Why singles with higher incomes feel more ready for love

Modern love stories are rarely built on feelings alone. They are shaped by logistics, timing, and increasingly, financial security.

With more people putting off relationships and marriage, researchers are digging into the reasons why. Career ambitions, shifting social norms, and lifestyle choices all contribute – but one factor stands out above the rest: income.

Psychologists Geoff MacDonald from the University of Toronto and Johanna Peetz from Carleton University analyzed data from over 4,800 singles in the U.S. and Germany. They found consistent patterns across cultures.

Higher income did not boost satisfaction with being single but did spark stronger interest in romantic partnership.

Income boosts relationship desire

Across both studies, income had no effect on how satisfied people felt while single. Many affluent singles still expressed discontent. This suggests financial comfort does not improve singlehood joy. Instead, it increases motivation to find a partner.

The researchers also tested whether gender played a role. While the German sample found a stronger effect of income on men’s relationship odds, the overall pattern showed few gender differences in romantic readiness.

People feel emotionally ready to date

According to Relationship Receptivity Theory, people consider both desire and readiness when entering relationships. Income influences both.

Higher income individuals feel more prepared emotionally and practically. They can afford transportation, dates, and their own private space.

“I think people get that they are not going to be able to enjoy a relationship if they are working 80 hours a week, or if they’re not sure where they’re going to live next year,” noted MacDonald.

The study conducted in the U.S. included follow-up surveys six months later. Participants with higher income were more likely to start relationships during that time, even after accounting for age and gender.

Financial stability encourages dating

Financial peace of mind helps people focus on higher-level needs like companionship. According to Maslow’s hierarchy and related theories, people tackle basic needs first. When those are met, social and romantic needs become more salient.

A higher income may also increase one’s sense of personal power. This could encourage more dating efforts and confidence in romantic interactions.

For example, some studies suggest that income boosts assertiveness in pursuing potential partners.

Income drives relationship desire

Participants who wanted a relationship – particularly those with higher incomes – were more likely to start one later on.

Interestingly, being happy while single didn’t make someone less likely to begin dating. Income was more strongly linked to a person’s sense of readiness and intention than to how content they felt emotionally.

The German data showed that current income, not income changes, mattered most. This reinforces the idea that stability in the moment is key – not temporary financial bumps.

Does income matter more for men?

Although most results showed gender parity, the German dataset revealed one twist. Income boosted relationship odds more strongly for men than women. Cultural expectations around men as financial providers may play a role.

Still, the broader takeaway is this: across cultures and genders, more money means greater motivation to partner.

“People may not want to take the step towards commitment until they have that economic foundation,” noted MacDonald.

This research links personal finances with bigger social issues. Rising singlehood rates, lower birth rates, and growing loneliness may all tie back to economic insecurity. Helping young adults reach financial stability could indirectly support relationship formation.

Policy tools like affordable housing, paid apprenticeships, and income support could make a difference.

Income and relationship-readiness

The research invites us to reconsider the long-held belief that love operates solely within the emotional realm.

While emotions like affection, attraction, and companionship remain central, the decision to pursue and maintain a romantic relationship often hinges on more practical foundations – particularly financial security.

The findings suggest that emotional desire alone may not be enough to motivate relationship pursuit. Instead, economic readiness acts as a gatekeeper, determining whether individuals feel prepared to commit their time, energy, and resources to someone else.

The search for love

Wanting love might be nearly universal, a basic human impulse shared across cultures and societies. But the capacity to actively seek out and sustain that love often relies on whether someone feels financially stable.

Without this foundation, people may choose to delay or avoid relationships altogether, not out of lack of interest, but out of rational concern for their ability to manage the responsibilities that come with partnership.

So, can money buy love? Not in a literal sense. But it can create the conditions in which love feels possible. It grants individuals the breathing room to prioritize connection and take steps toward emotional intimacy.

In that way, while money may not purchase love itself, it certainly buys the readiness to search for it.

The study is published in the Journal of Marriage and Family.

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