One of the most difficult parts of Stardew Valley is choosing who to marry. If you’re looking to choose between the eligible bachelors, there are a lot of factors to consider that likely have you struggling to find the best husband.
Here are all the bachelors you can choose to have become your husband in Stardew Valley, ranked from worst to best based on important factors like their personality, storyline, and more.
Best husbands in Stardew Valley, ranked
There are 12 characters you can romance, six of which are bachelors you can choose to eventually have become your husband in Stardew Valley. The other six romanceable NPCs are bachelorettes.
Like in real life, deciding who to marry is tough, and by necessity, it comes down to personal preference. If you want some guidance, though, here’s a breakdown of your choices and how they rank based on my own experience with them and how the Stardew Valley community generally feels about them.
6) Shane
When you first meet Shane, you’ll probably be immediately off-put by his standoffish rudeness and intense drinking habits. But if you spend time getting to know him by leveling up your friendship, you’ll find that he is a surprisingly complex character who hides his true self behind these habits. If you’re looking for a complicated, dramatic, and oftentimes frustrating relationship, then Shane is the one for you.
Shane has perhaps one of the best storylines of any character in Stardew Valley, which allows you plenty of opportunities to get to know the real him as he embarks on a journey of tremendous growth. But unfortunately, there’s a big catch with his storyline that lands him at the very bottom of this list.
Here’s the thing about Shane: if you choose to marry him, you’ll find indicators that he slips back into his old bad habits around your house and through the dialogue you share with him. To see Shane the happiest and healthiest, you have to choose not to marry him. Otherwise, he will revert back to his toxic habits and become the same guy you despised at first rather than growing into someone so much better.
Shane adds a messy man cave room to the farmhouse littered with beer cans and trash when you marry him. He also builds a chicken coop in the space outside the farmhouse and regularly visits it to interact with his chicken.
If Shane stayed at the final growth stage that he reaches at a high friendship level, he would likely rank much higher on this list. Sadly, this is not the case, and if you want to see him blossom, you should stay away from marriage with this bachelor. If you love him, you have to let him go.
5) Alex
The sporty gridball enthusiast comes off a bit arrogant at first but warms up to you fairly quickly. If you’re looking for a confident and athletic guy, Alex is the one for you.
In the early stages, Alex is mostly just your average jock and regularly comes off as a walking stereotype. He’s also pretty egotistical and spends most of his dialogue with you praising himself.
But as you get to know him better, you’ll learn that Alex has complicated family issues and a sweet heart beneath his outward self-obsessed mask. His behavior and attitude significantly improve as you befriend him, which makes him a decent pick if you’re willing to put in the work. Alex is by no means a bad guy, but he is certainly a complex one whom you need lots of patience to romance.
If you choose to marry Alex, he adds a sporty, workout-centric room to the farmhouse. He also uses the outside back garden space for his weights and can regularly be found outside lifting them.
4) Sam
This skateboarding musician is all around very friendly and upbeat. If you’re looking for a kind, cheerful guy, then Sam is the one for you. He also has one of the best NPC Winter outfits by far.
Sam is a bit rebellious and reckless but is ultimately nice and well-intentioned. He’s also one of the only residents of Stardew Valley who is nice to you right from your very first meeting with him, which immediately makes him a pretty favorable candidate.
Sam adds a room with musical equipment, books, a computer, and posters to the farmhouse if you marry him. This room is quite reminiscent of the bedroom he had before you married him. He also builds a half-pipe near the farmhouse that he visits to practice his skateboarding tricks.
One downside of Sam is that in comparison to some of the other bachelors, he lacks a bit of depth. His storyline is mostly focused on his band rather than him as an individual, which may leave you feeling like you don’t really know much about him beyond his hobbies. He sometimes feels not very memorable or unique, but his consistent kindness and good-natured attitude still make him a solid pick.
3) Harvey
Stardew Valley’s local doctor, Harvey, is quite goofy and loveable. He’s a bit shy and awkward in an endearing way, and he has the kindest heart of any of the bachelors. If you’re looking for a mature, intelligent, stable, incredibly caring husband, Harvey is the one for you.
If you spend time getting to know Harvey, you’ll never have a bad moment with him. He’s just as kind to everyone else in town as he is to you, and he genuinely cares about everything and everyone. He does work a lot, which can make getting to know him beyond his profession difficult, but Harvey is definitely worth the work and patience required.
If you choose to marry Harvey, he adds a medical, scientist-style room to the farmhouse. He also sets up a garden near the space outside the house and regularly visits it to read. Harvey continues to work after you marry him. He travels to the clinic on Tuesdays and Thursdays for work but spends the rest of the days around the farm helping out or relaxing, so there’s a really healthy balance between his job and him also helping around the house with yours.
2) Sebastian
The brooding, loner, freelance computer programmer Sebastian is one of the best bachelors in Stardew Valley. Although he is generally introverted and shy, his personality blossoms over time. As you get to know him, you’ll find that he is very caring, mature, and thoughtful. If you’re looking for a realistic relationship between two polar opposites who learn to respect and admire one another for their differences, Sebastian is the one for you.
To truly get to know Sebastian, you have to practice patience to get past his beginning antisocial tendencies. He is very introspective and philosophical but will gradually open up over time. Of all the bachelors presented in Stardew Valley, Sebastian is one of the most relatable and realistic.
Sebastian is also a bit geeky and you even get a chance to play a game that resembles Dungeons & Dragons alongside him. He’s quite interested in playing games, reading comics, and otherwise engaging with content that delves into the world of fantasy and science fiction. He’s also the drummer in Sam’s band and regularly hangs out with him.
Sebastian adds a computer and gaming-centric room to the farmhouse for him to continue his work and hobbies if you choose to make him your husband. The small area behind the farmhouse becomes home to Sebastian’s motorcycle, which he occasionally visits to work on.
What makes Sebastian one of the best bachelors in Stardew Valley is the relationship you can form with him. A computer programmer and a farmer seem like polar opposites, and yet both Sebastian and your character learn to love, respect, and understand one another.
1) Elliot
The best bachelor in all of Stardew Valley is the romantic novelist Elliot. He is exceptionally sentimental, amorous, and eloquent. If you’re looking for the perfect guy, Elliot is the one for you.
Elliot always shares exactly how he feels and does so in beautifully poetic ways. He’s a flawless gentleman who is sure to charm you through and through. Elliot is also an aspiring author who dreams of writing something brilliant. His love for writing translates to how passionate and loving he is toward you.
If you choose to marry Elliot, you’ll find that he never loses his romantic charm. He’s one of the few husbands who seems to keep at his profession while also helping around the farm as he regularly tells you about his writing plans and woes. His consistent and continuous dedication to his dream is admirable as it’s clear he cares deeply about you but also always prioritizes his other passions too.
After marrying Elliot, he adds a classy, elegant library room to the farmhouse. He uses the outdoor space by the house to create a garden he regularly visits and relaxes in while reading.
Who is the best husband in Stardew Valley?
The best person to marry in Stardew Valley is Elliot because he stays true to himself while integrating his life with you and is a perfect Prince Charming from the start of your romantic relationship onward forever as you spend your life with him.
Your journey with Elliot is a perfect fairytale, and no other romance compares. When you are choosing who to marry and spend the rest of your gameplay days with in Stardew Valley, he is easily the best choice.
