Mastering Dating Over 50: Your Guide to Finding Love

Embarking on the dating journey over 50? Fantastic! Whether you’ve recently experienced change or are still seeking that special someone, there are endless opportunities for finding love. In our guide, we address the common challenges of singles over 50, cultural shifts in dating, and offer tips to make your experience fulfilling. Explore the benefits of online dating over 50 and why you should use eharmony, where online dating meets authenticity and lasting connections. Ready to open your life to love and new possibilities?

An expert explains: The reality of dating over 50

The emotions and processes of dating over 50 don’t differ significantly from dating young. When you’re younger, you’re less sure of what you want and tend to pursue love more actively. Fewer obligations and more socializing makes dating easier, and is the big difference to online dating over 50. To find out more, we asked one of eharmony’s relationship experts:

The challenges of 50s dating and how to overcome them

You might ask yourself: How hard is dating in your 50s really? It’s all a matter of perspective and questioning your own habits. The challenges you might face can be broken down into three categories:

1. Get in the right mindset

For people dating over 50, a common hang-up is feeling like there’s something wrong if we don’t find love in our youth or lose it later. 

Over 30% of Americans are single over 50 but just 43% of those are interested in dating – according to the Pew Research Center¹. Even though it’s more common than being single in your 30s and perfectly normal, many singles shift their priorities elsewhere.

2. Get into dating over 50 culture

While some may consciously put the brakes on their search for love, it never stops exciting us. A study found that love at any age still stimulates the same brain areas with the same level of intensity.²

How we date may change though. Singles over 50 tend to be more picky about their partners as they don’t feel the same pressure they once did to find someone.

They also often have different relationship goals, often seeking genuine emotional connection over singles that fit their checklist of an ideal life partner.

3. Put in the effort

Reduced sex drive shouldn’t discourage you. While you may not date as actively, dating over 50 tends to be more purposeful. A 2021 study found that the most attractive traits in daters this age were compassion and being fun-loving.³

This means you should try to make the most of dates by being more present and enjoying them as experiences rather than trying to arrive at a certain destination. 

Red flags when dating in your 50s: What to pay attention to

As at any other age, when dating over 50, there can not only be challenges regarding your own insecurities, but also traits and behaviors of your dating partners that indicate potential problems in a relationship. Here are five key red flags to watch for and some over 50 dating tips on how to handle them:

1. Avoidance of In-Person Meetings or Conversations

If someone consistently avoids meeting in person or engaging in meaningful conversations, it may be a sign that they are not genuinely interested in progressing the relationship.

50s dating tip: To address this, set clear expectations early on about your desire to meet and communicate regularly. If they continue to avoid it, consider moving on.

2. Poor Communication Skills

Effective communication is vital in any relationship, but it becomes even more important as we mature. Poor communication can lead to misunderstandings, unmet expectations, and frustration. If you notice that someone is unwilling to engage in open and honest conversation, it might signal future issues.

50s dating tip: To detect this early, observe how they handle small disagreements or discussions about plans. If they shut down or avoid these topics, it could be a warning sign.

3. Unresolved Insecurities and Emotional Baggage

Carrying unresolved insecurities, especially related to age or past relationships, can hinder the potential for a healthy connection. If your date frequently brings up these insecurities or projects them onto the relationship, it can create unnecessary tension.

50s dating tip: Before starting to date, take the time to reflect on and resolve your own insecurities. If you encounter someone else struggling with this, encourage them to seek personal growth, but be cautious about how much it affects your relationship.

4. Inconsistent Behavior or Mixed Signals

If someone’s behavior is erratic or they send mixed signals – being attentive one day and distant the next – it can be a red flag for deeper issues like indecisiveness or emotional unavailability.

50s dating tip: Consistency is key in a relationship. Pay attention to patterns in their behavior, and don’t be afraid to ask for clarification if their actions confuse you.

5. Overly Secretive or Private

While privacy is important, someone who is overly secretive about their life may be hiding something significant. This can include being vague about their past, current circumstances, or intentions.

50s dating tip: Early detection can involve gentle probing questions about their daily life or past experiences. If they consistently dodge these inquiries, it’s worth considering whether they’re being truthful.

The best way to deal with these red flags is to trust your instincts and set firm boundaries. If something feels off, don’t hesitate to address it directly. Establishing open communication from the start can help you detect potential issues early on. Remember, dating in your 50s is about finding someone who complements your life, not complicates it.

How to restart your journey when dating over 50

If you’re reading this, you’ve likely made the most difficult step in getting back out there: deciding to truly do so. It may seem small, but intent and motivation are key success factors in a successful dating journey and will be what differentiates you from so many half-hearted singles.

Patience and determination are also important parts of over 50 dating rules, as not only do they help you get past any rough patches in your journey but also stop you from settling for anything less than you deserve along the way. Let’s have a look at what men and women expect from a relationship in their 50s, and where to meet singles over 50.

Explore over 50 dating advice

Still not sure how dating over 50 works? We are here to help you navigate it with our updated over 50 dating advice using our 20 years of online dating expertise.

Explore over 50 dating tips

What do people in their 50s want in a relationship?

