Quantcast
RELATED

As we say farewell to the exuberant highs and difficult lows of 2023, and make peace with the promising lovers that didn’t quite pan out as envisioned, let’s look forward to the endless possibilities the new year awaits.

If you’ve been yearning for a meaningful, healthy love, ripe with green flags–hoping that 2024 cements the auspicious year you finally find love (or it serendipitously finds you), then you’re in luck!


Bumble released their annual predictions for what dating will look like in 2024, and based on extensive research of roughly 26,000 survey takers, get ready! Amid the dating trends, the upcoming year will have you unabashedly prioritizing yourself. Coined the “year of self,” singles are expected to date someone who aligns with their core values–emotional, social, political, and more–while rejecting societal norms such as old-school dating timelines.

As you prepare your heart’s desire for love, update your empowering morning affirmations, set clear intentions, and assemble the crafts and magazine cutouts for your vision board, here are the dating trends you can anticipate for 2024.

8 2024 Dating Trends, According to Bumble

happy-young-couple-looking-at-each-other

As you prepare for the new year, here are the dating trends you can anticipate in love in 2024.

Oliver Rossi/Getty Images

Traditional Dating Timelines and Expectations are Withering

The front of your fridge is likely plastered in save-the-dates for a slew of weddings, and thus, it might seem as though everyone and their momma is getting married. But women are increasingly eschewing the tradition of marriage while still longing for commitment. Only 23 percent of women are seeking marriage, however, and eye-opening, 72 percent of women are seeking a long-term relationship, according to Bumble.

And many women are shaking up tradition when it comes to jumping the broom instead of according to the timeline of societal expectations. Only 31 percent of women are no longer focused on complying with these relationship milestones, and nearly half (16 percent) are willing to avoid friends and family who apply pressure on women to achieve these milestones. Because…healthy boundaries.

Widening the Age Gap

The 90s changed the cultural zeitgeist and shaped what a flourishing love without limits could look like with the awe-inspiring debut of How Stella Got Her Groove Back. And the freedom of choosing whom to date without the strains of ageism, is expected to deepen through 2024 as daters are broadening their age range desires. Women happen to be at the heart of the change.

Bumble says, a whopping 63 percent of women believe age isn’t a defining factor when dating, while 59 percent of women have expanded their horizons, saying they’re open to dating someone younger. And 35 percent of women are admitting to becoming less judgmental towards age-gap relationships over the last year. As Aaliyah melodiously imprinted us with her hit song, “Age Ain’t Nothing but a Number.” And that could surely be the anthem for 2024.

Quality Trumps Quantity

From social media to scores of dating apps, technology has provided singles with an array of options, but quality is the key ingredient for the secret recipe of building and sustaining long-lasting relationships. Dating apps are often touted as a “numbers game,” however, in an effort to find both a quality partner and to better protect their mental health, 31 percent of daters are engaging in “slow dating” and being considerate of how often they’re going on dates, as told by Bumble.

Slow dating is people taking the time to get to know each other and build a connection before deciding if they want to pursue the relationship or meet in person.

In fact, 58 percent of singles are more open about their mental health with friends, family, and partners. As for the caliber of attributes singles are searching for, 36 percent of women are seeking people who practice and value self-care. While it may often feel like it truly is a numbers game in these elusive dating streets, rest assured that seeking a high-quality partner is on the rise for 2024.

interracial-couple-enjoying-coffee-and-intimacy-in-a-cafe

Slow dating is people taking the time to get to know each other and build a connection before taking the next step.

bojanstory/Getty Images

Emotional Intimacy is Just as Important as Sexual Intimacy

What’s equally as gratifying as sexual intimacy, if not more? Emotional intimacy. Proving that substance is still valued when it comes to dating, Bumble says that 78 percent of women believe that their partner having an understanding of both emotional and physical intimacy is paramount. Relishing in safety, security, and mutual understanding is critical for singles seeking romantic connection.

Over a third of singles believe that emotional intimacy is now more important and attractive than sex. If you’re craving more depth in your future partner, 2024 is the year to fulfill both your emotional and sexual intimacy needs/wants.

Social and Political Causes are Non-Negotiable

Perhaps it was our beloved former President, Barack Obama, and former First Lady, Michelle Obama, that altered what a relationship or marriage could be like when two share similar values surrounding social and political causes we deeply care about. Or maybe it’s the blatant and ongoing civil unrest in the U.S. that permeates Black and Brown communities, shaking up social media and the world at large that has completely transformed dating, spotlighting if singles truly are compatible.

