Sorry for the potentially controversial question: is it normal for less attractive people to settle down with partners they don't find physically attractive?
Mentally, definitely. But we're talking about physically here. Physical attractiveness is pretty much the same across all humans, or rather what isn't attractive. Extreme mutilations and similar for example.
Physical attractiveness is pretty much the same across all humans,
I take your point, and I used to believe that, but I learned my view was pretty narrow, compared to the options/tastes expressed by the diverse people I've met, since.
We are talking about looks per OP's prompt. There is nothing wrong with less attractive but you ain't gonna "date up" unless you got something really going for you and even then vast majority of people end up with same looking person.
I'm not personally insulted. I just think it's incredibly shitty to treat dating like some kind of caste system where people "belong" at a certain level. I can see why you said you can't "score" anyone that you view as more attractive when you view things that way.
I understand wanting to get a read on how other relationships work, but I'd also like to say wayyy to many relationships are not good examples, and even the ones that do look like good examples can look very different from the inside.
Getting more information is almost always good, but be careful to take it with a grain of salt, and above all do what feels right by you and your partner over advice you got from people who's relationships you don't know too much about.