Gen Z singles are dating with calm intention, choosing peace and emotional safety over passion and excitement by more than two to one, according to Match's 15th Singles in America study, conducted with researchers at the Kinsey Institute.
When forced to choose, 34 percent of singles picked peace and emotional safety, compared with 14 percent who picked passion and excitement, according to the study as reported by GenZ NewZ. Among women, the gap was wider: 40 percent chose calm, while only 9 percent chose passion.
The survey covered nearly 5,000 US singles aged 18 and over across more than 100 questions and was released on September 10, 2026, according to the report.
Nearly three-quarters of singles, 72 percent, are interested in or open to a relationship, yet only 16 percent say they are actively seeking a committed one, according to the report. Close to half say they are not actively looking but would welcome a relationship if the right person appeared.
That relaxed posture does not mean romance has faded: 81 percent of young singles say they are interested in a relationship, more than millennials, Gen X or baby boomers, according to the study coverage. The change is in pace, not in interest.
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