A couple months ago, my church took a spiritual health survey of the entire congregation and recently reported the results to us during service. Amongst spiritual maturity data came basic demographic info, like how a large majority of the members were under 40 years old, and more importantly, how 46% of the church was already married. I suppose it's not a shocking figure in your standard small family church, but it is a brow-raising statistic for one populated almost entirely by young working professionals; let me explain...
When I moved here, one of my friends was teasing me about this article she read in Cosmopolitan magazine...excerpt posted as follows:
Men make up 75 percent of the technology workforce. In California, 78 percent of employees at Cisco Systems, an Internet networking business, are male.
"Oh greeaaaaat....", I thought at the time. After a couple weeks in the area, said truths held themselves to be self-evident (e.g. every time you see someone who piques your interest, shift your eyes slightly to her left or her right, and tada! You're checking out her BF), and my new hometown was from then on affectionately known as Man Jose.
Back to church. So when the statistic of 46% of us being married was announced, I looked at my friend next to me and witnessed the most crestfallen face I'd ever seen in my life. It was a facial expression that simultaneously conveyed a silent groan and a bloodcurdling wail of despair, and you could tell on the inside he was holding his face in his hands and weeping uncontrollably. I started giggling for a couple seconds, until it dawned on me that I was screwed too. Then I started thinking.
- 46% married means that 54% are not married.
- From the above Cosmo data, about 75% of Silicon Valley (tech center of the world) is male. From what I've seen in my company (Cisco Systems), the demographic trends towards older and more experienced (and as a result, married - let's say half of the female population), thus the actual percentage of available single (in the not legally married sense) females in the area is around 10% (100% - 75% males - 15% married females) of the total population.
- Apply this awesome number (Man Jose Ratio) to the 54% unmarried population of the church and lo and behold, 5.4%! Okay, so that number's a nice mortgage rate but means horrible dating prospects in this context.
- Just because they are single does not mean they are available. As outlined in the anecdote above, generally, when you see anyone you could be interested in, her BF is but an arm's length away. So cut the available number in half again and you're left with 2.7%
- Now you are finally left with actual, available choices! But, nobody, well, most people don't date everything in sight or the first person that shows interest in them. Not only does she have to meet your standards, but you have to meet hers as well. So, we'll generously assume that 40% of the remaining number are compatible and interested, and the final number, the total, datable population of this Bay Area church is...
1%.If you break down your city and job this way, what's your chance to find your dream girl or guy?
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Comments (42)
I am soooo not smart enough to do all that math. I'm not even smart enough to calculate your numbers to see if they all add up.
That is a scary prospect. I lucked out then. I apologize for contributing to that 1% number.
0%. I'm a Namekian.
the bay area consist of more than just south bay. just takes time & effort to go out say to the east bay or the city to increase the percentage ;)
plus, is finding a date in your company such a great idea? uh... :p
too much math! lol
Yeah....I'm in the bay area too....when it comes to Christian Singles...it's pretty depressing. I guess that's part of the trusting the Lord with all your heart, and not leaning on our own understanding.
lol. my brother is a intern at goggle right now, he has worked previously at other places in san hose and the stories we hear. Basically there are no girls there, much less any hot ones but that's just thinking logically, it's not that girls can't program but usually we have better things to do with our time. good luck though.
Ha.
Ha.Ha.At my college, the ratio is backwards. There are about 8 girls to every guy. :PHaha 1 percent, huh? I've been a female in tech my whole life. I work at a tech company in the Bay Area right now and I have to say... "the odds are good but the goods are odd."
You did the math wrong. 75 males, 25 females. if 46% of the population is married, that's 23 males married to 23 females. That means there are 52 males unmarried to 2 females. Ie: 52% of males are unmarried, and 2% of females are unmarried (assuming your church marriage rate is a reflection of the total are marriage rate). So it's even worse than you think...
@miss_prettyinpink@xanga - HAHAHAHAHAHA!
@behind_blue_eyes_39@xanga - Please let me know what college that is so I can go there for grad school.
No idea how toe calculate but
I live in San Jose! :D
Hahas.
@behind_blue_eyes_39@xanga - Um yes, please share the name of said college
Your math seems pretty clean, but you forgot one important fact-- you have a lot in common with the guys around you. This means that any girl in the Man Jose area who is compatible with you is also compatible with that guy on her arm already. My point is this: In your situation, it seems that if they're single, there's a reason. So your number may as well be 0%.
Dude.
Move.
haha..you forgot something, since it's the bay area..divide that number in half for homosexual. Your actual chance is 0.50%! :D
You should have seen it coming during your years in college. I hated it for being surrounded by guys in engineering school, I believe the ratio was 6:1, my friends are now mostly guys. It's fun to just hang out w/ them sometimes, and often I do hear the same complaint about the chance of meeting their "dream girl".
I'm sure you'll find that girl sooner or later, just don't force it and let it happen.
I'll be sure to avoid San Jose if I were to move ^_^;
Then Let's move to Southern California!
LOL. Man Jose. I am so sorry. =P
Guess you'll have to go out of your way to meet girls, huh?
@Infamous_Dewey@xanga - Namekians are hot though. Who could say no to a green guy with antennae and pink muscles?
This is so true. I'm so sorry. My friend moved up there and it took him a couple of years to meet a girl that he liked a little bit, and he seems to be quite similar to you. It's really difficult to find wholesome people in that city. Buh. Buuuuuuuuuuh.Â
Yeah, the prospects of finding someone who's perfect for you are pretty dismal... but one can always have hope. ^^;
@MusingsOfAnAlmostSocio@xanga - Thanks for correcting that. The wrong math was bothering me too :)
Haha, not much of a chance if I pretend I don't have a chance of finding anyone. Positivity!
HAHA arranged marriage. Parents always have friends with nice, single daughters.Â
hey man i feel the pain, i go to grad school in the area and it's a total sausagefest. i guess we still have the undergrads to mingle with though.
haha good old silicon valley... find a girl from elsewhere =P