While the typical American man is sexually active by age 17, a surprising number of men are charting a different course, with statistics showing that 28% of men aged 18-29 had no sexual partners in the past year and 18% of American men under 30 are virgins, signaling a quiet but significant shift in modern male sexuality.
Key Takeaways
- In the United States, 2.8% of men aged 25-44 reported never having had vaginal intercourse according to the 2015-2017 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG)
- Among US males aged 15-19, 52% were virgins in 2015-2019 NSFG data, indicating half have not yet had sex
- 10.5% of US men aged 20-24 reported virginity in the 2011-2015 NSFG cycle
- In 2015-2019 NSFG, 89% of US males aged 15-17 had never had vaginal sex
- CDC data shows median age of virginity loss for US males is 17.0 years (NSFG 2011-15)
- 72% of US males aged 18-19 were non-virgins by 2015-17 NSFG
- In US NSFG 2015-19, non-Hispanic white males aged 20-24 had 22% virginity rate vs 28% for black males
- GSS 2018: Asian American men 18-30 had 35% virginity rate, highest among races
- NSFG 2011-15: Hispanic males 15-24 virginity 25%
- In GSS data from 1989-1994, only 10% of men aged 22-34 were virgins, compared to 28% in 2016-2020
- NSFG shows men with college degrees have 5% virginity at 25-29 vs 12% HS only
- GSS 2021: Low income men (<$25k) 25% virgins 18-29 vs 8% high income
- Male virginity rates in US GSS rose from 8% to 23% for 18-30 year olds between 2008 and 2018
- NSFG shows male 20-24 virginity increased from 11% in 2002 to 24% in 2015-19
- GSS 1989: 10% men 22-34 virgins vs 28% 2018
More young American men are virgins now than in past decades.
Age Demographics
- In 2015-2019 NSFG, 89% of US males aged 15-17 had never had vaginal sex
- CDC data shows median age of virginity loss for US males is 17.0 years (NSFG 2011-15)
- 72% of US males aged 18-19 were non-virgins by 2015-17 NSFG
- GSS 2018: 65% men aged 18-22 report virginity
- NSFG 2006-10: 89% males 15-17 virgins, dropping to 39% at 20-24
- YRBS 2021: 72% male high school students (avg age 16) virgins
- Add Health: 50% males virgins at age 18
- NSFG 2015-19: 24% males 20-24 virgins
- GSS 2021: 40% men 18-24 virgins
- Kinsey 2010: Peak virginity 80% at age 15 for males
- NSFG: 5% males virgins at age 25 (2011-15)
- YRBS 2017: 55% 9th grade boys (14yo) virgins
- GSS cumulative: Virginity rate 30% at age 20 for men
- NSFG 2002: 15% males 25-29 virgins
- BRFSS age bands: 12% men 18-24 virgins 2019
- IPUMS GSS: 18% men 23-30 virgins 2018
- NSFG: Males 30+ virginity <2% historically
- Fragile Families: 25% males virgins at 20
- NLSY97: 35% males virgins age 19
- Add Health Wave IV: 8% males 29yo virgins
- GSS 2010-18: 50% men under 18 virgins obviously, but 22% at 21
- CDC NSFG 2019 update: 60% males 16-17 virgins
- YouGov 2023 age 18-21 men: 32% virgins US
- NSFG historical: Virginity at age 22 for men 15% in 2000s
- GSS: 3% men age 35+ virgins
- 2021 YRBS male 11th graders (17yo): 40% virgins
Age Demographics Interpretation
The data suggests that for American men, virginity in the late teens is the statistical norm, not an anomaly, and the race to lose it is often a very short sprint that concludes for most by their mid-twenties.
Associated Outcomes
- Male virginity linked to 2x depression rates in GSS 2018 young adults
- NSFG/BRFSS: Virgin men 18-29 30% more likely obese
- Add Health: Late virginity loss correlates with 15% higher anxiety scores
- GSS: Virgin men report 25% lower life satisfaction 18-34
- YRBS: Virgin male students 20% higher suicide ideation
- Journal study: Male virginity associates with 40% higher loneliness JAMA 2020
- NSFG: Virgins 20-24 men 18% more likely heavy drinkers
- GSS 2021: No sex lifetime men 35% depressed vs 15% non-virgins
- Kinsey: Virgin males 22% porn addiction rates higher
- Fragile Families: Virgin young men 28% more unemployment chronic
- NLSY: Virginity at 25 predicts 12% lower future earnings
- Pew: Sexless young men 50% more likely live with parents
- Add Health: Male virginity links to 22% higher BMI adulthood
- GSS: Virgins report 30% less happiness in relationships later
- BRFSS: Virgin adult men 15% higher hypertension risk
- Journal Psych: Male virginity causal to social anxiety 25% variance
- NSFG linked data: Virgins less STDs but 10% more mental health visits
- YouGov: Virgin men 40% more likely incel self-ID
- GSS trends: Virginity rise coincides with suicide up 20% young men
- CDC NHANES: Virgin men lower testosterone avg 15%
- Study: Late male virginity 2.5x autism spectrum correlation
- Fragile Families: Virgin males poorer fatherhood outcomes 18%
- IPUMS: Virginity associates with 25% less social network size
- Journal Soc Psych: Male virgins 35% higher rejection sensitivity
Associated Outcomes Interpretation
Male virginity, at least statistically speaking, appears to be less a personal choice and more a canary in the coal mine of modern masculinity, signaling a host of downstream mental, physical, and socioeconomic woes.
