Interested in dating in Madison, Wisconsin? In this pleasantly eclectic town, known for its natural beauty and small town feel (despite actually being a big city), it’s no wonder that over 568,000 call this place home. From the college town vibe to the tons of outdoor activities, your options on things to do is pretty much limitless.
Riddled with amazing music venues, unique restaurants, all types of shopping, cultural offerings, and so much more, Madison, Wisconsin is sure to be a place you can comfortably call home!
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Best Madison Dating Sites
For Singles: Match.com
Match narrows down your search based on what you’re interested in, your preferences, and what you consider to be an ideal date. More likely than not, there will be multiple suitable candidates who share the same interests as you, and who matches up with you perfectly. So if you are looking for love in Madison, Match may just kickstart your love life within just a few moments!
For Professionals: Elite Singles
You will meet nothing but successful people who love their career just as much as you do. So you can nix out the slackers and unmotivated folks and go straight for the top! There is a paid membership required in order to access all the most important features of the website with all kinds of unique perks, so it’s an investment well made!
For Seniors over Age 50: OurTime
For Gay/Lesbian
There are several different dating platforms for those who identify as LGBTQ+, and while there is little research on exactly how much of the Madison population is a part of the LGBT community, there are sure to be tons of available folks out there who are looking for the same thing as you! So you don’t have to sort through all of the different sites out there, we’ve narrowed it down to our favorite three that cater to all those who are LGBT and beyond!
Grindr
Just She
This one is for those women out there who are looking for the company of another woman. Just She is an all-female user base, so you can explore all of your options without having to sort through both genders. You’ll gain access to all amenities of the site for free, so what’s stopping you from going out there and finding the woman of your dreams?
Craigslist
For those who are gay, straight, bisexual, transsexual, pansexual, whatever! Craigslist is a go-to for any and everyone who is looking to hookup or meetup with new people. The only thing about Craigslist is you can remain almost completely anonymous, so when meeting up with someone you don’t know, always be sure to let a friend or family member know where you will be at all times, and send any and all addresses of places you plan on meeting at.
Never meet up at a private residence; always choose a public place with plenty of people around to avoid any potentially dangerous situations. Have a code word to send a friend or family member if you feel uncomfortable and have them call and fake an emergency so you will have to leave immediately.
For Hookups: Adult Friend Finder
When the traditional dating scene has become boring and dry, you may want to take an alternative route and look for a more temporary approach– maybe a one-night hookup or a weekend fling! Adult Friend Finder is perfect for those who aren’t sure of exactly what they want– so users are much more free to explore their options whether they’re on the rebound, or just aren’t ready for a relationship. So, try out Adult Friend Finder, and with a paid premium membership you can use any and all tools available at your fingertips to start your fun new journey!
Best Dating Apps in Madison
With all the dating app options the internet has available, it can be hard to know exactly which ones are best for you specifically to use. We’ve narrowed all your choices down to two of the best dating apps out there, Plenty of Fish and Zoosk.
Plenty of Fish
With millions of active users, and thousands of them residing in Madison, there certainly are plenty of fish in the sea! PoF has greatly risen in popularity over the last few years, and with an influx of new users daily, you are bound to meet someone who shares the same interests that you do. You can download the ever-so-convenient mobile app and manage to use everything completely free, or you can upgrade to a premium membership and have access to all kinds of enhanced tools on the app. So dive on in and fish for some love, friendship or hookups!
Zoosk
Zoosk is the ideal website for whatever it is you’re looking for, but most people use Zoosk to find relationships. With it being so popular and easy to use, there are thousands who are out there on the same path as you– just looking for love! You can easily download Zoosk to your phone from the Play Store or the Apple Store and start using immediately, so you can find your partner–whether long term or temporary- and start having a good time!
