In short: Mia is a dating app for Italian-Americans and Italians around the world who want a serious relationship. It launches on iPhone in winter 2026–27. About 16.3 million people in the United States report Italian ancestry, yet as of October 2026 we couldn’t find an iPhone dating app built for them.
More than 16 million Americans call themselves Italian.
You know who they are.
Sunday dinner starts at two and ends when it ends. There are seven fishes on Christmas Eve. Someone’s nonna has already asked when you’re getting married.
And yet, when you open a dating app, none of that is anywhere on the screen.
Just faces. Swipes. And a lot of people who will never understand why Sunday is already booked.
That’s why we’re building Mia.
How Many Italian-Americans Are There?
According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey, 16.3 million people in the United States report Italian ancestry. That’s about 1 in 20 Americans, and the fifth-largest group in the survey’s ancestry table.
| Where | People reporting Italian ancestry | Share of population |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 16.3 million | 4.8% |
| New York | 2.1 million | 10.6% |
| Pennsylvania | 1.4 million | 10.5% |
| California | 1.3 million | 3.3% |
| Florida | 1.3 million | 5.6% |
| New Jersey | 1.3 million | 13.4% |
By share of the population, Rhode Island (15.4%), Connecticut (14.6%) and New Jersey (13.4%) lead the country. In the New York metro area alone, 2.1 million people report Italian ancestry: about one in ten.
That is a lot of people looking for the same thing, on apps that were never built for them.
Why Dating Feels Different When You’re Italian-American
Being Italian-American isn’t a box you tick.
It’s how you were raised.
- Family comes to everything, and has an opinion about everything.
- Food is how you say “I love you,” “I’m sorry” and “sit down, you look thin.”
- Holidays, feasts and traditions aren’t optional. They’re the calendar.
- You’re loud when you’re happy, and that’s most of the time.
So you’re not only looking for someone you’re attracted to.
You’re looking for someone who can walk into your parents’ house and feel at home. Someone who already knows what it means to bring a tray of cookies, kiss everyone hello, and stay for coffee.
You can explain all of that to a date.
It’s just so much better when you don’t have to.
What the Big Dating Apps Miss
The mainstream apps are built for everyone, and for volume. Swipe, match, repeat.
They’re good at showing you a lot of people. They’re not built to show you the ones who share your culture. Being Italian is something you have to signal yourself, in a bio line or a photo of your nonna’s table, and hope the right person notices.
Other communities have had their own apps for years. Italian-Americans haven’t. When we searched Apple’s U.S. App Store in October 2026 for “Italian dating” and “Italian American dating,” the results were the big general apps and apps made for other communities. We couldn’t find one built for Italian-Americans.
How Mia Works
Mia is a dating app for Italians and Italian-Americans who want a real relationship, the kind that feels like home.
- Three people a day. No endless swiping. Everyone gets three profiles a day, and you simply Like or Pass. Nobody can pay for more.
- Verified profiles. Every profile has to pass a selfie check before it’s shown.
- FamBlock. Add up to ten last names and those families won’t see you, and you won’t see them. If you have forty cousins in the same county, you’ll understand.
- Regional pride welcome. Sicilian, Calabrese, Napoletano, Abruzzese: show the roots you’re proud of on your profile.
- Matches that go somewhere. A match expires after seven days without a message, so conversations actually start.
Mia is free to use. Mia Ultra is optional and adds extras like seeing who already likes you.
Not Only for Italian-Americans
Mia is for Italians everywhere: born in Italy, raised in New Jersey, living in Toronto or Melbourne. The Italian family is a big one, and the feeling of dating far from it is the same wherever you are.
No Italian roots, but dreaming of an Italian life and love? There’s a seat at the table for you too.
Launching Winter 2026–27
Mia launches on iPhone in winter 2026–27.
The waitlist is open now. Join it and we’ll email you the day you can download the app.
Sunday dinner is better with someone who gets it.
Good questions
Is there a dating app for Italian-Americans?
Yes. Mia is a dating app for Italian-Americans and Italians around the world who want a serious relationship. It launches on iPhone in winter 2026–27, and the waitlist is open now at miadatingapp.com.
How many Italian-Americans are there?
About 16.3 million people in the United States report Italian ancestry, roughly 4.8% of the population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey. It is the fifth-largest group in the survey’s ancestry table.
Which states have the most Italian-Americans?
New York has the most, with about 2.1 million, followed by Pennsylvania (1.4 million) and California, Florida and New Jersey (about 1.3 million each). By share of the population, Rhode Island (15.4%), Connecticut (14.6%) and New Jersey (13.4%) lead, per the 2024 American Community Survey.
How is Mia different from Tinder or Hinge for Italian-Americans?
Mainstream apps are built for everyone and for volume. Mia is built around Italian culture: everyone gets three selfie-verified profiles a day, FamBlock hides up to ten family last names so you don’t match with cousins, and matches expire after seven days without a message.
When does Mia launch?
Mia launches in winter 2026–27, on iPhone first. Join the waitlist and we’ll email you the day you can download it.
