Ownerly names Swannanoa best city for singles in the country

A website that states its “mission is to put professional home value data and insight in your hands” has named Swannanoa as the best city for singles in 2024.

The website, Ownerly, said a study it conducted aimed “to identify the best cities for singles by evaluating metrics crucial to unmarried individuals seeking a vibrant lifestyle.” The company analyzed the growth of the single population, income changes, housing affordability, availability of social venues and the median age of residents currently living in the area.

Ownerly said on its website that once the data was collected, it was “normalized across various categories to ensure a comprehensive comparison.” Cities that had a declining single population or lacked “core lifestyle amenities” were taken out.

Once these parameters had been finalized, the unincorporated town of Swannanoa came out on top. Ownerly described Swannanoa as “a rural haven with significant growth in its single demographic” that “offers simplicity and tranquility, appealing to those who seek an escape from urban hustle.”

According to the U.S. Census Bureau website, Swannanoa had a population 5,021 based on data from the 2020 census.

Ownerly said Swannanoa “blindsided its metropolitan counterparts” with a singles population growth of 22.68%.

The study noted Swannanoa’s “proximity to Asheville’s lively cultural scene” as a reason for its high ranking, combined with housing and transportation costs that are lower than the national average.

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On its website, Ownerly said it utilized a methodology that focused on 10 points to make the final rankings:

• Single population growth: Cities that either did not have an increase in the single population or saw a decrease were removed.
• Haven Score integration: This “internal index’ was used to analyze a variety of aspects of livability in a city, including crime, greenspaces and cost of living.
• Income growth assessment: Ownerly calculated and standardized income growth over a five-year period.
• Housing affordability: Ownerly evaluated how many mortgages consume at least 35% of household income and then utilizing “inversely standardized owner costs.”
• Bars to adult population ration: The company evaluated bars relative to the adult population with ages ranging from 19 to 64.
• Sex ratio: Ownerly said it “pursued” a “balanced” male-to-female ratio.
• Rent affordability: The company evaluated the percentage of renter income that is dedicated to housing costs.
• Median age comparison: Ownerly gathered the median age of each city and compared it to the national median to get a normalized score.
• Assessment of home value growth: Ownerly evaluated this metric over two time periods to evaluate real estate appreciation.
• Comprehensive final ranking: Each city was ranked on these individual metrics and an average across all of the metrics to determine the final ranking.

“The outcome was a selectively curated list of cities that not only exhibit a growing single population but also present a well-rounded blend of affordability, lifestyle amenities and social activities appealing to singles,” Ownerly’s website said.

The Top 10 cities for singles in the country, according to Ownerly:

• Swannanoa
• Albertville, Minnesota
• Grandview Heights, Ohio
• Grantsville, Utah
• Waterville, Ohio
• White Hall, Arkansas
• Sunbury, Ohio
• Chesterton, Indiana
• Otis Orchards-East Farms, Washington
• Moncks Corner, South Carolina