get "friendly" with; and it's hard to meet anyone when most of the city will be at home in sweat pants watching Castle reruns until May.
 

You’re going to be lonely

A recent survey suggests that Seattle's the fifth loneliest city in America, mostly because even though everyone is very friendly... not one really wants to make new friends.

Bradley Foster/Thrillist

Sorry girls, guys won’t ask you out

According to women, it's because Seattle guys are all awkward, passive aggressive losers who don't know how to talk to women. And they may be right, but a more charitable explanation may have something to do with Seattle's traditional Northern European reserve; the fact we're simply too polite to aggressively approach women; or that we are too busy enjoying the great outdoors to date. Yeah, we don't believe the last one either.
 

Sorry guys, there aren’t any "pretty" girls

It's a myth that there aren't any attractive women in Seattle, BUT it certainly seems true until about late April when the weather starts to get nice, at which point they start to do things like wear make up/heels/something other than jeans.

Wikimedia/Robert Scheuerman

Yes, Amazon is ruining dating

More than two-thirds of Amazon's employees are men, and the company is in the midst of adding tens of thousands of workers in Seattle, which is just one reason why the number of single men per 100 single women in the city has gone from 119 to 130 in the last four years.
 

You’d better like technology...

Hey ladies, most of those single guys that tilt the ratio so favorably in your direction work at tech companies, and they're very happy to tell you about it. 
 

... ‘cause you’ll probably be using it to get a date

Few cities use dating sites/apps at the rate Seattle does, so if you don't have a few dating profiles then you don't have a chance. 

Instagram/@hilliardsbeer

A beer crawl is a perfectly acceptable date

Here's the good news: Seattle has more breweries than anywhere (even Portland depending on how you add 'em up), and they make a for sweet/low-key date spots, so why not hit a few without leaving the same neighborhood.
 

Even with three million people in the metro, you’re lucky if there’s one degree of separation

Sure, the dating pool seems deep, but once you start sorting people based on age, education, interests, etc., it starts to look really shallow. Seattle is the smallest big city in the country, a place where everybody seems to know everybody, so don't be surprised if your date turns out to be your roommate's ex's little sister/brother.
 

Din’t hear from your date? Don’t worry about it.

Seriously, they probably didn't want to impose. Ring 'em up and ask 'em out again... and hey, have you seen the weather lately? It's not like you can get MORE depressed than you are already, so who cares if they blow you off?

Wikimedia/Tradnor at the English language Wikipedia

Don’t you dare date someone across the lake

Dating someone within 15 miles of Downtown Seattle? That's nothing! Until someone from Redmond right swipes you and you realize you're in a long-distance relationship. Good luck.

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