Austin singles have mixed feelings about online dating, as many navigate apps and websites in search of a partner, according to local residents and experts.
A recent Pew Research Center survey found that 30% of Americans have used a dating site or app at some point, while E-Harmony reports that about 80 million Americans currently look to the internet for romance.
Some locals expressed discomfort with online dating. “I don’t feel comfortable being perceived and swiped upon,” said Kenedy Harris, a recently single Austin resident. Syvo Hatton, also single, said, “The dating landscape sucks… Dating apps… bad idea.”
Others see online platforms as a useful tool. Dating coach Sabrina Zohar, who has more than 3 million followers on Instagram and TikTok, said she met her partner through an app and encourages users to approach online dating with intention. “If we’re not using it with a real understanding of the power that this app has, that’s where we can get into… seeing them as avatars and less as people,” she said.
Despite a pandemic-era surge in app usage, some Austinites prefer meeting people in person. Harris, who works on Sixth Street as a body piercer, said, “I meet a lot of people… all kinds of ways.”
Zohar said managing fear of rejection and developing emotional awareness can help users make more empowered choices in dating. “Does this work for me?” she said. “I want you in my life, but I don’t need you in my life.”
Austin ranks among the top 10 U.S. cities for dating, but residents say experiences vary depending on whether connections happen online or organically.
