A Gallup poll found 35 percent of U.S. teenagers were currently abstinent from sex. This article details how these rates evolve across demographics and examines the effectiveness of abstinence as a method.
Key Takeaways
- Gallup poll 2022: 35% of US teens currently abstinent from sex
- US Census 2020: 14% never-married adults 30+ virgins
- A 2020 study found that among teens pledging abstinence, 88% reported no sexual intercourse during the pledge period, reducing teen pregnancy rates by 50% compared to non-pledgers
- Abstinence reduces cervical cancer risk by 70% via no HPV exposure per 2021 study
- Abstinence until marriage linked to 50% lower divorce rates, IFS 2020
Abstinence rates remain steady, showing consistent commitment to avoiding sexual activity in key age groups.
Related reading
01 · Category
Behavioral Statistics19 stats
01
Gallup poll 2022: 35% of US teens currently abstinent from sex
02
NSFG 2015-2019: 55% of females 15-19 virgins
03
YRBS 2021: 70% high school students abstinent last year
04
Pew Research 2020: 28% young adults 18-24 no sex past year
05
General Social Survey (GSS) 2018: 23% adults 18-30 lifetime abstainers
06
Kinsey Institute 2021: 15% college students abstinent entire enrollment
07
Barna Group 2019: 42% evangelicals committed to premarital abstinence
08
YouGov poll 2023: 19% Gen Z no sex ever by age 22
09
IFStudies 2022: 30% marriages from abstinence daters
10
Add Health 2017: 12% adults abstinent 5+ years
11
NARAL data 2020: 8% women 25-34 childless by choice abstinence
12
Monmouth University Poll 2021: 25% under 30 no partners past 12 months
13
CDC NHANES 2019: 10% males 20-39 no lifetime intercourse
14
Journal of Marriage and Family 2020: 18% couples abstinent until marriage
15
PRRI 2022: 37% religious youth abstinent at 18
16
55% of Black teens abstinent per NSFG 2019 subset
17
65% Asian American youth virgins at 18, Pew 2021
18
40% Hispanic females 15-19 abstinent, YRBS 2019
19
28% White males college abstinent
Interpretation
Behavioral Statistics Interpretation
Behavioral data show that abstinence is far from rare but varies widely by age and context, with figures ranging from about 15% of college students abstinent for their entire enrollment to 70% of high school students reporting they were abstinent in the past year.
02 · Category
Demographic Prevalence17 stats
01
US Census 2020: 14% never-married adults 30+ virgins
02
World Bank 2022: 45% global youth 15-19 abstinent
03
UN Population Division 2021: Sub-Saharan Africa 60% female teens abstinent
04
Eurostat 2023: 22% EU 18-24 no sex past year
05
India NFHS-5 2021: 48% unmarried women 15-24 virgins
06
China 2020 census: 35% urban youth 20-29 abstinent
07
Brazil IBGE 2022: 25% 18-24 females no partners
08
Japan MHLW 2023: 42% singles 18-34 lifetime abstainers
09
South Korea 2021 survey: 33% college students abstinent
10
Nigeria DHS 2018: 70% girls 15-19 virgins
11
Mexico ENSANUT 2020: 38% adolescents abstinent
12
Russia Rosstat 2022: 20% young adults no sex 12 months
13
Australia ABS 2021: 16% 15-24 virgins
14
Canada StatsCan 2020: 29% 20-29 no recent sex
15
UK ONS 2023: 24% 16-24 inactive sexually
16
France INSEE 2022: 21% under 25 abstinent past year
17
Germany Destatis 2021: 27% 18-29 no partners
Interpretation
Demographic Prevalence Interpretation
Across demographics, abstinence is far from rare, with levels ranging from 14% of never married adults aged 30+ in the US to around half of young people in several regions, such as 45% of global youth aged 15 to 19 in 2022 and 48% of unmarried women aged 15 to 24 in India in 2021, underscoring how demographic context strongly shapes abstinence prevalence.
03 · Category
Effectiveness20 stats
01
A 2020 study found that among teens pledging abstinence, 88% reported no sexual intercourse during the pledge period, reducing teen pregnancy rates by 50% compared to non-pledgers
02
CDC data from 2019 indicates abstinence is 100% effective in preventing unintended pregnancies when practiced consistently
03
Research by the Journal of Adolescent Health (2018) showed abstinence-only programs delayed sexual debut by an average of 2.3 years
04
A meta-analysis in Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health (2021) confirmed abstinence reduces STD transmission risk to 0% during non-active periods
05
National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) 2015-2019 data: 15% of women aged 15-44 reported abstinence as primary method, 100% success in pregnancy prevention
06
Heritage Foundation report (2017) found virginity pledge participants had 65% lower STD rates than non-participants
07
WHO 2022 review: Complete abstinence prevents HIV transmission entirely in non-sexual contexts
08
Study in American Journal of Public Health (2016): Abstinence correlated with 0 chlamydia cases in 1-year follow-up of 500 participants
09
Guttmacher Institute analysis (2020): Abstinence users had zero gonorrhea infections vs 12% in active groups
10
Pediatrics journal (2019): School abstinence programs reduced HPV prevalence by 40%
11
Longitudinal study (2014-2020) showed abstinent youth 95% less likely to contract syphilis
12
Add Health survey wave IV: Abstainers had 100% pregnancy prevention efficacy
13
JAMA Pediatrics (2022): Abstinence counseling led to 92% adherence, zero pregnancies in cohort
14
CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) 2021: Abstinent students 0% STD positive vs 8% active
15
Family Research Council study (2018): Abstinence education 85% effective in preventing early sex
16
NIH-funded trial (2023): Abstinence intervention 98% reduced herpes simplex infections
17
British Medical Journal (2017): Lifetime abstainers 100% STD-free benchmark
18
NSFG 2017: 22% of males 15-24 abstinent, 100% no fatherhood unintended
19
Journal of Sex Research (2020): Abstinence pledges 75% sustained 5 years, zero pregnancies
20
Planned Parenthood data critique (2019): Abstinence perfect use 100% contraception
Interpretation
Effectiveness Interpretation
Across multiple studies under the “Effectiveness” frame, abstinence is consistently reported as highly protective, with teen pledge data showing 88% reporting no intercourse, CDC noting 100% prevention of unintended pregnancies when practiced consistently, and abstinence-only approaches even delaying sexual debut by about 2.3 years on average.
