About This Project
A fun, data-backed tool to help you understand your dating standards in context.
What is "How Delusional Are You?"
This is a playful, data-backed dating standards calculator. Enter what you're looking for in a partner, and we'll show you approximately how many people in the population actually fit those criteria.
The name is tongue-in-cheek. We're not here to judge your standards or tell you what's "realistic." We're just showing you the math so you can make informed decisions.
Why We Built This
Dating in the modern age can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. Everyone has preferences—height, income, age, location—but few people understand how these preferences stack up against reality.
We wanted to create something that's fun and shareable, but also genuinely useful. By using real census data, we can show you not just vague advice, but actual numbers.
The goal isn't to shame anyone. It's to provide perspective. Maybe your standards are totally reasonable. Maybe adjusting one filter opens up thousands of potential matches. Either way, knowledge is power.
Our Principles
Data Transparency
Every data source is cited. Check our methodology page for full details.
No Judgment
Your standards are your standards. We just provide context.
Privacy First
No tracking, no accounts, no data collection. Everything stays on your device.
Gender Neutral
Works for everyone. No ridicule based on gender, race, or identity.
What This Is NOT
- ✕A dating app or matchmaking service
- ✕Relationship advice or therapy
- ✕A tool to shame people for their preferences
- ✕A guarantee of finding love (or not)
Our Data Sources
Every statistic on this site comes from official government surveys — not estimates, not opinions.
- US Census Bureau (ACS) — age, income, education, marital status, and geographic distribution of the adult population.
- CDC NHANES — clinically measured height, weight, and BMI data for US adults. The gold standard for physical measurement statistics.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) — income distribution data including percentiles by gender and age cohort.
- Statistics Canada, UK ONS, Eurostat, ABS — equivalent national statistics for Canadian, UK, European, and Australian users.
Full citations and methodology are documented on our Methodology page.