Couple Statistics: 24 Sourced Figures
A collection of verified statistics on how couples meet, communicate and use technology. Every figure links to its primary source — no aggregator blogs.
Most "couple statistics" online come from sites that copy each other, with no traceable source. This page does the opposite: every figure is pulled directly from a primary source — the Pew Research Center, Stanford University (the How Couples Meet and Stay Together study), the Gottman Institute and France's INSEE — with a link to the original publication.
Journalist, blogger or creator? The figures below are free to cite. Last updated: September 2026.
How couples meet
From How Couples Meet and Stay Together (M. Rosenfeld, Stanford University), published in PNAS in 2019, based on 3,510 U.S. respondents.
of heterosexual couples who formed in 2017 met online — up from 22% in 2009 and just 2% in 1995.
of same-sex couples who formed in 2017 met online.
share of couples who met through friends, from 1995 to 2017. Through family: 15% → 7%.
of U.S. adults say they have ever used a dating site or app (2022).
Source: Pew Research Center, 2023
partnered adults met their current partner on a dating app; 1 in 5 among adults under 30, and about 1 in 4 partnered LGB adults.
Source: Pew Research Center, 2023
of dating-app users describe their personal experience as positive rather than negative.
Source: Pew Research Center, 2023
Communication and connection
Longitudinal research from the Gottman Institute (John Gottman) and Arthur Aron's work on self-expansion.
positive or neutral interactions per negative one, during conflict, among stable couples. Outside conflict: 20:1.
rate of responding to a partner's "bids for connection", among newlyweds still married / divorced six years later.
of novel, exciting shared activities (about 1 hour a week) are enough to measurably raise relationship satisfaction.
questions of increasing intimacy are enough, in a lab, to create a strong sense of closeness between two strangers (Aron, 1997).
Technology, phones and jealousy
From Dating and Relationships in the Digital Age, Pew Research Center, 2020 (U.S. partnered adults).
of partnered adults say their partner is often or sometimes distracted by their phone when they try to talk (62% among ages 30-49).
Source: Pew Research Center, 2020
are often or sometimes bothered by the amount of time their partner spends on their phone.
Source: Pew Research Center, 2020
have looked at their partner's phone without permission — 52% among ages 18-29, and 42% of women vs 25% of men.
Source: Pew Research Center, 2020
have shared their phone passcode with their partner; 62% for email, 42% for social media.
Source: Pew Research Center, 2020
have felt jealous or unsure about their relationship because of how their partner interacts on social media — 34% among ages 18-29.
Source: Pew Research Center, 2020
of partnered women vs men are "often" bothered by their partner's phone use.
Source: Pew Research Center, 2020
Couples in France
From France's national statistics institute (INSEE) — census data and the annual demographic report.
French adults live with a partner in the same home (2021-2022).
marriages in France in 2024, including 7,000 between same-sex partners.
Source: INSEE, 2024 demographic report
civil partnerships (PACS) signed in France in 2024 — roughly one for every 1.3 marriages.
Source: INSEE, 2024 demographic report
of French households are a single person living alone (2021) — the most common household type.
Citing these statistics
All of this data is public. To reuse a figure, credit the primary source listed under it. A link back to this summary page is appreciated but not required.
Example citation:
According to the Pew Research Center (2020), 51% of partnered adults say their partner gets distracted by their phone during conversations.
Summary: https://adeux.app/en/couple-statistics
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Download Adeux for freeFrequently asked questions
What percentage of couples meet online today?
According to Stanford's How Couples Meet and Stay Together study, 39% of heterosexual U.S. couples who got together in 2017 met online, up from 22% in 2009 and 2% in 1995. For same-sex couples the figure is 60%. Online is now the single most common way couples meet, ahead of friends and family.
What is the Gottman "magic ratio"?
The Gottman Institute found that during conflict, stable couples have about five positive or neutral interactions for every negative one (a 5:1 ratio). Outside of conflict the ratio rises to 20:1. Couples heading for a breakup often fall below 1:1.
How often are couples distracted by their phones around each other?
According to the Pew Research Center (2020), 51% of partnered adults say their partner is often or sometimes distracted by their phone when they try to talk to them. The figure rises to 62% among adults aged 30 to 49.
Are these statistics free to cite?
Yes. Every figure on this page links to its primary source (Pew Research Center, Stanford, Gottman Institute, INSEE). You are free to cite them as long as you credit the original source and, optionally, link back to this summary.
Sources
• Pew Research Center — Key findings about online dating in the U.S. (2023)
• Pew Research Center — Dating and Relationships in the Digital Age (2020)
• Gottman Institute — The Magic Ratio
• Gottman Institute — An Introduction to Emotional Bids and Trust
• American Psychological Association — What makes love last? (Arthur Aron)
• INSEE — Households, couples and families (France)
• INSEE — Marriages and PACS, 2024 demographic report