Because while love may be blind, the research definitely isn't. These science-backed love statistics will fill in those blind spots.
13 Love Statistics That Put Romance into Perspective
Updated on Jun. 22, 2025
Men fall in love faster
Contrary to most rom-coms, it’s not always the woman doodling hearts in the margins of her planner. As it turns out, men are more likely to catch feelings fast. A 2025 Australian study of 808 young adults across 33 countries found that, on average, men fall in love about a month earlier than women. They also report falling in love more often. So yes, he might actually be naming your future dog after your second date.
“Men are often very misunderstood in relationships, due to cultural stereotypes,” says Garcia. “Research has also found that they’re usually the first to say ‘I love you.’ Men are more romantic than people think.”
And while they may not always shout it from the rooftops (or post it on Instagram), they do want to feel special. “More than anything, men want to feel appreciated,” Stewart says. “Romantic gestures, like getting his favorite snack or sending him a flirty text, show him he matters.”
Women fall in love harder
Sure, men might fall in love faster, but women fall harder—like, full-speed, no-seat-belt, heart-eyes-emoji-level hard. That same 2025 study, published in the Biology of Sex Differences, found that women reported higher levels of romantic intensity, deeper commitment and a lot more obsessive thinking about their partners than men. How obsessive? Women spent about 54% of their waking hours thinking about their significant other. Men, meanwhile, clocked in at a respectable (but clearly less love-dazed) 44%, according to these scientifically backed love statistics.
“These findings make sense from an evolutionary standpoint—because women historically have more at stake in relationships. Love is riskier for them,” Garcia says. “That’s why they may take longer to fall in love, but once they do, they tend to be more deeply invested in building a stable, lasting bond.”
Men suffer more after a breakup
Forget the cliché of women sobbing into a pint of Ben & Jerry’s after a breakup. Science says the truly heartbroken ones are often men, according to Garcia. A 2024 study in Behavior and Brain Analysis found that men experience more emotional and mental-health benefits from being in a relationship than women do, which makes the fallout from a breakup hit even harder. Why? Because many men are still socially conditioned to pour all their emotional needs into their romantic partner instead of leaning on friends or going to therapy. So when the relationship ends, they’re not just losing a girlfriend—they’re losing their therapist, cheerleader, emotional-support hotline and the one person who reminded them to drink water.
“Brain scans show that the grief of a breakup is similar to withdrawing from cocaine,” Garcia explains, “especially for men, who tend to grieve the loss more intensely and for longer than women.” This may be partly because women often have more robust social-support networks post-breakup—something Garcia says men desperately need more of. “Unfortunately, men are also more likely to complete suicide after a breakup,” he adds, highlighting just how vital emotional support truly is.
Well-off couples fight more
More money, more problems? While you’d think a bigger bank account would mean fewer fights (because, hey, no arguing over whether you should order the guac that costs extra), research says otherwise. A study in Family Relations found that high-income couples actually argue more about money—and those fights are longer, more intense and way more high stakes. These aren’t your average “who left the light on” squabbles. We’re talking blowups over crypto investments, luxury purchases and whether someone’s online shopping is silently assassinating the retirement fund. And it’s not just petty drama. Both husbands and wives in the study said money arguments were the most serious and stressful fights in their relationship.
Why? Bigger budgets come with bigger decisions, bigger risks and way bigger “I told you so” energy. “Their energy becomes consumed by materialism, status and the stress of it all,” Stewart says. She adds that wealthier couples are more likely to get caught up in vanity and keeping up with the Joneses, and they often have more time and means for affairs, gambling or other relationship grenades.
So while a fat paycheck might buy you a nicer door, it won’t stop you from slamming it on your way out.
You’re more likely to marry your third cousin
So apparently, you’re more likely to marry your third cousin than someone totally unrelated—and science says that’s not as weird as it sounds. A study published in PNAS found that people are disproportionately likely to pair up with distant relatives, especially third or fourth cousins. Why? Researchers suggest it hits a sweet spot: enough shared DNA to feel familiar, but not so much that you need to explain the family tree at Thanksgiving. Third cousins are also close enough to amplify the advantages of positive family traits while keeping enough distance to minimize disadvantages.
So basically, nature’s saying: Marry someone slightly familiar … but not familiar enough to have shared a high chair.
