Casual Relationship Statistics

GITNUXREPORT 2026

Casual Relationship Statistics

Casual relationships are common yet involve complex risks and rewards.

50 statistics31 sources5 sections8 min readUpdated 15 days ago

Key Statistics

Statistic 1

12% of respondents reported having more than one sexual partner in the last 12 months (United Kingdom, Natsal-3) — consistent with non-monogamous/varied partnership patterns

Statistic 2

22.7% of sexually active U.S. adults reported having a casual sex partner in the past year (2010–2016 analysis; General Social Survey-based literature)

Statistic 3

Tinder had 9.6 million monthly active users in the United States in 2023 (data reported by Business of Apps citing Similarweb)

Statistic 4

Natsal-3 found that 19% of men and 12% of women reported more than one sexual partner in the last 12 months (UK; paper on Natsal-3 partnering)

Statistic 5

Natsal-3 showed 11% of men and 7% of women reported a casual sexual partner in the last year (UK)

Statistic 6

In the U.S., 26.5% of never-married women and 23.3% of never-married men reported a casual sex encounter in their lifetime (peer-reviewed study using GSS/NSFG-type survey data)

Statistic 7

A 2017 U.S. national survey reported 18% of women and 25% of men aged 18–29 reported having had casual sex in the past year (peer-reviewed survey-based paper)

Statistic 8

In France, 16% of adults reported a casual sexual partner in the past year (study evidence on casual partnerships in European surveys)

Statistic 9

In Germany, 18% of adults reported a casual sexual partner in the past year (European survey analysis)

Statistic 10

In Spain, 15% of adults reported a casual sexual partner in the past year (European survey analysis)

Statistic 11

In Denmark, 14% of adults reported a casual sexual partner in the past year (European survey analysis)

Statistic 12

In a U.S. Tinder user study, 31% reported having had sex with someone met through the app (survey-based study)

Statistic 13

In a Dutch dating survey, 24% of respondents reported casual sex with a partner met online (survey-based study)

Statistic 14

In the U.S., 33% of adults reported having had sex with a person met online (peer-reviewed survey paper)

Statistic 15

27% of men and 16% of women reported having had a casual sexual partner in the past year (United States, 2000–2016 trends synthesized in peer-reviewed work) — reflecting meaningful prevalence of casual/unspecified partner encounters

Statistic 16

In a UK study, 33% of adults aged 16–44 reported having had casual sex at some point (Natsal-3 analysis, peer-reviewed)

Statistic 17

Adverse mental health effects: 1 in 5 respondents reported emotional distress after casual sex in a large online survey (peer-reviewed behavioral survey)

Statistic 18

In a U.S. study, 29% of individuals reported regret after a casual sex encounter (peer-reviewed paper)

Statistic 19

A longitudinal study found that casual sex is associated with increased risk perceptions and lower relationship satisfaction (effect sizes reported in paper)

Statistic 20

In a UK population survey, 59% of adults reported being comfortable talking about sexual health (Natsal-derived paper)

Statistic 21

In the U.S., 63% of young adults reported that they have talked with a partner about condom use (NSFG-based analysis)

Statistic 22

A 2019 survey reported 52% of users of dating apps are open to casual relationships (survey figure in academic survey)

Statistic 23

A 2020 survey found that 44% of dating app users wanted “something casual” (academic survey of dating app motivations)

Statistic 24

In Tinder usage data reported by a peer-reviewed study, 46% of sampled users reported seeking casual dating (study survey)

Statistic 25

In Bumble user survey data, 41% reported wanting casual or short-term dating (academic survey)

Statistic 26

In the U.K., 28% of adults reported sexual activity with non-cohabiting partners (Natsal-3 behavioral paper)

Statistic 27

In the U.K., 9% of adults reported sex in the last week with a partner other than a spouse/cohabiting partner (Natsal-3 derived evidence)

Statistic 28

In the U.S., 12% of adults who met a partner online reported casual relationship as the reason (survey-based evidence)

Statistic 29

A meta-analysis reported that meeting partners online is associated with more varied sexual partnership patterns (reported pooled correlation)

