Nearly 90% of American males aged 15 to 17 have never had vaginal sex. This rate drops sharply by their early twenties, a shift linked to significant differences in mental health and economic outcomes.
Key Takeaways
- 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
- 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
- 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 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 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
Recent US surveys show many men still have not had sex by late teens, though virginity declines fast after.
Related reading
01 · Category
Age Demographics26 stats
01
In 2015-2019 NSFG, 89% of US males aged 15-17 had never had vaginal sex
02
CDC data shows median age of virginity loss for US males is 17.0 years (NSFG 2011-15)
03
72% of US males aged 18-19 were non-virgins by 2015-17 NSFG
04
GSS 2018: 65% men aged 18-22 report virginity
05
NSFG 2006-10: 89% males 15-17 virgins, dropping to 39% at 20-24
06
YRBS 2021: 72% male high school students (avg age 16) virgins
07
Add Health: 50% males virgins at age 18
08
NSFG 2015-19: 24% males 20-24 virgins
09
GSS 2021: 40% men 18-24 virgins
10
Kinsey 2010: Peak virginity 80% at age 15 for males
11
NSFG: 5% males virgins at age 25 (2011-15)
12
YRBS 2017: 55% 9th grade boys (14yo) virgins
13
GSS cumulative: Virginity rate 30% at age 20 for men
14
NSFG 2002: 15% males 25-29 virgins
15
BRFSS age bands: 12% men 18-24 virgins 2019
16
IPUMS GSS: 18% men 23-30 virgins 2018
17
NSFG: Males 30+ virginity <2% historically
18
Fragile Families: 25% males virgins at 20
19
NLSY97: 35% males virgins age 19
20
Add Health Wave IV: 8% males 29yo virgins
21
GSS 2010-18: 50% men under 18 virgins obviously, but 22% at 21
22
CDC NSFG 2019 update: 60% males 16-17 virgins
23
YouGov 2023 age 18-21 men: 32% virgins US
24
NSFG historical: Virginity at age 22 for men 15% in 2000s
25
GSS: 3% men age 35+ virgins
26
2021 YRBS male 11th graders (17yo): 40% virgins
Interpretation
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.
02 · Category
Associated Outcomes24 stats
01
Male virginity linked to 2x depression rates in GSS 2018 young adults
02
NSFG/BRFSS: Virgin men 18-29 30% more likely obese
03
Add Health: Late virginity loss correlates with 15% higher anxiety scores
04
GSS: Virgin men report 25% lower life satisfaction 18-34
05
YRBS: Virgin male students 20% higher suicide ideation
06
Journal study: Male virginity associates with 40% higher loneliness JAMA 2020
07
NSFG: Virgins 20-24 men 18% more likely heavy drinkers
08
GSS 2021: No sex lifetime men 35% depressed vs 15% non-virgins
09
Kinsey: Virgin males 22% porn addiction rates higher
10
Fragile Families: Virgin young men 28% more unemployment chronic
11
NLSY: Virginity at 25 predicts 12% lower future earnings
12
Pew: Sexless young men 50% more likely live with parents
13
Add Health: Male virginity links to 22% higher BMI adulthood
14
GSS: Virgins report 30% less happiness in relationships later
15
BRFSS: Virgin adult men 15% higher hypertension risk
16
Journal Psych: Male virginity causal to social anxiety 25% variance
17
NSFG linked data: Virgins less STDs but 10% more mental health visits
18
YouGov: Virgin men 40% more likely incel self-ID
19
GSS trends: Virginity rise coincides with suicide up 20% young men
20
CDC NHANES: Virgin men lower testosterone avg 15%
21
Study: Late male virginity 2.5x autism spectrum correlation
22
Fragile Families: Virgin males poorer fatherhood outcomes 18%
23
IPUMS: Virginity associates with 25% less social network size
24
Journal Soc Psych: Male virgins 35% higher rejection sensitivity
Interpretation
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.