“This is a known phenomenon called homophily, which means that we tend to form connections with people who are similar to us,” Garcia says. “People who have similar backgrounds, cultures, families, countries, religion and economic circumstances are more likely to get together—even if they don’t realize they’re doing it.” In fact, you might only realize this has happened if you dig into your background on a site like Ancestry.com or look through old family photos and find that “fun” surprise.
P.S. This is my new favorite love statistic to drop into casual conversation. Try it! Watching people’s faces go from curious to mildly horrified is chef’s kiss.
Women are more likely to ask for a divorce
A review of research going back through the 1940s shows that women initiate about 70% of divorces—and no, it’s not just because they didn’t like how he loaded the dishwasher (although, let’s be honest, that didn’t help). Researchers chalk this up to the fact that women are generally more tuned in to relationship problems, especially signs of emotional neglect, Garcia says. Between those unmet emotional needs, carrying the bulk of the household chores (yes, even in 2025) and the fact that women’s health generally declines in a relationship, many women eventually decide it’s time to peace out.
“Women see the future and put up with a lot to make it happen, but after repeatedly getting let down, they break down when they can no longer see a future that will help them feel loved,” Stewart says.
But men are just as likely to initiate a breakup
While women are the ones most likely to file for divorce, the breakup baton seems to pass to men when things are still in the dating stage. According to the same research, guys are just as likely—if not more so—to initiate a breakup before marriage. Why? Stewart points to issues that tend to pop up early in the relationship that make them lose interest, like fear of commitment and doubts about long-term compatibility. After all, if you fight over pizza toppings, will you be able to discuss parenting styles calmly?
“Basically, men break up when they don’t see a future,” Stewart says.
People who binge-watch more TV are unhappier in their relationships
Binge-watching may feel like bonding time, but research says your favorite rom-com could be sabotaging your love life. A study in Mass Communication and Society found that people who see TV romances as realistic are more likely to feel disappointed in their own relationships—e.g., when your partner doesn’t spontaneously whisk you away to Paris or confess their love mid-downpour, it’s a letdown. The deeper we fall for these idealized characters, the harder it is to be content with actual humans.
One example? The Life List on Netflix reportedly inspired many viewers to break up with partners, proving that sometimes the biggest plot twist is realizing you’d rather be single than watch another show with someone who talks through the good parts.
“Media studies like these can be tricky because it really comes down to how you’re binge-watching,” Garcia says. “There’s a big difference between both people in bed with their headphones on watching separate shows and watching a favorite show together with your spouse and talking about it. TV time can be bonding time if you do it right.”
You’re more likely to gain weight in a relationship
Turns out, tying the knot might also loosen your belt. Research shows that marriage is associated with a higher risk of weight gain, especially in the early years. A study published in Obesity found that married individuals—particularly men—were more likely to gain weight over time. Researchers chalk it up to comfy couch nights, shared indulgences and the end of the “gotta impress my date” gym routine. Even more fascinating? Over time, couples tend to converge in body weight, so if one partner gains, the other often follows.
“Some people say if you’re ‘fat and happy,’ your marriage must be great because you’re clearly comfortable,” Stewart says. “But to me, it can be a red flag—not about the weight itself but what it represents. It may signal that something deeper is off. Maybe they’re not addressing emotional issues, and instead they’re just stuffing them down with cookies and comfort food. It’s worth having a conversation about what’s really going on beneath the surface, and sometimes even they don’t know until it shows up on the scale.”
Better teammates have less sex
While viewing your partner as a teammate can enhance collaboration and mutual support—great for tag-teaming parenting or surviving IKEA trips—it may inadvertently dampen sexual desire, according to a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Researchers found that high levels of “communal motivation” (the desire to meet a partner’s needs) are linked to increased relationship satisfaction but not necessarily increased sexual desire, especially over time. When partners are seen primarily as co-managers of life’s to-do list, the relationship can start to feel more like a business partnership than a romantic one.
“It’s really about avoiding extremes—the opposite of teammates is competitors, and that’s not great for a relationship either,” Garcia says. “You do want someone who’s on your team, but you also want to keep a spark of erotic excitement. The key is making sure your teammate doesn’t turn into just a roommate, and you do that by putting in the romantic effort.”
Marriage reduces the risk of dementia
On the other hand, marriage also keeps your brain sharper. A meta-analysis in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry found that married people have a significantly lower risk of developing dementia. Apparently, years of “Is the freeway faster to the airport?” and “Did you already feed the dog?” might be keeping those neural circuits fired up. Researchers think it’s the social connection, daily interaction and emotional support that help protect the brain, not just remembering the shared Netflix password.
