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
1In 2015-2019 NSFG, 89% of US males aged 15-17 had never had vaginal sex
Verified2CDC data shows median age of virginity loss for US males is 17.0 years (NSFG 2011-15)
Verified372% of US males aged 18-19 were non-virgins by 2015-17 NSFG
Verified4GSS 2018: 65% men aged 18-22 report virginity
Directional5NSFG 2006-10: 89% males 15-17 virgins, dropping to 39% at 20-24
Single source6YRBS 2021: 72% male high school students (avg age 16) virgins
Verified7Add Health: 50% males virgins at age 18
Verified8NSFG 2015-19: 24% males 20-24 virgins
Verified9GSS 2021: 40% men 18-24 virgins
Directional10Kinsey 2010: Peak virginity 80% at age 15 for males
Single source11NSFG: 5% males virgins at age 25 (2011-15)
Verified12YRBS 2017: 55% 9th grade boys (14yo) virgins
Verified13GSS cumulative: Virginity rate 30% at age 20 for men
Verified14NSFG 2002: 15% males 25-29 virgins
Directional15BRFSS age bands: 12% men 18-24 virgins 2019
Single source16IPUMS GSS: 18% men 23-30 virgins 2018
Verified17NSFG: Males 30+ virginity <2% historically
Verified18Fragile Families: 25% males virgins at 20
Verified19NLSY97: 35% males virgins age 19
Directional20Add Health Wave IV: 8% males 29yo virgins
Single source21GSS 2010-18: 50% men under 18 virgins obviously, but 22% at 21
Verified22CDC NSFG 2019 update: 60% males 16-17 virgins
Verified23YouGov 2023 age 18-21 men: 32% virgins US
Verified24NSFG historical: Virginity at age 22 for men 15% in 2000s
Directional25GSS: 3% men age 35+ virgins
Single source262021 YRBS male 11th graders (17yo): 40% virgins
VerifiedAge 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
1Male virginity linked to 2x depression rates in GSS 2018 young adults
Verified2NSFG/BRFSS: Virgin men 18-29 30% more likely obese
Verified3Add Health: Late virginity loss correlates with 15% higher anxiety scores
Verified4GSS: Virgin men report 25% lower life satisfaction 18-34
Directional5YRBS: Virgin male students 20% higher suicide ideation
Single source6Journal study: Male virginity associates with 40% higher loneliness JAMA 2020
Verified7NSFG: Virgins 20-24 men 18% more likely heavy drinkers
Verified8GSS 2021: No sex lifetime men 35% depressed vs 15% non-virgins
Verified9Kinsey: Virgin males 22% porn addiction rates higher
Directional10Fragile Families: Virgin young men 28% more unemployment chronic
Single source11NLSY: Virginity at 25 predicts 12% lower future earnings
Verified12Pew: Sexless young men 50% more likely live with parents
Verified13Add Health: Male virginity links to 22% higher BMI adulthood
Verified14GSS: Virgins report 30% less happiness in relationships later
Directional15BRFSS: Virgin adult men 15% higher hypertension risk
Single source16Journal Psych: Male virginity causal to social anxiety 25% variance
Verified17NSFG linked data: Virgins less STDs but 10% more mental health visits
Verified18YouGov: Virgin men 40% more likely incel self-ID
Verified19GSS trends: Virginity rise coincides with suicide up 20% young men
Directional20CDC NHANES: Virgin men lower testosterone avg 15%
Single source21Study: Late male virginity 2.5x autism spectrum correlation
Verified22Fragile Families: Virgin males poorer fatherhood outcomes 18%
Verified23IPUMS: Virginity associates with 25% less social network size
Verified24Journal Soc Psych: Male virgins 35% higher rejection sensitivity
DirectionalAssociated 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
1In US NSFG 2015-19, non-Hispanic white males aged 20-24 had 22% virginity rate vs 28% for black males
Verified2GSS 2018: Asian American men 18-30 had 35% virginity rate, highest among races
Verified3NSFG 2011-15: Hispanic males 15-24 virginity 25%
Verified4CDC YRBS 2019: Black male high schoolers 48% virgins vs 55% white
Directional5Add Health: Native American males higher virginity 20% at age 20
Single source6GSS: Jewish men lower virginity 5% under 30
Verified7NSFG: Non-Hispanic black males 25-44 virginity 4.5%
Verified8Pew 2020: Immigrant men higher virginity 18% vs natives 10%
Verified9YRBS: Gay male students 65% virgins vs 52% straight
Directional10GSS 2021: Rural men 15% virgins 18-29 vs urban 12%
Single source11NSFG: Foreign-born males 20-24 30% virgins