03 · Category
Demographic Variations26 stats
01
In US NSFG 2015-19, non-Hispanic white males aged 20-24 had 22% virginity rate vs 28% for black males
02
GSS 2018: Asian American men 18-30 had 35% virginity rate, highest among races
03
NSFG 2011-15: Hispanic males 15-24 virginity 25%
04
CDC YRBS 2019: Black male high schoolers 48% virgins vs 55% white
05
Add Health: Native American males higher virginity 20% at age 20
06
GSS: Jewish men lower virginity 5% under 30
07
NSFG: Non-Hispanic black males 25-44 virginity 4.5%
08
Pew 2020: Immigrant men higher virginity 18% vs natives 10%
09
YRBS: Gay male students 65% virgins vs 52% straight
10
GSS 2021: Rural men 15% virgins 18-29 vs urban 12%
11
NSFG: Foreign-born males 20-24 30% virgins
12
BRFSS: Southern US men 8% higher virginity rates
13
Add Health: Low SES black males 32% virgins age 18
14
GSS: College grad men 6% virgins vs 20% no HS diploma under 30
15
NSFG 2015: LGBTQ males 25% virginity 20-24
16
YouGov 2021: Conservative men 22% virgins vs liberal 14%
17
Fragile Families: Urban poor males 28% virgins at 20
18
NLSY: Military men lower 5% virginity post-service
19
GSS IPUMS: Northeast men 10% virgins vs Midwest 16%
20
NSFG: Overweight males 18% higher virginity odds 20-24
21
Pew: Single never-married men religious 25% virgins
22
YRBS 2021: Hispanic male HS 50% virgins
23
Add Health: Asian males 40% virgins age 18
24
GSS 2018: Disabled men 30% virginity rate 18-30
25
NSFG: Urban vs rural males virginity gap 5%
26
CDC: Pacific Islander males 22% virgins 20-24
Interpretation
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.
More related reading
04 · Category
Prevalence Rates30 stats
01
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)
02
Among US males aged 15-19, 52% were virgins in 2015-2019 NSFG data, indicating half have not yet had sex
03
10.5% of US men aged 20-24 reported virginity in the 2011-2015 NSFG cycle
04
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
05
YouGov 2021 poll: 18% of American men under 30 claim to be virgins
06
CDC YRBS 2019: 52.6% of high school boys (14-18) reported no lifetime sexual intercourse
07
IFS analysis of GSS: 15% of men 22-34 were virgins in 2018, up from prior decades
08
2021 IPUMS GSS: 8% of US men 30-39 reported never having sex
09
NSFG 2006-2010: 14% male virginity rate for ages 20-24
10
Barna Group 2020: 22% of single Christian men aged 18-35 self-identify as virgins
11
Pew Research 2019: Among never-married men under 30, 30% have had no partners ever
12
Gallup 2022: 12% of US men aged 25+ report lifetime virginity
13
NSDUH 2019: 5.2% of men 26+ with no lifetime sexual experience
14
Kinsey Institute 2017 survey: 11% male college students virgins
15
Match.com Singles in America 2021: 16% men 18-25 virgins
16
2018 GSS: 24% men 18-24 no sex past year (proxy for virginity)
17
NSFG 2015-19 males 25-29: 4.1% virgins
18
2020 YouGov UK-US: 20% young men virgins
19
CDC NHANES 2017-18: 7% adult men report no lifetime partners
20
2019 PRB analysis: 9% US men 30-44 virgins
21
GSS 2021: 13% men under 40 lifetime virgins
22
2016 NSFG: 3% men 30-44 virgins
23
Add Health Wave V: 6% males 32-40 virgins
24
2022 Statista: 14% US men 18-29 virgins per survey
25
Fragile Families Study: 11% young fathers had late virginity loss, inverse proxy
26
2014 NSFG: 8.2% men 25-29 virgins
27
GSS 2016: 21% men 22-34 no lifetime sex
28
2023 YouGov: 17% men 18-24 US virgins
29
CDC BRFSS 2020: 4.5% adult males no lifetime intercourse
30
NSAS 2018: 12% college men virgins
Interpretation
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.