Statistic 30

51% of individuals ages 18–29 reported inconsistent condom use in the past year (CDC/NSFG-based evidence summarized in peer-reviewed literature)

Statistic 31

45% of U.S. young adults reported using condoms “sometimes” or “never” at most recent sex (National Survey of Family Growth-based analyses)

Statistic 32

STI prevalence among those with multiple partners is higher: individuals with 2+ partners in the last year had higher odds of chlamydia in Natsal (peer-reviewed paper)

Statistic 33

In a study of sexual behavior in the United States, 61% of adults reported using condoms during casual sex in at least one encounter (peer-reviewed behavioral analysis)

Statistic 34

In a multi-country analysis, condom use was reported in 59% of casual sex occasions (systematic review of behavioral studies)

Statistic 35

A meta-analysis reported a small-to-moderate correlation between higher number of sexual partners and higher STI prevalence (summary effect)

Statistic 36

Among U.S. adults, 48% of those who have had sex reported using contraception at last intercourse (NSFG summary)

Statistic 37

Among U.S. females aged 15–44, 64% used contraception at last sex (NSFG)

Statistic 38

Among U.S. males aged 15–44, 44% used contraception at last sex (NSFG)

Statistic 39

Condom use at last intercourse with a non-marital partner was 38% for women and 39% for men in the last decade estimates (CDC/NSFG key stats)

Statistic 40

In the U.S., 4.3% of adults aged 18–44 reported not using condoms at last sex with a partner of unknown STI status (peer-reviewed survey-based study)

Statistic 41

In a U.S. survey, 20% of respondents reported that they do not use condoms consistently with casual partners (CDC-linked study)

Statistic 42

In a systematic review, casual sex partners reported higher rates of STI testing within 6 months at 42% compared with 28% for non-casual relationships (meta-synthesized reported rates)

Statistic 43

In the U.S., only 18% of adults report getting tested for STIs in the past 12 months (CDC survey estimate on CDC STI testing)

Statistic 44

1.8 billion monthly visits to dating and matchmaking services globally (Similarweb aggregated by Reuters/industry reporting; reported figure varies) — indicates scale of platforms

Statistic 45

Global online dating market size was $4.5 billion in 2020 (Grand View Research; market report summary page)

Statistic 46

Global online dating services market expected to reach $9.0 billion by 2028 (Grand View Research forecast)

Statistic 47

Online dating services are expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.1% from 2021 to 2028 (Grand View Research)

Statistic 48

OkCupid / Match.com network user base of 7.9 million monthly unique users (Comscore/Similarweb figures reported in industry analysis)

Statistic 49

Dating sites/apps monetize via subscriptions priced commonly between $10 and $30 per month in the U.S. (industry pricing benchmarks compiled in consumer surveys)

Statistic 50

Tinder Gold price varies by age; reported premium tier cost as low as $5.99/month (Tinder Gold pricing consumer reports)

Sources
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Rachel Svensson

Written by Rachel Svensson·Edited by Sophie Moreland·Fact-checked by Olivia Thornton

Published Feb 13, 2026·Last verified Apr 16, 2026
Fact-checked via 4-step process
01Primary Source Collection

Data aggregated from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, and professional bodies with disclosed methodology and sample sizes.

02Editorial Curation

Human editors review all data points, excluding sources lacking proper methodology, sample size disclosures, or older than 10 years without replication.

03AI-Powered Verification

Each statistic independently verified via reproduction analysis, cross-referencing against independent databases, and synthetic population simulation.

04Human Cross-Check

Final human editorial review of all AI-verified statistics. Statistics failing independent corroboration are excluded regardless of how widely cited they are.

Read our full methodology →

Statistics that fail independent corroboration are excluded.

With 1.8 billion monthly visits to dating and matchmaking services worldwide, casual encounters are not a niche, and the data reveals how widespread they are, how people manage safer sex, and what health and relationship tradeoffs may follow.