As people in their 50s reenter the dating world, their relationship expectations often evolve significantly compared to when they were younger. At this stage, many prioritize emotional connection and compatibility over the more physical or adventurous aspects of earlier dating experiences. There’s a stronger emphasis on finding a partner who shares similar values, life goals, and mutual respect – rather than just seeking excitement or novelty.

For women, there is frequently a focus on finding someone who respects their independence and supports their personal interests and achievements. They might also look for a partner who values open communication and emotional intimacy, having learned the importance of these elements over the years.

Men, on the other hand, might seek a companion who offers both companionship and understanding, valuing stability and genuine connection over traditional roles or expectations. They often appreciate partners who are self-assured and capable of enjoying life’s simple pleasures together.

In essence, people in their 50s tend to approach relationships with a blend of experience and clarity, aiming for deeper, more meaningful connections that align with their current life stage and personal growth.

How to meet singles over 50

Many singles find getting started to be the hardest part. Whether you’re looking for something casual or long-term, online dating over 50 has become increasingly popular. Almost a quarter of senior singles have used a service, a figure that doubled in 2022 since Pew Center last collected this data in 2016.⁴

But whether it’s online or in line at a coffee shop, finding success is often down to mindset. You have to consciously commit to the process and have defined dating goals, if only to show others you’re invested in the process. 

Besides online, you may be wondering where you can meet older singles in your daily life.

Best places to meet singles over 50

• Socializing actively helps a lot so if local nightlife isn’t for you then try to keep an eye out for local community events, markets and festivals as these attract singles from further afield.
• Try volunteering for something close to your heart to meet singles who reflect your societal sentiments and passions.
• Get active by joining a hiking or local recreation group to meet other active singles in a socially relaxed atmosphere.
• Cruises may be a cliche but it’s not undeserved. The median age of 46 on cruises⁵ is mainly due to the greater amount of leisure time available to retirees.

As we said before, people dating over 50 tend to have more diverse goals than younger singles. An increasing number have begun eschewing traditional dating views on cohabitation, monogamy and other relationship precepts in favor of retaining autonomy and instead focusing more on companionship, according to a National Council on Family Relations study⁶. This paints a portrait of a far more emotionally present and level-headed dating scene.

Using eharmony as an over 50 dating site

If you’re wondering “what is the most successful dating site over 50?” then we have some strong arguments why eharmony should be the answer of your search for a deeper connection. At eharmony, we focus on the deeper aspects of dating and shaping  our services around singles truly invested in finding something lasting and real.

With the highest quality dating pool, we are the #1 trusted dating app that helps singles to find that special someone. As one of the most well-established online dating services for the last twenty-four years, we’ve built a strong reputation with singles over 50 and those online dating with purpose. It must be working – as every 14 minutes someone on eharmony finds love.

“…the plot was written, all thanks to eharmony.”

Carla & Simon

Is eharmony good for over 50 dating?

If you’re still not sure if eharmony is the right choice under over 50 dating sites here are some of the features that have made us such a reliable name in the industry for so long.

• The Compatibility Quiz uncovers your relationship priorities, includes values, needs and communication style. Your responses guide us in connecting you with members you’re likey to form a strong connection with.
• Profiles at a glance are designed to give you a quick summation of the commonalities you share and how you’re compatible. Explore their full profile to get a more detailed perspective.
• We create a safer space to put yourself out there. Our Trust & Safety team works round the clock to eliminate scammers, fake profiles and bad actors from our platforms.

Your step by step guide for dating over 50 with eharmony

1. Discover the real you

eharmony is not just another over 50 dating site – we believe love happens when you find that person who gets you. That’s why everyone starts with our Compatibility Quiz. Your answers help us find the singles over 50 you’re most likely to hit it off with.

2. Complete your Profile

The key to successful online dating starts with your profile. We make this process as enjoyable as possible by having richly detailed profiles that are easy to digest. That’s why eharmony is the dating app with the highest-rated user profiles.

3. Explore singles over 50

In your Discover list, you’ll find every eharmony member who fits your search criteria. Each member you see will display a Compatibility Score based on how likely you are to hit it off. You can filter who you see based on traits you share (e.g. distance, education, age, wants to have kids etc.) – and you’ll also see what you have in common with each member.

4. It all starts with a Like

Not sure how to get the conversation started? We’ve made it easy: if something on a member’s profile catches your eye, just hit Like. Then you have the option to add a personalized message. You can hit Like on answers to profile questions, their hobbies or your similarities.

5. Two Likes make a Match

Once you get a Like back, it’s a Match. Congratulations! You can now swap messages and send Icebreakers or react with a Smile to get to know each other better.

Because we believe love happens when two people connect based on what really matters. If you’re ready to find out, sign up today.

Reopen your life to love and new possibilities

As you can see, dating over 50 isn’t all that different from dating when you were younger. You often just avoid many of the shallow elements that can serve as pitfalls in younger dating scenes, such as immediacy and romantic impulse. It’s not about romance without passion, but rather romance honed by maturity, resilience, adaptability and personal growth – characterized byt someone who knows what they want and won’t accept less.

If you know you’re ready, why wait even longer to take advantage of the opportunities available and waiting for you to take notice? Start taking the same control over your love life that you demand from other facets of your existence, and build a connection that’s worthy of your love and determination. Don’t compromise your individuality, capitalize on it, and find just the right fit for you on eharmony. Register today.