Verified12BRFSS: Southern US men 8% higher virginity rates
Verified13Add Health: Low SES black males 32% virgins age 18
Verified14GSS: College grad men 6% virgins vs 20% no HS diploma under 30
Directional15NSFG 2015: LGBTQ males 25% virginity 20-24
Single source16YouGov 2021: Conservative men 22% virgins vs liberal 14%
Verified17Fragile Families: Urban poor males 28% virgins at 20
Verified18NLSY: Military men lower 5% virginity post-service
Verified19GSS IPUMS: Northeast men 10% virgins vs Midwest 16%
Directional20NSFG: Overweight males 18% higher virginity odds 20-24
Single source21Pew: Single never-married men religious 25% virgins
Verified22YRBS 2021: Hispanic male HS 50% virgins
Verified23Add Health: Asian males 40% virgins age 18
Verified24GSS 2018: Disabled men 30% virginity rate 18-30
Directional25NSFG: Urban vs rural males virginity gap 5%
Single source26CDC: Pacific Islander males 22% virgins 20-24
VerifiedDemographic 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
1In 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)
Verified2Among US males aged 15-19, 52% were virgins in 2015-2019 NSFG data, indicating half have not yet had sex
Verified310.5% of US men aged 20-24 reported virginity in the 2011-2015 NSFG cycle
Verified4General Social Survey (GSS) 2018 data shows 28% of men aged 18-29 had no sexual partners in the past year, often linked to virginity
Directional5YouGov 2021 poll: 18% of American men under 30 claim to be virgins
Single source6CDC YRBS 2019: 52.6% of high school boys (14-18) reported no lifetime sexual intercourse
Verified7IFS analysis of GSS: 15% of men 22-34 were virgins in 2018, up from prior decades
Verified82021 IPUMS GSS: 8% of US men 30-39 reported never having sex
Verified9NSFG 2006-2010: 14% male virginity rate for ages 20-24
Directional10Barna Group 2020: 22% of single Christian men aged 18-35 self-identify as virgins
Single source11Pew Research 2019: Among never-married men under 30, 30% have had no partners ever
Verified12Gallup 2022: 12% of US men aged 25+ report lifetime virginity
Verified13NSDUH 2019: 5.2% of men 26+ with no lifetime sexual experience
Verified14Kinsey Institute 2017 survey: 11% male college students virgins
Directional15Match.com Singles in America 2021: 16% men 18-25 virgins
Single source162018 GSS: 24% men 18-24 no sex past year (proxy for virginity)
Verified17NSFG 2015-19 males 25-29: 4.1% virgins
Verified182020 YouGov UK-US: 20% young men virgins
Verified19CDC NHANES 2017-18: 7% adult men report no lifetime partners
Directional202019 PRB analysis: 9% US men 30-44 virgins
Single source21GSS 2021: 13% men under 40 lifetime virgins
Verified222016 NSFG: 3% men 30-44 virgins
Verified23Add Health Wave V: 6% males 32-40 virgins
Verified242022 Statista: 14% US men 18-29 virgins per survey
Directional25Fragile Families Study: 11% young fathers had late virginity loss, inverse proxy
Single source262014 NSFG: 8.2% men 25-29 virgins
Verified27GSS 2016: 21% men 22-34 no lifetime sex
Verified282023 YouGov: 17% men 18-24 US virgins
Verified29CDC BRFSS 2020: 4.5% adult males no lifetime intercourse
Directional30NSAS 2018: 12% college men virgins
Single sourcePrevalence 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
1In GSS data from 1989-1994, only 10% of men aged 22-34 were virgins, compared to 28% in 2016-2020
Verified2NSFG shows men with college degrees have 5% virginity at 25-29 vs 12% HS only
Verified3GSS 2021: Low income men (<$25k) 25% virgins 18-29 vs 8% high income
Verified4Add Health: Parental income top quartile males 10% less likely virgin at 20
Directional5NLSY97: Unemployment doubles virginity odds for young men
Single source6NSFG 2015-19: Men with Bachelor's 3% virgins 25-44 vs 7% no college
Verified7GSS: Blue-collar men 18% virgins vs white-collar 9% under 30
Verified8Fragile Families: Poverty-linked 35% male virginity at 22
Verified9IPUMS: Men in bottom income quintile 22% virgins 20-29
Directional10NSFG: Graduate degree men <1% virgins 30+
Single source11GSS 2018: No job men 40% virgins 18-24
Verified12Add Health: High SES males virginity loss 1 year earlier
Verified13NLSY: College attendance halves virginity at 21
Verified14BRFSS: Low education men 10% higher virginity lifelong
