There's some bad news if you are a single Canberra man in your 20s who finds too many male competitors at the bar - it doesn't get any better online.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Figures from matchmaking agency Blue Label Life, a site targeted at single professionals, showed 60 per cent of members in the capital in the age bracket were men.
But if you're prepared to wait a decade or so - or get involved with a Cougar - the numbers swing back in your favour, the agency's founder Samantha Jayne said.
"In the mid-30s to 40s it flips, 60 per cent women to 40 per cent men, and there's also a trend on younger men dating older women," she said.
And even if the ratios are against you, accept a compliment -- Ms Jayne, whose site also covers Sydney and Melbourne, said Canberra men were generally of exceptional quality.
"Most of the men are highly educated, successful and have strong family values," she said.
"It's almost like a country down to earth mentality with the city mindset. The men are absolute catches so they do get snapped up very quickly."
While exceptions exist for a small number of suburbs, a ratio favourable or equal for women is confirmed by member numbers from RSVP, Australia's largest online dating site owned by Fairfax Media.
The ratio is 53:47, with more men, in Woden Valley and all southern suburbs combined, and 51:49 in Belconnen and Weston Creek. Single women outnumber men 51:49 in the combined northern suburbs.
For Tim Hitches, 27, a Blue Label Life member, the right girl is yet to come his way.
The law graduate moved to Canberra from Adelaide in 2012, and said making ongoing friendships was not easy.
"It's easy to find them, it's harder to make connections out of them," he said.
"People move to Canberra and then move again, it's quite transient."
The full-time public servant, also studying a masters, said the extra men in the 20s age group data seemed to ring true, although it hadn't stopped some attention.
"It's hard to find an opportunity, but I've heard back from three women - two online, one through friends - in the last year," he said.
While he arrived for the job, Mr Hitches said socialising with workmates was infrequent as most were in their 30s and 40s.
Turner flatmates Bianca Hennessy, 24, Rose McGowan, 24, and Tara Mulholland, 22, all students, said they had heard the graduate social scene was "very cliquey".
"I've heard if you're not in the circle, it's hard to get in," Ms McGowan said.
Ms McGowan and Ms Mulholland said they both used the tinder instant-meet phone application, but did not think they would sign up to a conventional online dating site.
"There are more men in ADFA and [working as] tradies", Ms McGowan said.
"The thing about Canberra is there's this feeling that you're bounded, and then you go to a new place or event and a whole new network can open up".
