Is Denver Still “Menver”?

Let’s See What the Numbers Say

The first time I learned that Denver, CO had been coined as “Menver” was several years ago when I was listening to a dating and relationship podcast. The hosts were venting about their own personal dating struggles in NYC and made it sound like all their single friends were moving to Denver and getting engaged. Sounds too good to be true, right? When I looked into it further, there was some truth to Denver’s dating scene.

For the last several decades, there has been a consistently a higher male population than female population, a ratio that’s uncommon in major cities. It was suggested that (straight) women would be more likely to find a (straight) man partner if they just moved to Denver. Frequently, I would hear stories of single women, struggling to find a partner in the current city where they live, moving to Denver to find love since their odds of meeting someone were much higher. From the sound of it, dating in Denver was so easy for women. But are the odds of finding love in the Mile High City really that good? Does “Menver” still exist or is it simply a myth from the past? Let's find out.

What Do the Numbers Say?

In short, yes, overall there are still more men in Denver than women, since there are 102 men for every 100 women (as of 2024). But there are some age groups that have more of an advantage than others when it comes to the number of men in the Denver dating scene. Starting with the first age bracket, 20-24, there are actually more women (51.1%) than men (48.9%), and the next age group, 25-29, the ratio between men and women is practically equal, with 50.1% male and 49.9% female. So basically, for those looking for male partners between the age of 20 and 29, there is no real numbers advantage. BUT, this is not the case for those dating in the 30 to 45 age range where there are slightly more men than women. According to the data, when broken down by age group, we find the following: In the 30-34 age group, 52.2% is male while 47.8% is female. Similarly to the previous age bracket, those aged 35 to 39, there are 52.3% male and 47.7% female. And finally, those who fall into the age bracket between 40 and 44, 53.4% are male and 46.4% are female. If you are a single lady looking for a fella in one of these three age groups, the odds may still be slightly in your favor. You can see the total population count by age and sex in the chart below.

U.S. Census Bureau

Let’s dig a little deeper in Denver’s dating pool. Unfortunately, the U.S. Census Bureau doesn’t indicate which men are single and are ready to mingle. It does, however, provide us with some insight on marital status. Among men aged 20-34, over three-quarters of them (78%) are not married. But the number of unmarried men between the age of 35 to 44 drops to only 46% of men who are unmarried. This means if you’re dating in the 35-44 age group, the number of eligible bachelors are few since over half (53%) of men in their mid 30’s and 40’s are married. Given all the information above, you will likely have the best luck dating in the 30-34 age range.

This is just what the numbers say. From what I’ve heard from single friends in the Denver dating scene, dating here is just as difficult as in any other city. Sadly, there isn’t a database that provides insight on the emotional availability of men in Denver and other relationship status indicators. I guess you’ll just have to get out there and find out for yourself. Stay safe out there and have fun!