If you notice, there are so many nightclubs and evening spots closing that used to thrive around the country. Gone are the days when men paid twenty dollars to get into the club just to get the privilege to buy women drinks all night. In 2026, things are changing. The clubs are closing because men have checked out of the dating scene and are no longer interested in dating. The big question is why?
“Men have checked out of the dating scene because they have to be able to protect their mental state,” Char Curry said. “Men today have done work on themselves mentally and spiritually, and they get to a certain level when it comes to that, so they have to protect their peace.”
Char Curry is a national relationship therapist who has also become a social media influencer, with over a million followers and even more views of her content. She works with couples who seek relationship help when trying to get on the same page.
In 2026, single people seem to need the most help to understand what is required of them if they are going to find love. The numbers are not good for love.
In 2026, over 55% of American adults are estimated to be single (never married), reflecting a long-term trend toward increased independence, later marriage, and changing social norms. Projections indicate that nearly 45% of women aged 25–44 may be single by 2030, with many identifying as happily single, focusing on careers, or finding higher life satisfaction in independence.
Key 2026 Single Statistics & Trends:
- Unmarried Percentage: Approximately 55.1% of people are single (never married), with 10% divorced and 4.3% widowed.
- Male/Female Ratio: There are approximately 90.9 unmarried men for every one hundred unmarried women.
- Driving Factors: Key factors contributing to these numbers include rising career prioritization, economic independence among women, higher divorce rates, and evolving views on marriage as a lifestyle choice rather than a necessity.
- Global Trends: In the U.S., about 45% of adults are considered single, compared to 32% in Japan and 40% in Sweden.
- Life Satisfaction: Research suggests that a higher percentage of single women (32%) report high life satisfaction compared to single men (20%).
- Top Locations for Singles: Cities like Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh are ranked among the top spots for single individuals in 2026.
For Black women, the numbers are worse. The conversation on Black man/female relationships dominates social media. So much so that carriers are being made for those to pontificate on the journey to find Black love. Or, more importantly, while Black women are struggling in today’s dating market.
“Women are delusional.” Curry continued, “Social media puts too much bad information into women’s heads that they think they deserve something they do not. And they are not willing to put in the work to get what they want.”
One of the complaints about the dating market is that all women are looking for the same small percentage of “high value men,” With no regard for their ability to be on the same level with a man of caliber, women assume that they deserve a top-tier man regardless of their own perceived value.
This mindset has created a bottleneck in the dating market because for every hundred women in the dating market, only ten men are deemed qualified to date them. This leaves ninety available men alone, single, and non-active in the dating market.
That mentality has made most men check out of wanting to seek a relationship because they feel like the pursuit of a woman is not worth the effort it takes to convince her he is qualified to date her. According to Curry, men today also feel like women are not genuine about their intentions when dating men.
“Here are the five reasons men have checked out of the dating pool when it comes to dating Black women,” Curry said.
Men are protecting their mental state by protecting their peace. Men find that some Black women are not nice and are really hard to deal with.
Men are protecting their finances and their assets. Men are finding that marriage is no longer worth the risk because 80 percent of women initiate divorces, and men end up losing half of their income, and in some cases, the house and access to the kids, too.
Men feel like Black women want to go to their pockets instead of them. They feel used when attempting to court women because of the need to pay for expensive dates, or are asked to Cash App the woman just to spend time with her. They are out to get whatever they can financially get from the man.
Men are tired of being the nice guy and then feeling like they get dumped for the guy who does not treat them well but garners more attention from them.
His efforts are not reciprocated. Men feel like they give, and women take. Men feel like they never get anything back from the relationship, so why be in one?
Curry suggests that there are additional reasons that men are staying single; these are the five main reasons. Men also feel like the 50/50 conversation is a main reason to stay away from women right now.
Some of the top conversations on social media in 2025 centered around whether Black women would go 50/50 financially with a man. With inflation on the rise and the value of the dollar dropping in spending power, men are confused as to why a woman would not want to combine incomes in order to create a better lifestyle for both of them.
“I have talked to many financial experts who all agree that two incomes are better than one,” Curry said. “We no longer live in the 60s and 70s, where one income could do it all. Today, people need two incomes to create the kind of family that thrives.”
Statistics show that two-income households typically are able to save more, invest at a higher level, and finally are able to build wealth faster than single-income households.
Curry sees clients of all ages when it comes to treating relationships and believes that men still want to date. Curry feels that if women worked on themselves, they would find the kind of lasting love they are seeking and thus get into better, healthier, and longer-lasting relationships.
There is no one answer that will answer the question. The answers rely on both parties’ willingness to better understand what they want and how to actively obtain it, whatever it takes.
The topic of why men do not want to date is so complicated that CODE M is creating a series around the topic of Black love. Look out for more interesting conversations on this topic in future issues.