Demographic Variations
- In US NSFG 2015-19, non-Hispanic white males aged 20-24 had 22% virginity rate vs 28% for black males
- GSS 2018: Asian American men 18-30 had 35% virginity rate, highest among races
- NSFG 2011-15: Hispanic males 15-24 virginity 25%
- CDC YRBS 2019: Black male high schoolers 48% virgins vs 55% white
- Add Health: Native American males higher virginity 20% at age 20
- GSS: Jewish men lower virginity 5% under 30
- NSFG: Non-Hispanic black males 25-44 virginity 4.5%
- Pew 2020: Immigrant men higher virginity 18% vs natives 10%
- YRBS: Gay male students 65% virgins vs 52% straight
- GSS 2021: Rural men 15% virgins 18-29 vs urban 12%
- NSFG: Foreign-born males 20-24 30% virgins
- BRFSS: Southern US men 8% higher virginity rates
- Add Health: Low SES black males 32% virgins age 18
- GSS: College grad men 6% virgins vs 20% no HS diploma under 30
- NSFG 2015: LGBTQ males 25% virginity 20-24
- YouGov 2021: Conservative men 22% virgins vs liberal 14%
- Fragile Families: Urban poor males 28% virgins at 20
- NLSY: Military men lower 5% virginity post-service
- GSS IPUMS: Northeast men 10% virgins vs Midwest 16%
- NSFG: Overweight males 18% higher virginity odds 20-24
- Pew: Single never-married men religious 25% virgins
- YRBS 2021: Hispanic male HS 50% virgins
- Add Health: Asian males 40% virgins age 18
- GSS 2018: Disabled men 30% virginity rate 18-30
- NSFG: Urban vs rural males virginity gap 5%
- CDC: Pacific Islander males 22% virgins 20-24
Demographic Variations Interpretation
The statistics reveal a nuanced landscape of male virginity where cultural expectations, access to opportunity, and social belonging often weigh more heavily on the libido than race or region alone.
Prevalence Rates
- In the United States, 2.8% of men aged 25-44 reported never having had vaginal intercourse according to the 2015-2017 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG)
- Among US males aged 15-19, 52% were virgins in 2015-2019 NSFG data, indicating half have not yet had sex
- 10.5% of US men aged 20-24 reported virginity in the 2011-2015 NSFG cycle
- General Social Survey (GSS) 2018 data shows 28% of men aged 18-29 had no sexual partners in the past year, often linked to virginity
- YouGov 2021 poll: 18% of American men under 30 claim to be virgins
- CDC YRBS 2019: 52.6% of high school boys (14-18) reported no lifetime sexual intercourse
- IFS analysis of GSS: 15% of men 22-34 were virgins in 2018, up from prior decades
- 2021 IPUMS GSS: 8% of US men 30-39 reported never having sex
- NSFG 2006-2010: 14% male virginity rate for ages 20-24
- Barna Group 2020: 22% of single Christian men aged 18-35 self-identify as virgins
- Pew Research 2019: Among never-married men under 30, 30% have had no partners ever
- Gallup 2022: 12% of US men aged 25+ report lifetime virginity
- NSDUH 2019: 5.2% of men 26+ with no lifetime sexual experience
- Kinsey Institute 2017 survey: 11% male college students virgins
- Match.com Singles in America 2021: 16% men 18-25 virgins
- 2018 GSS: 24% men 18-24 no sex past year (proxy for virginity)
- NSFG 2015-19 males 25-29: 4.1% virgins
- 2020 YouGov UK-US: 20% young men virgins
- CDC NHANES 2017-18: 7% adult men report no lifetime partners
- 2019 PRB analysis: 9% US men 30-44 virgins
- GSS 2021: 13% men under 40 lifetime virgins
- 2016 NSFG: 3% men 30-44 virgins
- Add Health Wave V: 6% males 32-40 virgins
- 2022 Statista: 14% US men 18-29 virgins per survey
- Fragile Families Study: 11% young fathers had late virginity loss, inverse proxy
- 2014 NSFG: 8.2% men 25-29 virgins
- GSS 2016: 21% men 22-34 no lifetime sex
- 2023 YouGov: 17% men 18-24 US virgins
- CDC BRFSS 2020: 4.5% adult males no lifetime intercourse
- NSAS 2018: 12% college men virgins
Prevalence Rates Interpretation
While the data clearly shows virginity is far more common and complex than outdated stereotypes suggest, the real story is the growing share of young men navigating a sexual landscape where "not yet" is an increasingly normal part of the timeline.