“Feeling loved, having steady companionship and a sense of belonging is powerful medicine for the brain,” Stewart says. “Having another person in the home to speak with, solving problems together through everyday conversations, keeps people aware and present.”
More expensive weddings lead to more divorces
If you’re dropping a small fortune on your wedding, you might want to keep the receipts and have a good attorney on standby. A study from Emory University found that couples who spend more on their wedding are more likely to get divorced. In fact, spending more than $20,000 on the big day was linked to a significantly higher risk of calling it quits. Researchers think this is due to financial strain and inflated expectations—because after the sparkler exit, it’s just you, your spouse, a mountain of credit card debt and arguments over whose turn it is to drive the carpool.
“An expensive wedding can put a big financial, emotional, logistical and physical strain on a couple,” Garcia says. “It also sets high expectations, and that pressure can really take a toll on the relationship.”
Another point of view: Expensive weddings reveal where the couple’s true priorities lie. “High spending on the wedding could be an indicator that the celebration itself mattered more than the actual relationship,” Stewart says.
People who live together first are more likely to get divorced
Living together before marriage seems like a logical trial run—after all, you want to see if you can survive each other’s snoring and towel-folding techniques. But surprisingly, research shows it might actually increase your chances of divorce. A study in the Journal of Marriage and Family found that couples who cohabitated before getting engaged had a higher risk of marital dissatisfaction and divorce than those who waited. The researchers call it the “cohabitation effect,” where people sort of slide into marriage out of convenience instead of making a clear, committed decision—aka going from “Netflix and chill” to “married with a joint Costco membership” without ever really deciding how they got there.
Take this idea with a grain of salt, though, Garcia cautions. “The research isn’t crystal clear here. There are a lot of confounding variables,” he explains. “Things like age, whether there are kids in the home, your stage of life, religious beliefs, cultural background and family influence can all play a big role in whether living together first is a good idea. This is one of those situations where there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Each couple needs to have an honest conversation and decide what makes the most sense for them.”
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For over 100 years, Reader’s Digest has explored the nuances of relationships, working with such luminaries as Dr. Ruth Westheimer, John Gottman, PhD, and Leo Buscaglia (“Dr. Love”). We ran a decade-long relationships column and have published a compendium of features, Love and Marriage: The Reader’s Digest Guide to Intimate Relationships. We support this information with credentialed experts and primary sources such as government and professional organizations, peer-reviewed journals and our writers’ personal experiences where it enhances the topic. For this piece on love statistics, Charlotte Hilton Andersen tapped her experience as a longtime journalist who often covers relationships, communication, etiquette and interesting facts for Reader’s Digest to offer the best possible advice to readers. We verify all facts and data and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Sources:
- Justin Garcia, PhD, executive director and senior scientist at the Kinsey Institute and author of The Intimate Animal; video interview, June 6, 2025
- Karen Stewart, PsyD, sex and relationships therapist; phone interview, June 4, 2025
- Biology of Sex Differences: “Sex differences in romantic love: an evolutionary perspective”
- Behavioral and Brain Sciences: “Romantic Relationships Matter More to Men than to Women”
- Family Relations: “For Richer, for Poorer: Money as a Topic of Marital Conflict in the Home”
- Social Networks and Life Course: “Who Wants the Breakup? Gender and Breakup in Heterosexual Couples”
- American Sociological Association: “Women More Likely Than Men to Initiate Divorces, But Not Non-Marital Breakups”
- Entertainment Weekly: “Sofia Carson’s new rom-com made test audiences break up with their boyfriends”
- Mass Communication and Society: “When TV and Marriage Meet: A Social Exchange Analysis of the Impact of Television Viewing on Marital Satisfaction and Commitment”
- Journal of Personality and Social Psychology: “Getting it on versus getting it over with: Sexual motivation, desire, and satisfaction in intimate bonds”
- Obesity: “Entry into romantic partnership is associated with obesity”
- Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry: “Marriage and risk of dementia: Systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.”
- PNAS: “Genetic and educational assortative mating among U.S. adults”
- Economic Inquiry: “A Diamond Is Forever’ and Other Fairy Tales: The Relationship Between Wedding Expenses and Marriage Duration”
- Journal of Family Psychology: “The Pre-engagement Cohabitation Effect: A Replication and Extension of Previous Findings”
