New Report Shows That 63% of San Diegans are Happy in Their Relationship, by Balancing Both Personal and Couple Time

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 23, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Nurse Greta Friedman may have parted ways just moments after sailor George Mendonsa grabbed her and planted a kiss on her in Times Square in 1945, but that hasn't kept the women of San Diego from being inspired by the romance of that fleeting moment — captured in the local "Unconditional Surrender" statue — for years to come.

As an extension of the popular inaugural "The Happiness Index: Love and Relationships in America" report, which debuted in February, eharmony commissioned a new report conducted by Harris Interactive to dive deeper into the health of relationships in San Diego.

The new report, "The Happiness Index: Love and Relationships in San Diego" shows that 63 percent of San Diegans are happy in their relationships, with the highest marks coming from women (42%) and millennials and Gen Z couples (50 percent and 58 percent, respectively). These happy couples tend to benefit most from balancing both personal time and couple time. They are devoted pet owners, have good work-life balance, are in good physical and mental health, and especially enjoy hobbies and activities outside of work.

"San Diego is known for many wonderful things, such as its beautiful scenery and beaches, strong military community, and a world-renowned zoo," says Grant Langston, chief executive officer for eharmony. "But we wanted to understand how the environment around us impacts our love life — and in particular, how couples in one city might compare to another or to the nation at large. Perhaps the most surprising finding is that despite ongoing worries about the complexities of modern life, couples in San Diego are not only making their relationships a priority, but also foster a strong sense of self through taking up hobbies, spending time with their friends (and pets!), and enjoying all that San Diego has to offer."

The survey identified the secrets to success from the respondents who reported the highest levels of happiness in their romantic relationships. Locals tend to be more romantic when compared to the rest of the nation. They value date nights, small romantic gestures, and holding hands while out on a walk.

Key takeaways from the new study include:

What's leading to relationship happiness for San Diegans?
While love is a huge factor in Americans' overall happiness, according to our most recent annual report, San Diegans are driven by good health on the inside and out, a sense of commitment, and confidence in their appearance.

• 63% of San Diegans report they are at least 'very happy' in their relationship (in line with 64% nationally), while 22% say they're unhappy to some degree (slightly above 19% nationally)
• Nearly 50 percent say they have sex weekly
• 40% are married, 56% are committed and not living together, and a further 29% are living together
• 45% of respondents reported that they are in good mental health
• 43% believe that others find them attractive, while 53% believe they are physically fit
• Interestingly, while there is a negative impact on relationship happiness where couples have polite disagreements (31%), those who have weekly screaming matches actually over-index on relationship happiness (45%)

What's helping to keep San Diego couples together?
In keeping with the spirit of the famous WWII statue, which was officially named "Embracing Peace" when it was permanently placed at the Embarcadero in San Diego a few years ago, local couples seem to be eager to keep stress from work, being too tired for sex, and money arguments from creeping into their relationships.

"In San Diego, our most recent data indicates that the happiest people tend to be women and young people, largely because they're enjoying hobbies outside of work, strong support from their friends and coworkers, and their romantic partners, too," added Langston.

• 54% say their partner is 'highly supportive' when it comes to work and life decisions
• 58% have strong interests outside of work and 64% say they have lots of hobbies
• 45% say they have a healthy work/life balance and affinity for outdoor activities (49%)
• 52% say they're doing well at work
• 56% say they have a wide circle of friends in addition to several really great friends
• Couples devoted to their pets reported greater relationship happiness, especially those who said 'my pet is my life' (59%) and 'I take my pet everywhere' (57%)
• Couples engaged in activism tend to be happier (77%), however, keeping polarized politics out of relationships seems to help: those who voted for a major party tend to have less happy relationships, according to this report

The happiest San Diegans also incredibly active in general.

• Weekly attendance at music concerts (71%), participation in team sports (65%) and regular travelling and hiking (68% and 64%) have the most positive impact on relationship happiness
• Other types of weekly activity participation also increase happiness: attending a gym/exercise class (52%), a place of worship (51%), and voluntary work (49%) in particular. Even gaming seemed to have a positive impact at 71%
• Weekly visits with a partner to a gallery/exhibition (68%) or to a play (67%) also have a major positive impact on relationship happiness
• Locally, The Coronado Island Festival in particular (63%), Comic-Con (50%) and Shakespeare at the Old Globe (48%) are top activities
• More generically, rodeos (52%) and political rallies (49%) are also popular

Is romance still alive?
Yes! San Diegans who are happiest in their relationships are showing love for one another, reporting sharing romantic gestures on a weekly basis.

• 47% report sharing deep kisses
• 51% say 'I love you' and share quick kisses on a daily basis as the most common romantic behaviors
• 50% say they hold hands when out for a walk
• 46% have sex weekly
• 59% say they go out for date night weekly

About "The Happiness Index: Love and Relationships in San Diego" Report
As an extension of the popular "The Happiness Index: Love and Relationships in America" report, which debuted in February, "The Happiness Index: Love and Relationships in San Diego" report was commissioned by eharmony and conducted by Harris Interactive in order to generate robust statistics on the state of relationships in select top U.S. cities. The survey was fielded in late 2018 with approximately 250 total online interviews conducted. Participants qualified if they were aged 18+ and were in a long-term relationship. Results were weighted to be representative by age and gender.

About "The Happiness Index: Love and Relationships in America" Report
The inaugural "The Happiness Index: Love and Relationships in America" report was released in February 2018, commissioned by eharmony and conducted by Harris Interactive. The survey was fielded online between Nov. 27 and Dec. 3, 2017 with 2,084 online interviews conducted. Participants qualified if they were aged 18+ and were married or in a long-term relationship. Results were weighted to be nationally representative by age and gender. To learn more, visit: eharmonyhappinessindex.com.

About eharmony
Los Angeles, California-based eharmony helps people find meaningful relationships that enrich their lives. Founded in 2000, eharmony is a pioneer in using algorithms to create highly compatible relationships based on key dimensions of personality that predict the most compatible, highly successful, long-term relationships. eharmony operates in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Singapore and Australia. For more information visit www.eharmony.com or download the app available on iOS and Android.

SOURCE eharmony