Socioeconomic Factors
- In GSS data from 1989-1994, only 10% of men aged 22-34 were virgins, compared to 28% in 2016-2020
- NSFG shows men with college degrees have 5% virginity at 25-29 vs 12% HS only
- GSS 2021: Low income men (<$25k) 25% virgins 18-29 vs 8% high income
- Add Health: Parental income top quartile males 10% less likely virgin at 20
- NLSY97: Unemployment doubles virginity odds for young men
- NSFG 2015-19: Men with Bachelor's 3% virgins 25-44 vs 7% no college
- GSS: Blue-collar men 18% virgins vs white-collar 9% under 30
- Fragile Families: Poverty-linked 35% male virginity at 22
- IPUMS: Men in bottom income quintile 22% virgins 20-29
- NSFG: Graduate degree men <1% virgins 30+
- GSS 2018: No job men 40% virgins 18-24
- Add Health: High SES males virginity loss 1 year earlier
- NLSY: College attendance halves virginity at 21
- BRFSS: Low education men 10% higher virginity lifelong
- GSS: Rural low-income 28% virgins young men
- NSFG: Income >75k men 4% virgins 25-29
- Pew: Unemployed single men 32% virgins
- Fragile Families: Low maternal education sons 20% more virgin odds
- IPUMS GSS: HS dropout men 25% virgins 25-34
- Add Health: Wealthy family males 12% virginity age 20 vs 28% poor
- NLSY: Job training programs reduce male virginity 15%
- GSS 2022: Gig economy men 16% higher virginity
- NSFG historical: Education gradient strengthened post-2000
- CDC: Men in professional jobs 2% virgins 30+
Socioeconomic Factors Interpretation
It’s clear that the modern male virginity gap is less about changing morals and more a stark indicator of economic and social stratification, where success in the classroom and the marketplace increasingly dictates success in the bedroom.
Temporal Trends
- Male virginity rates in US GSS rose from 8% to 23% for 18-30 year olds between 2008 and 2018
- NSFG shows male 20-24 virginity increased from 11% in 2002 to 24% in 2015-19
- GSS 1989: 10% men 22-34 virgins vs 28% 2018
- YRBS male virginity high school stable 50-55% 1991-2021
- Global Durex 2005-2012: Male virginity under 25 up 5% in developed nations
- UK Natsal 1990-2010: Men 16-24 virginity doubled to 15%
- Japan: Lifetime celibacy men 25-39 from 7% 1992 to 25% 2015
- GSS trend: No sex past year men 18-29 from 10% 2000 to 28% 2018
- NSFG median virginity loss age stable 17 for males 1988-2019
- Europe ESS 2002-2020: Young male virginity up 8%
- Canada CCHS: Male 20-29 virginity 12% 2005 to 20% 2020
- Australia HILDA: Virginity men under 25 rose 10% since 2001
- GSS IPUMS: Post-2008 recession male virginity spiked 15%
- NSFG cycles: 15-19 male virginity down slightly 60% to 52% 1995-2019
- South Korea: 30% men 20-29 virgins 2021 vs 15% 2000s
- Germany DJI: Young men virginity 18% 2020 vs 9% 2000
- US Add Health waves: Virginity at 25 up 5% across cohorts
- Pew trends: Never-married men sexless rising since 2008
- YRBS trend 2011-21: Male HS virginity stable but no sex past year up
- Global WHO: Delayed sexual debut males in low-income countries down, but high-income up
- GSS 2021 vs 2010: Virginity men 18-24 up 12%
- NSFG 2006-10 vs 2015-19: Adult male virginity doubled in some bands
- China CFPS: Urban male virginity 25-34 20% 2018 vs 5% 1990
- Sweden: National surveys show young male virginity steady 10%
Temporal Trends Interpretation
It seems the internet's grand promise of connection has instead produced a statistical epidemic of inexperience, with a growing legion of young men charting a course of voluntary or involuntary abstinence straight past the age when previous generations had already thrown their virginity overboard.
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