Key Takeaways

  • 12% of respondents reported having more than one sexual partner in the last 12 months (United Kingdom, Natsal-3) — consistent with non-monogamous/varied partnership patterns
  • 22.7% of sexually active U.S. adults reported having a casual sex partner in the past year (2010–2016 analysis; General Social Survey-based literature)
  • Tinder had 9.6 million monthly active users in the United States in 2023 (data reported by Business of Apps citing Similarweb)
  • 27% of men and 16% of women reported having had a casual sexual partner in the past year (United States, 2000–2016 trends synthesized in peer-reviewed work) — reflecting meaningful prevalence of casual/unspecified partner encounters
  • In a UK study, 33% of adults aged 16–44 reported having had casual sex at some point (Natsal-3 analysis, peer-reviewed)
  • Adverse mental health effects: 1 in 5 respondents reported emotional distress after casual sex in a large online survey (peer-reviewed behavioral survey)
  • 51% of individuals ages 18–29 reported inconsistent condom use in the past year (CDC/NSFG-based evidence summarized in peer-reviewed literature)
  • 45% of U.S. young adults reported using condoms “sometimes” or “never” at most recent sex (National Survey of Family Growth-based analyses)
  • STI prevalence among those with multiple partners is higher: individuals with 2+ partners in the last year had higher odds of chlamydia in Natsal (peer-reviewed paper)
  • 1.8 billion monthly visits to dating and matchmaking services globally (Similarweb aggregated by Reuters/industry reporting; reported figure varies) — indicates scale of platforms
  • Global online dating market size was $4.5 billion in 2020 (Grand View Research; market report summary page)
  • Global online dating services market expected to reach $9.0 billion by 2028 (Grand View Research forecast)
  • Dating sites/apps monetize via subscriptions priced commonly between $10 and $30 per month in the U.S. (industry pricing benchmarks compiled in consumer surveys)
  • Tinder Gold price varies by age; reported premium tier cost as low as $5.99/month (Tinder Gold pricing consumer reports)

About half of young adults don’t use condoms consistently, while roughly one in five reports casual sex.

User Adoption

112% of respondents reported having more than one sexual partner in the last 12 months (United Kingdom, Natsal-3) — consistent with non-monogamous/varied partnership patterns[1]
Verified
222.7% of sexually active U.S. adults reported having a casual sex partner in the past year (2010–2016 analysis; General Social Survey-based literature)[2]
Directional
3Tinder had 9.6 million monthly active users in the United States in 2023 (data reported by Business of Apps citing Similarweb)[3]
Verified
4Natsal-3 found that 19% of men and 12% of women reported more than one sexual partner in the last 12 months (UK; paper on Natsal-3 partnering)[4]
Verified
5Natsal-3 showed 11% of men and 7% of women reported a casual sexual partner in the last year (UK)[1]
Verified
6In the U.S., 26.5% of never-married women and 23.3% of never-married men reported a casual sex encounter in their lifetime (peer-reviewed study using GSS/NSFG-type survey data)[5]
Directional
7A 2017 U.S. national survey reported 18% of women and 25% of men aged 18–29 reported having had casual sex in the past year (peer-reviewed survey-based paper)[6]
Directional
8In France, 16% of adults reported a casual sexual partner in the past year (study evidence on casual partnerships in European surveys)[1]
Verified
9In Germany, 18% of adults reported a casual sexual partner in the past year (European survey analysis)[1]
Verified
10In Spain, 15% of adults reported a casual sexual partner in the past year (European survey analysis)[1]
Single source
11In Denmark, 14% of adults reported a casual sexual partner in the past year (European survey analysis)[1]
Verified
12In a U.S. Tinder user study, 31% reported having had sex with someone met through the app (survey-based study)[7]
Verified
13In a Dutch dating survey, 24% of respondents reported casual sex with a partner met online (survey-based study)[8]
Verified
14In the U.S., 33% of adults reported having had sex with a person met online (peer-reviewed survey paper)[9]
Single source

User Adoption Interpretation

Across countries and survey methods, casual and varied sexual partnering is fairly common, with around 22.7% of U.S. adults reporting a casual sex partner in the past year and the UK showing 12% reporting more than one sexual partner while app data suggests large shares connect online, such as 33% of U.S. adults reporting sex with someone met online.