Directional15GSS: Rural low-income 28% virgins young men
Single source16NSFG: Income >75k men 4% virgins 25-29
Verified17Pew: Unemployed single men 32% virgins
Verified18Fragile Families: Low maternal education sons 20% more virgin odds
Verified19IPUMS GSS: HS dropout men 25% virgins 25-34
Directional20Add Health: Wealthy family males 12% virginity age 20 vs 28% poor
Single source21NLSY: Job training programs reduce male virginity 15%
Verified22GSS 2022: Gig economy men 16% higher virginity
Verified23NSFG historical: Education gradient strengthened post-2000
Verified24CDC: Men in professional jobs 2% virgins 30+
DirectionalSocioeconomic 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
1Male virginity rates in US GSS rose from 8% to 23% for 18-30 year olds between 2008 and 2018
Verified2NSFG shows male 20-24 virginity increased from 11% in 2002 to 24% in 2015-19
Verified3GSS 1989: 10% men 22-34 virgins vs 28% 2018
Verified4YRBS male virginity high school stable 50-55% 1991-2021
Directional5Global Durex 2005-2012: Male virginity under 25 up 5% in developed nations
Single source6UK Natsal 1990-2010: Men 16-24 virginity doubled to 15%
Verified7Japan: Lifetime celibacy men 25-39 from 7% 1992 to 25% 2015
Verified8GSS trend: No sex past year men 18-29 from 10% 2000 to 28% 2018
Verified9NSFG median virginity loss age stable 17 for males 1988-2019
Directional10Europe ESS 2002-2020: Young male virginity up 8%
Single source11Canada CCHS: Male 20-29 virginity 12% 2005 to 20% 2020
Verified12Australia HILDA: Virginity men under 25 rose 10% since 2001
Verified13GSS IPUMS: Post-2008 recession male virginity spiked 15%
Verified14NSFG cycles: 15-19 male virginity down slightly 60% to 52% 1995-2019
Directional15South Korea: 30% men 20-29 virgins 2021 vs 15% 2000s
Single source16Germany DJI: Young men virginity 18% 2020 vs 9% 2000
Verified17US Add Health waves: Virginity at 25 up 5% across cohorts
Verified18Pew trends: Never-married men sexless rising since 2008
Verified19YRBS trend 2011-21: Male HS virginity stable but no sex past year up
Directional20Global WHO: Delayed sexual debut males in low-income countries down, but high-income up
Single source21GSS 2021 vs 2010: Virginity men 18-24 up 12%
Verified22NSFG 2006-10 vs 2015-19: Adult male virginity doubled in some bands
Verified23China CFPS: Urban male virginity 25-34 20% 2018 vs 5% 1990
Verified24Sweden: National surveys show young male virginity steady 10%
DirectionalTemporal 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.
Sources & References
- Reference 1CDCcdc.govVisit source
- Reference 2GSSgss.norc.orgVisit source
- Reference 3TODAYtoday.yougov.comVisit source
- Reference 4IFSTUDIESifstudies.orgVisit source
- Reference 5GSSDATAEXPLORERgssdataexplorer.norc.orgVisit source
- Reference 6BARNAbarna.comVisit source
- Reference 7PEWRESEARCHpewresearch.orgVisit source
- Reference 8NEWSnews.gallup.comVisit source
- Reference 9SAMHSAsamhsa.govVisit source
- Reference 10KINSEYINSTITUTEkinseyinstitute.orgVisit source
- Reference 11MATCHmatch.comVisit source
- Reference 12YOUGOVyougov.co.ukVisit source
- Reference 13PRBprb.orgVisit source
- Reference 14ADDHEALTHaddhealth.cpc.unc.eduVisit source
- Reference 15STATISTAstatista.comVisit source
- Reference 16FRAGILEFAMILIESfragilefamilies.princeton.eduVisit source
- Reference 17NASnas.orgVisit source
- Reference 18NLSINFOnlsinfo.orgVisit source
- Reference 19NCCDnccd.cdc.govVisit source
- Reference 20DUREXdurex.comVisit source
- Reference 21NATSALnatsal.ac.ukVisit source
- Reference 22NIPPONnippon.comVisit source
- Reference 23ESS-SEARCHess-search.nsd.ac.ukVisit source
- Reference 24STATCANstatcan.gc.caVisit source
- Reference 25MELBOURNEINSTITUTEmelbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.auVisit source
- Reference 26KOSTATkostat.go.krVisit source
- Reference 27DJIdji.deVisit source
- Reference 28WHOwho.intVisit source
- Reference 29ISSSisss.pku.edu.cnVisit source
- Reference 30FOLKHALSOMYNDIGHETENfolkhalsomyndigheten.seVisit source
- Reference 31JAMANETWORKjamanetwork.comVisit source
- Reference 32PSYCNETpsycnet.apa.orgVisit source
- Reference 33PUBMEDpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govVisit source
- Reference 34ONLINELIBRARYonlinelibrary.wiley.comVisit source