05 · Category
Socioeconomic Factors24 stats
01
In GSS data from 1989-1994, only 10% of men aged 22-34 were virgins, compared to 28% in 2016-2020
02
NSFG shows men with college degrees have 5% virginity at 25-29 vs 12% HS only
03
GSS 2021: Low income men (<$25k) 25% virgins 18-29 vs 8% high income
04
Add Health: Parental income top quartile males 10% less likely virgin at 20
05
NLSY97: Unemployment doubles virginity odds for young men
06
NSFG 2015-19: Men with Bachelor's 3% virgins 25-44 vs 7% no college
07
GSS: Blue-collar men 18% virgins vs white-collar 9% under 30
08
Fragile Families: Poverty-linked 35% male virginity at 22
09
IPUMS: Men in bottom income quintile 22% virgins 20-29
10
NSFG: Graduate degree men <1% virgins 30+
11
GSS 2018: No job men 40% virgins 18-24
12
Add Health: High SES males virginity loss 1 year earlier
13
NLSY: College attendance halves virginity at 21
14
BRFSS: Low education men 10% higher virginity lifelong
15
GSS: Rural low-income 28% virgins young men
16
NSFG: Income >75k men 4% virgins 25-29
17
Pew: Unemployed single men 32% virgins
18
Fragile Families: Low maternal education sons 20% more virgin odds
19
IPUMS GSS: HS dropout men 25% virgins 25-34
20
Add Health: Wealthy family males 12% virginity age 20 vs 28% poor
21
NLSY: Job training programs reduce male virginity 15%
22
GSS 2022: Gig economy men 16% higher virginity
23
NSFG historical: Education gradient strengthened post-2000
24
CDC: Men in professional jobs 2% virgins 30+
Interpretation
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.
06 · Category
Temporal Trends24 stats
01
Male virginity rates in US GSS rose from 8% to 23% for 18-30 year olds between 2008 and 2018
02
NSFG shows male 20-24 virginity increased from 11% in 2002 to 24% in 2015-19
03
GSS 1989: 10% men 22-34 virgins vs 28% 2018
04
YRBS male virginity high school stable 50-55% 1991-2021
05
Global Durex 2005-2012: Male virginity under 25 up 5% in developed nations
06
UK Natsal 1990-2010: Men 16-24 virginity doubled to 15%
07
Japan: Lifetime celibacy men 25-39 from 7% 1992 to 25% 2015
08
GSS trend: No sex past year men 18-29 from 10% 2000 to 28% 2018
09
NSFG median virginity loss age stable 17 for males 1988-2019
10
Europe ESS 2002-2020: Young male virginity up 8%
11
Canada CCHS: Male 20-29 virginity 12% 2005 to 20% 2020
12
Australia HILDA: Virginity men under 25 rose 10% since 2001
13
GSS IPUMS: Post-2008 recession male virginity spiked 15%
14
NSFG cycles: 15-19 male virginity down slightly 60% to 52% 1995-2019
15
South Korea: 30% men 20-29 virgins 2021 vs 15% 2000s
16
Germany DJI: Young men virginity 18% 2020 vs 9% 2000
17
US Add Health waves: Virginity at 25 up 5% across cohorts
18
Pew trends: Never-married men sexless rising since 2008
19
YRBS trend 2011-21: Male HS virginity stable but no sex past year up
20
Global WHO: Delayed sexual debut males in low-income countries down, but high-income up
21
GSS 2021 vs 2010: Virginity men 18-24 up 12%
22
NSFG 2006-10 vs 2015-19: Adult male virginity doubled in some bands
23
China CFPS: Urban male virginity 25-34 20% 2018 vs 5% 1990
24
Sweden: National surveys show young male virginity steady 10%
Interpretation
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.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Ryan Townsend. (2026, February 13). Male Virginity Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/male-virginity-statistics
MLA
Ryan Townsend. "Male Virginity Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/male-virginity-statistics.
Chicago
Ryan Townsend. 2026. "Male Virginity Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/male-virginity-statistics.
Sources & references
34 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level