Dating apps were once hailed as the digital solution to finding love in a fast-paced world. But for many in Gen-Z and the Millennial crowd, the romance has fizzled. Safety concerns, dating fatigue, and a thirst for authenticity have driven droves of young adults to log off. Now, a new twist in the tale may explain why so many are abandoning the apps: their potential matches may already be married.
A recent YouGov and Institute for Family Studies survey of 2,000 Americans aged 18 to 39 reveals that 11% of married young adults are actively using dating platforms. That’s barely a gap from the 14% of unmarried young adults doing the same. For an app culture built on presumed singlehood, that number has raised more than a few eyebrows—and red flags.
Betsy VanDenBerghe, Deseret News
Alyce Collins, Newsweek
Jaimee Marshall, Evie Magazine
Who Cheats More? The Demographics of Infidelity in America
Male Sexlessness is Rising But Not for the Reasons Incels Claim
Counterintuitive Trends in the Link Between Premarital Sex and Marital Stability
The U.S. Divorce Rate Has Hit a 50-Year Low
Does Sexual History Affect Marital Happiness?
(434) 326-7583
info@ifstudies.org
P.O. Box 1502
Charlottesville, VA 22902
© 2025 Institute for Family Studies
© 2025 Institute for Family Studies
Interested in learning more about the work of the Institute for Family Studies? Please feel free to contact us by using your preferred method detailed below.
P.O. Box 1502
Charlottesville, VA 22902
(434) 260-1048
For media inquiries, contact Chris Bullivant (chris@ifstudies.org).
We encourage members of the media interested in learning more about the people and projects behind the work of the Institute for Family Studies to get started by perusing our "Media Kit" materials.