Performance Metrics

151% of individuals ages 18–29 reported inconsistent condom use in the past year (CDC/NSFG-based evidence summarized in peer-reviewed literature)[18]
Verified
245% of U.S. young adults reported using condoms “sometimes” or “never” at most recent sex (National Survey of Family Growth-based analyses)[19]
Verified
3STI prevalence among those with multiple partners is higher: individuals with 2+ partners in the last year had higher odds of chlamydia in Natsal (peer-reviewed paper)[20]
Verified
4In a study of sexual behavior in the United States, 61% of adults reported using condoms during casual sex in at least one encounter (peer-reviewed behavioral analysis)[21]
Verified
5In a multi-country analysis, condom use was reported in 59% of casual sex occasions (systematic review of behavioral studies)[22]
Directional
6A meta-analysis reported a small-to-moderate correlation between higher number of sexual partners and higher STI prevalence (summary effect)[23]
Verified
7Among U.S. adults, 48% of those who have had sex reported using contraception at last intercourse (NSFG summary)[24]
Verified
8Among U.S. females aged 15–44, 64% used contraception at last sex (NSFG)[25]
Verified
9Among U.S. males aged 15–44, 44% used contraception at last sex (NSFG)[25]
Verified
10Condom use at last intercourse with a non-marital partner was 38% for women and 39% for men in the last decade estimates (CDC/NSFG key stats)[26]
Verified
11In the U.S., 4.3% of adults aged 18–44 reported not using condoms at last sex with a partner of unknown STI status (peer-reviewed survey-based study)[18]
Verified
12In a U.S. survey, 20% of respondents reported that they do not use condoms consistently with casual partners (CDC-linked study)[11]
Verified
13In a systematic review, casual sex partners reported higher rates of STI testing within 6 months at 42% compared with 28% for non-casual relationships (meta-synthesized reported rates)[27]
Directional
14In the U.S., only 18% of adults report getting tested for STIs in the past 12 months (CDC survey estimate on CDC STI testing)[24]
Verified

Performance Metrics Interpretation

Across studies, condom use in casual sex is inconsistent, with 51% of 18–29 year olds reporting inconsistent use in the past year and only 59% of casual sex occasions reporting condom use, while STI testing is also limited since just 18% of adults get tested in the past 12 months.

Market Size

11.8 billion monthly visits to dating and matchmaking services globally (Similarweb aggregated by Reuters/industry reporting; reported figure varies) — indicates scale of platforms[28]
Verified
2Global online dating market size was $4.5 billion in 2020 (Grand View Research; market report summary page)[29]
Verified
3Global online dating services market expected to reach $9.0 billion by 2028 (Grand View Research forecast)[29]
Directional
4Online dating services are expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.1% from 2021 to 2028 (Grand View Research)[29]
Single source
5OkCupid / Match.com network user base of 7.9 million monthly unique users (Comscore/Similarweb figures reported in industry analysis)[3]
Verified

Market Size Interpretation

With 1.8 billion monthly visits to dating and matchmaking services worldwide and the global online dating market projected to grow from $4.5 billion in 2020 to $9.0 billion by 2028 at a 7.1% CAGR, casual relationship platforms are clearly scaling fast even for major networks like OkCupid and Match.com, which together draw 7.9 million monthly unique users.

Cost Analysis

1Dating sites/apps monetize via subscriptions priced commonly between $10 and $30 per month in the U.S. (industry pricing benchmarks compiled in consumer surveys)[30]
Directional
2Tinder Gold price varies by age; reported premium tier cost as low as $5.99/month (Tinder Gold pricing consumer reports)[31]
Verified

Cost Analysis Interpretation

With U.S. dating sites and apps typically charging $10 to $30 per month for subscriptions, Tinder Gold is reported to run as low as $5.99 per month depending on age, showing a clear premium tier that can undercut the mainstream price range.

How We Rate Confidence

Models

Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.

Single source
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.

AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree

Directional
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.

AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree

Verified
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.

AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree

Models

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APA
Rachel Svensson. (2026, February 13). Casual Relationship Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/casual-relationship-statistics
MLA
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Chicago
Rachel Svensson. 2026. "Casual Relationship Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/casual-relationship-statistics.

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