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5 Best Places to Get Married and Stay Married (and the 5 Worst)

The best places to get married and stay married in the U.S. might surprise you—happiness could be all about location, location, location!

best places to get married and stay married
Image: Takmeomeo

Whether you’re getting hitched or renewing your vows, there are certain cities deemed the best places to get married and stay married. And that’s really important to know these days, as the 2021 wedding season is projected to be the biggest ever, now that we can actually celebrate together and go on that dream honeymoon.

So where are these magic places where you can settle down with your significant other and have the best chance at happily ever after?

LawnStarter ranked the Best Cities to Get Married and Stay Married by comparing the 150 biggest U.S. cities across 11 key indicators of nuptial success—from the rate of married households to the change in the divorce rate to the number of wedding venues in each city. Check out the list below, then double-check your address!

5 Best Places to Get Married and Stay Married

best places to get married and stay married
Image: Lawnstarter

The Best

Want a shot at making it to your golden anniversary? Move to the Golden State! California dominates the rankings of the Best Cities to Get and Stay Married, claiming 60% of the top 10, half of the top 20, and 40% of the top 50.

Fremont CA lands in first place overall, as well as in the married and unmarried population categories. The strong Catholic presence in Fremont CA might help explain its track record: The Catholic Church considers marriage permanent and “it’s complicated” when it comes to divorce.

The Worst

While Worcester, MA takes the (wedding) cake, Ohio shows up twice in the bottom five. Its poor performance in the ranking underscores the irony in its nickname as The Heart of it All. (The nickname comes from the state’s shape.) At #88, Cincinnati is tops among the state’s biggest cities, while Columbus finishes at 122. Other Ohio cities land in the bottom 10: Cleveland at 145, Akron at 146, and Toledo barely escaping last place at 149.

Take a look at these other fascinating facts about the best cities to get married and stay married

best places to get married and stay married
Image: Lawnstarter

And one big surprise…

Las Vegas, NV

Sin City is the wedding capital of the world, no? Well, no. It’s only so-so at best in the ranking at #73. Why so blah? The city’s unmarried young population grew faster in five years than in others, finishing at 116th place. And at position 136, the city’s separation and divorce rate is one of the highest in the nation. Although couples who happen to tie the knot in Vegas don’t necessarily stay in Vegas—but their marriages may not last, either.

The best places to get married and stay married in the U.S. might surprise you—happiness could be all about location, location, location!