Majority opinion is that NY nightlife/dating life has higher ratio of girls to guys while SF has way more guys. So it doesn't mean standards are supposed to be lower, rather the ratio should even out between the 2 cities.
Protip for men: Davis, CA not during summer has the highest concentration of unmarried, college educated, single women of any college town in the US, outside the Boston metro. Thursday night is salsa night at The Grad. Get your silly colored sunglasses and go.
The other trick is to have women fly out to meet you, oh wait, that one has an API now. :) Seriously, distance is another "barrier" so it is good for the stationary party (not that kind, the human kind).