Why So Lonely, Maryland? A Valentine's Day Ranking Roundup

At BetMaryland, we decided to take a break from Maryland sports betting to look at which states are the loneliest on Valentine’s Day, which is coming up quick on Feb. 14. To do so, we utilized Google Trends to look at what states are searching for the most popular dating apps “Tinder,” “Bumble” and “Hinge” on Feb. 14 the past three years.

Our findings? Maryland came in seventh. Maybe because it’s the Free State, so many people are free. But I think it’s the crabs. The state is obsessed with them. People looking for romance, aren’t.

With T-shirt slogans such as “Don't bother me, I'm crabby,” “Maryland is for crabs,” “Marylanders are shellfish,” and “I came for the crab cakes, but all I got was crabs,” none of it screams romantic walks around Baltimore Harbor.

Call me crazy?

Loneliest States On Valentine's Day

Rank	State	Dating App Interest on Feb. 14 Ranking*
1	Massachusetts	9
2	Oregon	16.3
3	Connecticut	17.3
4	Washington	17.6
5	California	18
6	New York	18.7
7	Maryland	20.1
8	Colorado	20.3
9	Utah	20.4
10	Nebraska	21.1

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If You Didn't Know...

Ask a prospective date to a professional sports event this winter and you may get the fisheye. The Capitals are struggling, the Wizards are struggling, and although the Orioles are on the rise, in the tough AL East, they may soon be struggling on Maryland betting apps.

In a survey by WalletHub, Columbia, Md., came in as one of the worst cities for singles in the country. Out of 182 ranked cities, Columbia finished 177. Baltimore came in at 81.

Loneliness is so epidemic in the Terrapin state that University of Maryland professor Dr. Marisa Franco recently wrote a book about it called "Platonic: How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make — and Keep — Friends," published last September.

Prof. Franco is even teaching a University Honors class called The Loneliness Crisis: Origins & Solutions, which looks at why people are lonely and what to do to be less lonely.

According to the Maryland student newspaper The Diamondback, Franco says that even when putting oneself out there for a connection, don’t expect quick results.

“Your first interaction will probably [be] awkward, and you’ll feel weary and weird, but that doesn’t mean this isn’t a friend to invest in, isn’t a group to stay a part of,” Franco told the paper. “Join a club, join it for three months, and then shoot your shot with someone in the club.”

We're behind you, Maryland residents.

Author

Howard Gensler

@DNTattle

Howard Gensler is a veteran journalist who’s worked at the Philadelphia Daily News, TV Guide and the Philadelphia Inquirer and is a founding editor of bettorsinsider.com.