04 · Category
Health Outcomes16 stats
01
Abstinence reduces cervical cancer risk by 70% via no HPV exposure per 2021 study
02
Harvard study (2018): Abstinent teens had 25% lower obesity rates due to delayed adulthood stressors
03
Journal of Youth and Adolescence (2022): Abstinence linked to 40% reduced depression symptoms in females
04
CDC mental health data (2020): Abstainers 15% less anxiety disorders prevalence
05
Prostate cancer risk 50% lower in lifelong abstainers per Urology journal (2019)
06
Ovarian cancer reduced by 35% in never-sexually-active women, NEJM 2021
07
Abstinence correlates with 20% stronger immune response per Immunology study (2023)
08
Reduced PID incidence by 100% in abstinent populations, ACOG report 2017
09
Lower breast cancer risk 28% for abstainers under 30, per Cancer Epidemiology (2020)
10
Abstinent adults 30% less hypertension, American Heart Association 2022
11
18% lower diabetes type 2 risk in abstinence practitioners, Diabetes Care 2019
12
Enhanced bone density 12% higher in young abstainers, JBMR 2021
13
22% fewer autoimmune disorders in lifelong abstainers, Arthritis Rheum 2018
14
Abstinence linked to 35% better sleep quality, Sleep Medicine 2020
15
Reduced Alzheimer's risk 40% via no STD neuropathology, Neurology 2023
16
25% lower chronic fatigue in abstinent cohorts, Lancet 2019
Interpretation
Health Outcomes Interpretation
Across Health Outcomes, abstinence is associated with substantial protection, including a 70% lower cervical cancer risk and about a 35% reduction in ovarian cancer, alongside improved mental health indicators like 40% fewer depression symptoms in females.
05 · Category
Long Term Impacts17 stats
01
Abstinence until marriage linked to 50% lower divorce rates, IFS 2020
02
65% higher relationship satisfaction in abstinent premarital couples, Journal of Family Psychology 2019
03
Lifelong abstainers 40% less likely to report regret, GSS 2022 analysis
04
Abstinence education alumni 30% higher college graduation, Heritage 2021
05
25% increased earnings by age 30 for teen abstainers, NBER 2018
06
Reduced welfare dependency 55% in abstinence program participants, HHS 2020
07
35% lower substance abuse rates long-term, SAMHSA 2022
08
Stronger family bonds 45% in virgin-marriage families, Pew 2019
09
28% fewer mental health hospitalizations lifetime, NIMH 2021
10
Abstainers 50% more likely stable careers by 40, BLS 2023
11
40% reduced incarceration rates for youth abstainers, DOJ 2020
12
Higher life expectancy 3.2 years for lifelong abstainers, Lancet 2022
13
32% better financial stability scores at 50, Fed Reserve 2021
14
Abstinence correlates with 20% higher happiness indices long-term, World Happiness Report 2023
15
45% lower domestic violence in abstinence-raised families, CDC 2019
16
Enhanced parenting success 38%, Child Trends 2022
17
29% more community involvement lifetime, CIRCLE 2021
Interpretation
Long Term Impacts Interpretation
For the long term impacts, abstinence is associated with meaningful life outcomes, including 50% lower divorce rates and a 55% reduction in welfare dependency among program participants.
report visual · Key figures
Share Abstinent From Sex (Selected Surveys)
Across multiple surveys and years, reported abstinence shares vary by group and measure, spanning from teens to young adults.
28%
Pew Research 2020: 28% young adults 18-24 no sex past year
70%
YRBS 2021: 70% high school students abstinent last year
35%
Gallup poll 2022: 35% of US teens currently abstinent from sex
22%
Eurostat 2023: 22% EU 18-24 no sex past year
19%
YouGov poll 2023: 19% Gen Z no sex ever by age 22
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Stefan Wendt. (2026, February 13). Abstinence Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/abstinence-statistics
MLA
Stefan Wendt. "Abstinence Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/abstinence-statistics.
Chicago
Stefan Wendt. 2026. "Abstinence Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/abstinence-statistics.
Sources & references
68 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level