Looking for Love

New study has great news for Texans who are single and ready to mingle

Texas is the third best state for singles, according to this report.

Photo by Morsa Images

What's involved in finding love? According to WalletHub, it's not just the number of singles in your area but also the cost of living, number of attractions available, and even the price of beer and wine and a haircut.

These and 24 other metrics were ranked by the personal finance website to determine a list of the best states for singles — and good news for Texans, because we're near the top.

Texas ranks as the third best state for singles, scoring high marks for "dating opportunities" (No. 6) and "romance and fun" (No. 5), with a still respectable No. 17 for "dating economics."

To break down those categories, dating opportunities includes things such as a state's share of single adults, online dating participation, and gender balance of singles by age group (clearly this study is geared toward heteronormative dating).

Dating economics ranks median annual household income, the cost of a movie ticket, and that all-important dating credential: credit score.

Romance and fun is where Texas really shines, tying for first place with restaurants and movie theaters per capita. Also studied were nightlife options per capita; the vague "number of attractions" (meaning everything except nightlife options, like museums, cultural performances, and zoos); and the cyber crime rate for online dating safety.

So where else do singles have the best shot at dating? Florida is No. 1, followed by California at No. 2, with New York and Pennsylvania rounding out the top five.

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Texas ranks 3rd in new list of states obsessed with Halloween

Pumpkin Nights/Facebook

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Is Halloween overtaking Christmas for most popular holiday? Sure seems like it in Texas, which just earned top-5 status in a new study of the U.S. states that are the most into the Halloween spirit.

When it comes to doing up the spookiest holiday of the year, the Lone Star State comes in as the third-most Halloween-obsessed state in America.

The report by outdoor furniture retailer Backyard Oasis ranked all 50 states based on an analysis of search results for Halloween costumes, decor, candy, haunted houses, upcoming Halloween events, and more. State populations were also factored into the rankings to ensure the scores were "accurately comparable."

Texas ranked No. 3 with a composite score of 48.16 points, beat only by California who ruled the list at No. 1, and New York which came in at No. 2, earning gilded costume crowns as the top two most Halloween-enthusiastic states.

According to the study's data, Texas is home to 47 haunted houses, many of which are located right here in Dallas-Fort Worth. The state has more than 75 Spirit Halloween stores in 2024, including nearly 30 in DFW, a dozen in Houston, half a dozen in Austin, and four in San Antonio.

Looking outside of DFW, there are approximately 3,000 Halloween-related events happening all around the state in October.

Many trick-or-treaters dream of getting full size candy bars for Halloween, but in a surprising twist, the study found that the most popular Halloween candy in Texas is actually Sour Patch Kids. The sour-then-sweet candy is also highly popular in New York and Illinois, the report says.

Here's how Backyard Oasis broke down the rest of Texas' score:

9,314,440 – Halloween costume searches in October 2023
1,168,320 – Halloween decoration searches
445,670 – Halloween candy searches

Backyard Oasis CEO Andy Wu said in the report that the spirit of Halloween isn't just about giving out candy or dressing up in fun costumes, it's about sharing in a "tradition that sparks creativity and joy across the U.S."

"Halloween is one of the most exciting times of the year, bringing people together through creativity and celebration," said Wu. "It's amazing to see how different states embrace the holiday in their own unique ways, from massive costume searches to thrilling haunted houses."

The top 10 most Halloween-obsessed states are:

No. 1 – California
No. 2 – New York
No. 3 – Texas
No. 4 – Florida
No. 5 – Illinois
No. 6 – Ohio
No. 7 – Pennsylvania
No. 8 – Indiana
No. 9 – Michigan
No. 10 – Massachusetts

The least spooky state in the U.S. is Wyoming, which came in at No. 50, joined by nearby states Montana and South Dakota. New Mexico (No. 46) and Vermont (No. 47) were the other two states on the list's bottom five.

The full report can be found on backyardoas.com.

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