2024 is all about alignment when it comes to key social and political issues, particularly relating to women, and Bumble’s research backs this up: 33 percent of women find it a major turn-off if someone they’re dating isn’t keen on current social issues. Meanwhile, a quarter of singles believe a partner is more attractive when they are actively involved with social and political causes. Because while the term may have been negatively hijacked, there’s nothing more alluring than a woke partner who’s equally invested in essential issues that affect multi-generations and marginalized communities worldwide.

Sports are a Shared Love Language

The 2024 Super Bowl in Las Vegas and the Summer Olympics in Paris aren’t the only main sports events that are poised to rally one another together. A mutual love for sports has become a requirement for daters, with 31 percent of singles believing a shared love of sports is non-negotiable, according to Bumble. And this resonates heavily with Gen-Z and Millennials who account for 24 percent who say that attending a game together is important.

But if you’re not a part of the majority who live to throw on their favorite team jersey and attend the latest game or fixate your attention at a sports bar while grubbing down a bucket of hot wings, do not worry! Hardcore sports fans looking to find their match are also open to dating if you’re a sports player who prefers to get out the house and get active.

Rejecting Unworthiness 

The desire to be seen, heard, loved, appreciated, and wanting to feel like the best version of yourself is human nature. Bumble notes that “self-optimization,” or striving to become the perfect version of yourself, has been trending. Self-optimization is greatly punctuated by a bombardment of the latest beauty, fitness, and wellness hacks, plus conflicting dating, and self-help advice on social media. It’s no wonder that over half (55 percent) of singles feel pressured to seek personal improvement, leaving 24 percent feeling unworthy of a partner. (Personal betterment is always noble but not at the expense of feeling undeserving on behalf of other’s wishes.)

Fortunately, the vapid feeling of “not enough” is getting dragged to the wayside. Because dating in 2024 is about accepting and loving yourself for who you are and finding a partner on the same wavelength. And this is especially true for the 40 percent of women who say they will only date people who won’t change them. Independent of a partner, 68 percent of women are taking charge to ensure happiness, now.

May you feel empowered to cultivate unbridled happiness, now, and all throughout the new year.

happy-young-Black-couple-having-romantic-dinner-date-night-at-home-by-candlelight

Dating in 2024 is about accepting and loving yourself for who you are and finding a partner on the same wavelength

zamrznutitonovi/Getty Images

Vulnerability in Masculinity 

If you’ve ever dated a male partner and felt as though he could improve upon expressing his true emotions, feelings, and desires–or you’re hoping that in 2024, you will connect with a lover who is vulnerable–then good news: men are becoming more open and vulnerable in their romantic relationships. Perhaps the increasing willingness of men to attend therapy in the last decade has shifted their attitudes.

Bumble proclaims, now more than ever, 25 percent of men say they’ve changed their behavior in dating and relationships and are more vulnerable. And 32 percent of men believe being open and vulnerable is the most important aspect of a relationship.

This new mindset has one in four men saying that the new-found openness has had a positive impact on their mental health. The new year is looking like healthy, open-hearted romantic connections abound.

Whether you plan on swiping right or meeting your new beau the old-fashioned way IRL, hopefully, these Bumble dating trends for 2024 help prepare you for a fortuitous dating journey in the new year. And while neither data nor a shiny crystal ball can predict what's in store for your romantic relationships, may all your good intentions and efforts manifest in your favor.

Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.

Featured image by zamrznutitonovi/Getty Images

 

RELATED

 
ALSO ON XONECOLE
'We Had To Heal To Love': Taja Simpson And Ryan Easter’s Journey To Lasting Love

How We Met is a series where xoNecole talks love and relationships with real-life couples. We learn how they met, how like turned into love, and how they make their love work.

One of my favorite things about interviewing married couples and hearing their diverse “How We Met” stories is the way they affirm true love and integral beliefs. One principle that I wholeheartedly believe is that one must truly know and love oneself before effectively doing it for another human being, and Taja Simpson and Ryan Easter’s story affirms this.

KEEP READINGShow less
12 Naughty (And Nice) Sex Hacks To Make Your Holidays Extra Hot

Years ago, I interviewed a Jewish woman who was married to a Christian man about how they make the holiday season work in their household. As someone who personally doesn’t observe holidays, a particular thing that she said has always stayed with me: “I don’t observe Christmas, but I can support the spirit of the season.”

Yeah, that resolve is something that I can get down with — and since sex is something that I write about, quite often, on this platform, I must admit that I do look forward to sharing some holiday-themed tips and hacks. For instance, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, check out “Here's How You And Your Partner Can Engage In Some 'Gratitude Sex'” from a few years back.

KEEP READINGShow less
LATEST POSTS