If you’re in the online dating game, you might be wondering how likely it is that you’ll find love. Do couples you meet online really last? Aren’t they primarily long-distance relationships, and what exactly does that mean for the success rates of these relationships?
With essential questions like these, we must consult reliable information to find the answers. Let’s go over the statistics and take all relevant quantitative data into account to see if we can understand how long-distance relationships that start online fare in the long run!
What Are the Stats Regarding Long-Distance Relationships in the United States?
Let’s start with a general look at Americans and their long-distance relationship stats. Approximately 14 million people in the US are in long-distance relationships – and that’s no small number! Still, about 76% of Americans have never been in a long-distance relationship, so those who participate in them long-term comprise a small community.
But what if your online relationship turns into something serious, and you’re looking at getting married – but can’t relocate? Well, 3.75 million couples are in a long-distance marriage. 2.9% of married couples are long-distance. So, it’s more than possible to pull off if that’s what you want to do! While most couples choose to be in closer proximity to each other, staying long-distance and maintaining a marriage is an option that’s on the table when it’s necessary or best for both parties.
The Rise of the Long-Distance Relationship with Online Dating Platform Popularity
As the popularity of online dating sites has risen substantially in the past few decades, the number of long-distance couples has simultaneously increased. This is a natural development because people have the ability to connect with others despite distance with the introduction and implementation of these platforms, like dating sites and apps.
Let’s consult the stats. Married Americans ages 18 and up in long-distance relationships grew from about 2.7 million in 2000 to approximately 3.9 million in 2017. Nowadays, about 75% of engaged couples have been in a long-distance relationship at some point. So, while the stats look different when you look at current long-distance relationships, the majority of people out there have been in one at some point in their dating lives.
With online dating platforms being the most popular way for someone to meet their special someone in our modern society, most people become involved in a long-distance relationship along the course of their dating journey. It’s more common than not, which is hugely different than it was just a few decades ago!
Long-Distance Relationships and the Likelihood of Marriage
So how about marriages that start from long-distance relationships? If you meet someone on an online dating platform that isn’t in close proximity to you, what are the chances of your relationship ending up in a marriage? With marriage being the general consensus indicator of long-term, committed, significant, and meaningful relationships, let’s use this societal move as the statistical marker for whether or not long-distance relationships tend to work out.
As of now, about 10% of marriages start as long-distance relationships. Keep in mind that online dating platforms also match people in the immediate vicinity of each other. So, if you get into an online relationship with a match chosen by a compatibility matchmaking algorithm, you’re still looking at a decent success rate. At the same time, 10% may seem like a small number; keep in mind that that’s out of all marriages in the United States – which is still a serious number of relationships!
Why People End up in Long-Distance Relationships
Needless to say, a long-distance relationship isn’t an ideal situation for everyone. People generally prefer to be in close proximity to their romantic partners. So why exactly do couples end up in long-distance relationships anyway?
Well, 40% of couples cite work as the reason for their long-distance relationship. 31% cite studying. Education and professional endeavors seem to be the leading causes.
So, bear in mind that if you meet your perfect special someone online and fall madly in love, school or work could stop them from being able to relocate and join you where you’re at. Still, even in that case, plenty of couples can make it work – and even get married!
Do Long-Distance Relationships Last?
Let’s get to the heart of the matter – if you meet someone online and start a long-distance relationship with them, will it last? The stats say your chances are just as good as those regarding any other type of relationship!
Long-distance relationships have a success rate of 58% – and that’s a pretty hearty number for the heart of the matter. They have the same chance of lasting within the first three months as geographically close relationships.
As far as the chances that a long-distance relationship won’t last, we’ve got the stats for that, too. There’s a 27% chance that long-distance relationships will end within the first six months compared to 30% with geographically close relationships. So even though the numbers are slightly less encouraging than being in a relationship with someone close to you, they’re not that far off! If you’re in a long-distance relationship with someone you meet online and want to make it work, the odds are in your favor.
Are the Stats Really about the Same as Close-Proximity Relationships?!
The answer is a surprising and resounding YES! A sound study from 2013 confirmed that long-distance couples simply aren’t at a disadvantage when it comes to love. Relationship quality is consistent between long-distance couples and geographically close ones. Location and proximity aren’t a factor – it’s the personality traits, compatibility, and characteristics of the individuals that make a relationship extraordinary and flourishing.
And that’s precisely what online dating platforms are there to do – match you with someone who you’ll be an excellent match for, who’ll make you happy, and who you can build a lasting relationship with. Online dating platforms set you up for success, no matter how far apart you may be from your partner! And we all know that once you’ve exhausted the options in your area, you still want to find the love you’ve been looking for.
So if you live in a rural area and are concerned about reaching out to matches to ignite the spark of a long-distance relationship, don’t be worried. You can still find the love of your life, even if they’re a little far away! Long-distance couples actually think they are less likely to break up with their partners. So put that against conventional wisdom, and try a long-distance online relationship!
How Do We Define a Long-Distance Relationship as a Society?
But how far away is far away anyways? What exactly qualifies as a long-distance relationship? Let’s look at the stats of what we think as a society to determine what long-distance really means.
51% of people in the United States define long-distance relationships as living at least 2 hours away from their partner. About 50.8% define a long-distance relationship as one where partners live in different states or countries.
While that’s what people are saying in society, what does the average long-distance relationship really look like? Well, the average distance between partners in a long-distance relationship is 125 miles. That pretty much aligns with the common consensus – being about 2 hours away from your partner.
But what about the defining principles of a long-distance relationship? What does the average long-distance relationship look like? Well, long-distance partners visit each other 1.5 times each month on average. They call each other every 2.7 days and send 343 texts to each other weekly.
How Does Technology Affect Long-Distance Relationships?
According to the stats, about 50% of long-distance relationships meet each other online. 27% of long-distance couples never lived near each other in the first place! This means technology and online dating platforms have a meaningful role in long-distance relationships overall.
While most long-distance couples meet at some point, about 11% of current ones haven’t ever met in person. So if meeting up isn’t in the cards for your immediate future, you’re not alone!
88% of long-distance couples say technology lets them feel closer to each other. Technology doesn’t only facilitate the formation
Last but Not Least – Are Long-Distance Relationships Actually Better?
As far as the statistics are concerned, we’ve seen similar success rates for long-distance couples to those who are geographically close to each other. But there’s data out there that shows that long-distance relationships might actually be better than relationships with partners who are in close proximity to each other! Let’s wrap up our discussion of long-distance relationships on this exciting note.
An in-depth study of 296 married couples in long-distance relationships showed that they had better physical and mental health than their geographically close counterparts. 55% of adults in the United States cited feeling closer to their partner after being in a long-distance relationship with them. And 81% of people in long-distance relationships actually experience more intimacy when they finally meet their partner in person than they would otherwise!
Long-distance relationships promote independence, chemistry, self-assuredness, and respect. If both partners are committed, compatible couples can benefit from spending some time apart – even if it has to be on a regular basis. So people shouldn’t be running away from relationships they find on online dating platforms if they’re long-distance – they should be pursuing them if they really want to reach their romantic goals!
So, if you’re looking for love online and you’re matched with a compatible special someone who’s far away, the odds are in your favor. Get online and start looking for your long-distance love today!
