Hey ladies, are you single and seeking? If so, steer clear of St. John's, and Guelph, Ont.
These Canadian cities have the most women in their early 20s - and, according to a new University of Michigan study, female-heavy populations also have lower marriage rates among men aged 20 to 24.
In other words, when there are plenty of female fish swimming around, bachelors tend to circle the ocean a few more times.
It gives men "bartering leverage," explains Daniel Kruger, a researcher with the University of Michigan's school of public health. "When you see more women around, men can get what they want. ... They don't have as much of an incentive to commit early on if they think they can get multiple relationships."
But these roving bachelors don't stay single forever, the study found. Once the men hit their 30s the pattern reverses, with marriage rates higher than average for older men living in female-heavy populations.
"Guys aren't going to be as sharp any more in their 40s and 50s, so they can't use their scarcity as a leverage for the short-term relationship," Mr. Kruger says.
This still isn't necessarily good news for all marriage-minded gals, however.
"If these older guys decide they're interested in settling down, it might not benefit the women in their age cohort. It'll benefit the women who are maybe a decade younger than them."
Other traits of cities with large female populations are higher divorce rates, more unwed mothers and a heightened interest in women's rights, the study notes. Skirt hemlines also tend to be shorter, Mr. Kruger adds, citing earlier research.
So what's a girl to do if she finds herself perpetually single in the city?
Get packing. "Alaska ... has a surplus of men," Mr. Kruger
offers.
