According to AOL’s second annual "Love@AOL" survey, a national poll of more than 4,000 unmarried men and women conducted by Opinion Research,
online dating works — 76% of the singles who used online dating sites
reported finding romance, and nearly 60% said they formed long-term
relationships.

"Our
annual survey shows that more and more singles are looking to the Web
to find a date or start a relationship, and they are succeeding," said
Josh Stevens of AOL Personals.

The leading way to make a date continues to be friends and
family, with 21% of singles saying the friends and family connection
was how they met their last date. But the second most-popular way to
hook up is now online — ranking ahead of work, bars and clubs, school,
coffee houses and bookstores.

Singles cited several advantages to using online dating sites over the old tried-and-terrible methods.

The "Love@AOL" survey also found the 10 best dating cities in the US for singles.

1. Atlanta

2. Los Angeles
3. Houston
4. Detroit
5. Dallas/Ft. Worth
6. Orlando
7. Philadelphia
8. San Francisco
9. Denver
10. Boston

And the 10 worst.

1. Washington, D.C.
2. Minneapolis/St. Paul
3. Phoenix
4. Miami
5. Tampa
6. Cleveland
7. Sacramento
8. New York
9. Chicago
10. Seattle

More in eMarketer’s just-published Online Dating report.