Survey Finds More Dating App Users Expanding Age Preferences

A recent survey suggests that dating app users are becoming more open to intergenerational relationships, with over 80% of respondents reporting that they have widened their preferred age range in the past year.

The survey, conducted by sex toy brand LELO, found that 82.5% of participants had adjusted their age filters to include both older and younger partners. Notably, 14% of women between 45 and 55+ said they were open to dating younger men, while 16% of men aged 18 to 24 expressed interest in dating older women.

The findings align with a broader cultural shift, as films, television shows, and books increasingly explore relationships with significant age differences. Popular media, including Babygirl, The Idea of You, and Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, have helped normalize these dynamics, portraying them as complex but not inherently problematic.

Although age-gap relationships have often been scrutinized – particularly in the wake of the #MeToo movement, which raised concerns about power imbalances—recent narratives have highlighted that such relationships can be meaningful and consensual. Many of these stories emphasize self-awareness and mutual respect, countering the notion that all intergenerational romances are inherently exploitative.

Whether this trend will continue remains to be seen, but the data indicates a growing willingness to reconsider traditional age-related boundaries in modern dating. Given that age-specific dating apps currently exist – for example, those for older users who want to meet people their same age – it could lead to conventional sites seeing another increase in users that want to go up or down an age “block” when it comes to romance.