US Dating Statistics 2026 — Height, Income, Education & More
This page compiles key US population statistics relevant to dating standards and partner preferences, sourced from the US Census Bureau, CDC NHANES, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Pew Research Center. All figures are from the most recently published government datasets.
US Male Height Statistics
Source: CDC NHANES 2017–2020, measured heights of adult men age 20+
- Average (mean) height of American men: 5 feet 9.2 inches (175.5 cm)
- Percentage of American men 5’10” (178 cm) or taller: approximately 30%
- Percentage of American men 6’0″ (183 cm) or taller: approximately 14.5%
- Percentage of American men 6’2″ (188 cm) or taller: approximately 4%
- Percentage of American men 6’4″ (193 cm) or taller: approximately 1%
US Female Height Statistics
Source: CDC NHANES 2017–2020
- Average (mean) height of American women: 5 feet 3.6 inches (161.5 cm)
- Percentage of American women 5’5″ (165 cm) or taller: approximately 40%
- Percentage of American women 5’7″ (170 cm) or taller: approximately 20%
- Percentage of American women 5’9″ (175 cm) or taller: approximately 6%
US Obesity and Weight Statistics
Source: CDC NHANES 2017–2020 Adult Obesity Facts
- Obesity prevalence in US adult women: 41.9% (BMI ≥ 30)
- Obesity prevalence in US adult men: 43.0% (BMI ≥ 30)
- Average weight of American women: 170.8 lbs (77.5 kg)
- Average weight of American men: 199.8 lbs (90.6 kg)
- Average BMI of American women: 29.6
- Average BMI of American men: 29.1
US Income Statistics
Source: US Census Bureau ACS and Bureau of Labor Statistics Current Population Survey
- Median individual earnings (full-time male workers): approximately $62,000/year
- Median individual earnings (full-time female workers): approximately $52,000/year
- Percentage of US individuals earning $75,000+: approximately 19%
- Percentage of US individuals earning $100,000+: approximately 11%
- Percentage of US individuals earning $150,000+: approximately 4%
- Percentage of US individuals earning $200,000+: approximately 2%
US Education Statistics
Source: US Census Bureau ACS, adults age 25 and older
- High school diploma or equivalent: 91% of US adults
- Bachelor’s degree or higher: 39% of US adults
- Master’s degree or higher: 16% of US adults
- Doctoral or professional degree: 4% of US adults
US Marital Status Statistics
Source: US Census Bureau ACS
- Percentage of US adult women not currently married: approximately 48% (single, divorced, widowed, or never married)
- Percentage of US adult men not currently married: approximately 46%
- Share of US adults who have never married (age 25–54): 38% (up from 23% in 1990) — source: Pew Research Center 2023
US Race and Ethnicity Distribution
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 2022
- White non-Hispanic: 57.6%
- Hispanic or Latino: 18.8%
- Black or African American: 13.4%
- Asian: 6.3%
- Mixed race / Other: 3.0%
- Middle Eastern or North African: approximately 2.0%
- South Asian: approximately 1.5%
Dating and Relationship Statistics
Source: Pew Research Center, 2023 American Trends Panel survey on relationships
- Top trait women seek in a long-term partner: Honesty (88% cite as very important)
- Emotional maturity as important in a partner: 76% of Americans
- Shared values as important: 64% of Americans
- Physical attractiveness as very important: 35% of Americans
- High income as very important in a partner: 25% of Americans
- Share of US adults using online dating: 30% have ever used a dating app or site (Pew Research 2023)
What These Statistics Mean for Dating
These numbers reveal why the Female Delusion Calculator and Male Delusion Calculator produce surprisingly low percentages for seemingly common preferences. The math is straightforward: only 14.5% of men are 6 feet tall. Only 11% of people earn over $100,000. Even before adding any other filters, combining these two criteria already leaves approximately 1.6% of the male population.
Research from Pew Research Center shows that the traits most predictive of relationship success — honesty, emotional maturity, and shared values — are distributed far more evenly across the population than physical attributes. Understanding where your preferences fall in the real statistical distribution can help recalibrate expectations toward standards more likely to lead to lasting relationships.
More calculators: Red Flag Calculator | Age Gap Calculator | Body Count Percentile