Mastering the Dating Game in 2024, Insights From Bumble

If 2023 didn’t bring you the perfect match, or you found yourself newly single, here’s to a fresh start in the dating game for 2024.

Dating app Bumble has dubbed 2024 as “the year of the self.” According to internal polling conducted from September 21 to 26, 2023, involving 26,849 Bumble members across 20+ countries, daters are “rejecting the constant quest for perfection, discarding outdated timelines, and placing more value on emotional vulnerability and shared priorities.”

Here are additional insights from the survey that might influence the dating trends this coming year.

Age is just a number

Bumble daters are widening their age range filters and are showing greater openness to connections with both older and younger individuals. For 63 percent of respondents, age is no longer a decisive factor in dating, and 59 percent of women respondents say they’re now more open to dating someone younger. The survey also indicates a shift in attitudes towards dating and relationships, with 35 percent of women respondents stating that they have become less judgmental over the past year.

Engagement in social causes

The social and political causes we care about are integral to our values and worldview. When getting to know a potential mate and assessing compatibility, a misalignment on these core beliefs can be a dealbreaker. According to Bumble’s research, women are less open to dating someone with differing political views. For 33 percent of women respondents, it's a turn-off if their date is not informed about current social issues. A quarter (25 percent) of those surveyed on Bumble emphasize the importance of their partner actively engaging in politics and social causes, considering it an attractive quality.

Rebelling against self-improvement

There's been a trend toward “self-optimization,” or striving to become the perfect version of yourself, whether that means taking a cold plunge at 5am or plugging into self-help podcasts. This has resulted in 55 percent of surveyed singles feeling pressured to constantly pursue personal improvement, and 24 percent expressing a sense of unworthiness in a relationship. But looking ahead to 2024, singles are pushing back against the idea that they need to change. Over two-thirds (68 percent) of women surveyed by Bumble are actively working towards greater self-contentment. Notably, 40% of these women will now only date people who won’t try to change them. 

Emotional intimacy is key 

As we enter the new year, singles are focused on finding security, safety, and understanding in their romantic relationships. One highlighted trait is emotional intimacy. A third (32 percent) of surveyed Bumble daters believe that emotional intimacy is more important than sex and that it’s even more attractive than a purely physical connection. When it comes to dating, 3 in 4 women (78 percent) surveyed say it’s important that their partner has an understanding of both emotional and physical intimacy. 

Open-hearted masculinity

In 2023, movies, music, fashion, and pop culture sparked significant discussions about masculinity and gender roles. This cultural shift has not gone unnoticed in the realm of relationships, particularly among men. A noteworthy 25 percent of surveyed men express that they have consciously altered their behavior in romantic connections, embracing greater vulnerability with those they are dating. This newfound openness has proven beneficial for mental health, with a quarter of men (25 percent) experiencing positive impacts. Additionally, for one in three men (32 percent), prioritizing openness and vulnerability stands out as the most crucial aspect of a relationship.

Rejecting dating milestones

Despite societal expectations redefining timelines for settling down, there’s still a constant pressure to reach traditional relationship goals, such as marriage. 2024 is set to change all that. One in three (31 percent) women surveyed are no longer focused on adhering to these milestones when it comes to their relationships. Only 1 in 5 (23 percent) women surveyed on Bumble are seeking marriage, whereas nearly three quarters (72 percent) are looking for a long-term relationship. For nearly a third (31 percent) of women respondents, this means only dating people who have the same perspective, and for 1 in 8 (16 percent), this means actively avoiding friends and family who put pressure on them to reach certain milestones. 

A shared love of sports

In 2024, sports is poised to play a prominent role in dating, fueled by the increasing support for women's sports and the upcoming major global competition next summer. For 1 in 3 (31 percent) singles surveyed, a shared love of sports has become a non-negotiable factor, regardless of whether one is a player or simply a spectator. This sports obsession is influencing dating dynamics, with 24 percent of respondents emphasizing the importance of attending a game together, especially among Gen-Z and millennial singles.

Quality over quantity

The prioritization of self-care has led to more than half (58 percent) of singles surveyed on Bumble being more open about their mental health with friends, family members, and partners. This shift in awareness is reshaping the approach to dating, with nearly 1 in 3 (31 percent) respondents adopting a more deliberate “slow dating” strategy, being mindful of the frequency of their dates. Women, in particular, are embodying this mindset in their dating choices, with over 1 in 3 (36 percent) seeking individuals who actively practice and prioritize self-care.