A new study has revealed the best place in London to be single in 2026.
According to research by adult services site AdultWork, Camden is the place to be if you’re not currently attached.
The research ranked 346 local authorities across the UK on five weighted measures that they class as key considerations for a single person.
A freedom index score out of 100 is given, which is made up of the size of the local dating pool (30%), the affordability of a one-bedroom rental against local wages (20%), dining and daytime venues per 10,000 adults (15%), nightlife venues per 10,000 adults (20%), and safety (15%).
Camden came out tops in the capital and seventh nationally, with a score of 59.36.
The high score came from a dating pool of 116,215 single adults, a whopping 65.3% of the borough's adult population.
The 2,527 dining venues also contributed to the high rating, second only to Westminster in the entire study.
Camden’s 236 pubs and bars gave it the best nightlife ratio in the capital, while a one-bed rental averages £23,172 a year, comparatively low at 50.6% of the local median wage.
Islington ranked just below Camden, coming in eighth place nationally and second in the capital with a score of 58.90, due to singletons making up 71.3% of the borough's adults, the second-highest proportion in the country.
The borough’s 1,243 cafes and restaurants gave it the eighth-best dining ratio in the study.
Southwark ranked third in London, with Lambeth in fourth and Hackney coming fifth.
Unfortunately, London also has four of the worst ten rankings, including both of the bottom two.
Harrow ranked last at 346th, with Redbridge at 345th, Hounslow 341st and Barnet 338th.
They were all impacted by higher rents combined with smaller dating pools and fewer venues per head.
Nationally, Norwich was rated the best place to be single with a score of 63.78 out of 100, followed by Liverpool and Powys in mid Wales.
An AdultWork spokesperson said: “The capital still offers a huge dating pool, but the cost of living there means most single people end up paying half their wages in rent before they even think about going out.
“Smaller cities like Norwich, Liverpool, Lincoln and Dundee offer a much better balance of affordability, social infrastructure and a substantial single population.”
Rank in Region |
Area |
Freedom Index score out of 100 |
UK rank (of 346) |
1 |
Camden |
59.36 |
7 |
2 |
Islington |
58.90 |
8 |
3 |
Southwark |
56.16 |
20 |
4 |
Lambeth |
54.98 |
34 |
5 |
Hackney |
52.70 |
65 |
6 |
Hammersmith & Fulham |
51.65 |
80 |
7 |
Wandsworth |
51.02 |
96 |
8 |
Tower Hamlets |
50.42 |
114 |
9 |
Lewisham |
48.93 |
147 |
10 |
Haringey |
45.82 |
205 |