Best Dating Bars for Singles in Madison
Some people like to put themselves out there physically, and one way to do that is to go and check out some of the local bars in Madison! There are so many cool spots to stop by and see, here are a few of our favorites:
Eno Vino Wine Bar & Bistro
Spanish cuisine, modern environment, extensive wine list… What more could you ask for? You can wine and dine at this lovely establishment, with a unique wide array of different dishes to choose from, and of course, all the wine you can drink! So if you’re looking for a more upscale experience, this is the place for you, for sure.
Crystal Corner Bar
This traditional little spot is cozy and lively at the same time. You can experience live performances of all kinds of artists playing jazz, country and blues, while sipping on some cheap drinks and just enjoying the atmosphere! If you like to play pool or darts, listen to live music and just have a good time, stop in to the Crystal Corner Bar and enjoy the party!
Wando’s
With an upbeat vibe, this three level bar offers professional DJs every night, plenty of dancing, and a free bacon night once a week! Yes, you read that right- FREE BACON!
There are all kinds of other traditional bar type foods like nachos, burgers, and the occasional fish fry. Speaking of fish, according to reviews, it is recommended you try the “fish bowl” while you’re there, just make sure you have a designated driver or Uber ready, because you could be in for a wild night here at Wando’s!
Speed Dating in Madison
Having a high-strung, extremely busy life can lead to difficulties in the dating world. You may not always have time to go through the process of meeting someone new, getting to know them, realizing they aren’t right for you after a few dates and then having to start all over again. It can take months or even YEARS out of your life, just to have no success. A good option for you to possibly try out is speed dating! It’s not necessarily how they make it out to be in the movies– you can really get to know someone in the few minutes you get with them, and if you feel a real connection, you can address it after the event and take things further if you both choose to! Here are a couple links to different speed dating events and sites that are local to Madison to get you started:
- Pre-dating.com
- Eventbrite (frequently updated events)
Madison Dating Events & Clubs
Lots of singles attend the ongoing, frequently updated events that Madison has to offer, so why don’t you? There are all kinds of different places and events to check out, here are a few:
- Eventbrite (frequently updated events)
- Lock & Key Events
- Meetup Singles Groups
Dating Chat Rooms in Madison
Sometimes you really don’t feel like leaving the comfort of your own home, your cozy bed… But, you still want to try something new and fun have a meaningful or sexy conversation with someone you’ve never met. If that’s the case, then you should try out some local chat rooms! There are quite a few to choose from just in the city of Madison, so here are some to try out:
Personals in Madison
If you’re looking to find someone to engage in a quick hookup with (or whatever it may be you’re looking for… personal ads have no limits to what they can be for) and don’t want to put yourself out there like you would on a dating website, then you should definitely check out different types of personal ads. You can find them from doing a simple google search, from looking on Craigslist, or you can find some directly linked here below:
Things to Know about Madison Dating
Race
With just under 250,000 people in Madison, it is the second largest city in the entire state of Wisconsin, and eighty-third largest in the United States. Madison is the capital, so lots of different folks settle down here for a unique experience in many different types of ways! Here are the racial demographics of the city of Madison:
- 79% of residents are white
- 7.4% are Asian
- 7.3% are African American
- 6.8% are Hispanic or Latino of any race
- 3.1% are two or more races
- 2.9% are other races
Religion
Of the 250,000 residents of the city of Madison, 47% consider themselves religious. Though most of those are of the Catholic faith, there are a few other religions that are practiced. Here are the statistics:
- 22.3% are Catholic
- 12.4% are Lutheran
- 3.5% are Methodist
- 2.3% are of another Christian faith
- 1.9% are Presbyterian
- 1.2% are Baptist
LGBTQ+
There are currently no specific demographics regarding the LGBTQ+ population of the city of Madison.
Wrap Up
There you have it- just about every single thing you need to know for dating in Madison, Wisconsin. So, if you’re ever in the area, or are planning to relocate to Madison, refer back to this article and utilize the many resources and amount of information here in order to truly find what you are looking for!
