Over the years, numerous tier lists have ranked the datable women in Stardew Valley from various angles, including their favorite gifts, styles, and heart events. However, because each marriage candidate has a unique personality and character development arc, players need to consider much more than just basic traits and appearance.
While there seems to be a consensus on the best bachelorette in Stardew Valley—supported by fan-provided stats and polls—one topic remains controversial: which bachelorettes are the most challenging to date? This question goes beyond just gifts or events and delves into their overall story arcs.
The following table summarizes the best and worst traits of all the romanceable women in Stardew Valley.
|
Bachelorette |
Best Trait |
Worst Trait |
|---|---|---|
|
Abigail |
Is cool and relatable |
Can be immature and blunt |
|
Maru |
Is brilliant and independent |
Can be cold and distant |
|
Penny |
Is levelheaded and loyal |
Can be boring and detached |
|
Leah |
Is giving and passionate |
Can be insecure and depressed |
|
Haley |
Is charming and confident |
Can be childish and spoiled |
|
Emily |
Is honest and friendly |
Can be a people-pleaser |
6 Abigail
The Challenge: Not Falling for Her
- Loved Items: Amethyst, Banana Pudding, Bakery Cobbler, Chocolate Cake, Pufferfish, Pumpkin, Spicey Eel, and Monster Compendium.
The fact that Abigail is the most commonly married NPC in Stardew Valley highlights how easily players are drawn to her. She’s kind and charming, and her intriguing backstory adds to her appeal, making her somewhat like the Sebastian of the bachelorettes.
However, despite being a favorite among many players, Abigail does have her flaws. She can be immature and blunt at times, and her quirky habits — such as eating rocks — might be off-putting to some.
5 Leah
The Challenge: Ignoring Her Green Flags
- Loved Items: Goat Cheese, Poppyseed Muffin, Salad, Stir Fry, Truffle, Vegetable Medley, Wine.
Leah is the safest bet for marriage in Stardew Valley. Compassionate, kindhearted, and hardworking, she stands out as the ideal wife. Additionally, her strong connection to nature gives her a clear advantage in adjusting to the farmer’s lifestyle after marriage. For these reasons, Leah isn’t difficult to date at all.
She begins giving gifts to the player after the sixth Heart Event and maintains her enthusiasm even after marriage, unlike many other bachelorettes who may become lackluster spouses. The only drawback might be that her heart events are relatively underwhelming. Otherwise, there’s little reason not to consider her as a partner.
Leah gifts the player with an exotic sculpture during their sixth heart event.
4 Haley
The Challenge: Seeing Through Her Childish Personality
- Loved Items: Coconut, Fruit Salad, Pink Cake, Sunflower.
Haley is the equivalent of Sam among the bachelorettes; she initially comes across as selfish, irresponsible, and childish. This presents the primary challenge of dating her, as players need to look beyond her “hot high school girl” facade and help her reveal a more relatable, caring, and generous side.
Despite her appearance and style keeping her popular, Haley retains some of her less appealing traits even after marriage, which can be off-putting for many players. For instance, she might jokingly suggest that she could do better, implying that the player might not be the ideal match for her.
3 Penny
The Challenge: Accepting Her Normie Side
- Loved Items: Diamond, Emerald, Melon, Poppy, Poppyseed Muffin, Red Plate, Roots Platter, Sandfish, Tom Kha Soup.
Dating Penny comes with no significant downsides, but it also lacks major upsides. As the town’s “normie” girl, Penny is essentially the female version of Harvey, meaning she is kind and lovely but without much in-depth character development or an intriguing backstory.
Despite this, Penny remains one of the most popular bachelorettes in Stardew Valley for exactly these reasons. Just as players choose Harvey for his emotional stability and availability, many choose Penny for her calm and predictable nature. However, those seeking a more exciting romance story might find her relationship a bit dull.
2 Emily
The Challenge: Adapting to Excitement-Free Life
- Loved Items: Amethyst, Aquamarine, Emerald, Jade, Parrot Egg, Rubby, Topaz, Wool, Cloth, Survival Burger.
Despite being one of the nicest NPCs in Stardew Valley, Emily doesn’t attract many players as a marriage candidate. However, her positive energy and bubbly personality often make her a popular choice for friendship.
The main challenge in dating Emily is that her Heart Events tend to be self-centered. There are few memorable moments throughout the relationship, and even after marriage, she remains the same predictable, people-pleasing person she was at the start. Nothing significant changes.
1 Maru
The Challenge: Dealing with Her Ongoing Family Drama
- Loved Items: Battery Pack, Cauliflower, Cheese Cauliflower, Diamond, Dwarf Gadget, Gold Bar, Iridium Bar, Miner’s Treat, Pepper Poppers, Radioactive Bar, Rhubarb Pie, Strawberry.
Maru is a kind and ambitious character known for her independence and brilliance in Pelican Town. However, her strained relationship with her parents often overshadows the more enjoyable aspects of dating her. Players who pursue a relationship with Maru may find themselves entangled in her family drama, which can detract from the romance.
Fan-made polls over the years have consistently shown that Maru is one of the least favored bachelorettes. This is partly because her Heart Events and overall story arc fail to captivate many players. Additionally, Maru’s less romantic nature compared to bachelorettes like Leah contributes to her lower popularity.
