While billions of clicks paint a picture of a ubiquitous digital pastime, a closer look at the statistics reveals a complex reality where widespread porn usage intersects with significant personal and societal consequences.
Key Takeaways
- Globally, Pornhub recorded 130 million unique daily visitors in 2023
- In the United States, 69% of men and 40% of women viewed pornography in the past month according to a 2022 national survey
- Average time spent on Pornhub per visit was 10 minutes and 3 seconds worldwide in 2023
- 28% of men aged 18-49 in the US report daily porn use per 2022 General Social Survey
- Women aged 18-24 make up 26% of Pornhub's US audience in 2023
- 67% of teen boys and 45% of teen girls have seen porn by age 16 per 2021 JAMA Pediatrics study
- Porn addiction risk is 3x higher in males under 25 per 2023 DSM-linked study
- 54% of porn addicts report erectile dysfunction issues per 2022 meta-analysis of 20 studies
- Daily porn use correlates with 25% higher depression rates in young men per 2021 JAMA study
- 35% of married individuals report porn as a factor in divorce per 2022 US survey
- Couples where one partner uses porn 5+ times/week have 20% lower intimacy scores
- 57% of women feel betrayed by partner's porn use per 2023 relationship poll
- Global porn industry revenue reached $100 billion in 2023
- Pornhub parent company MindGeek earned $500 million+ in 2022 ad revenue
- OnlyFans generated $5.5 billion in creator payouts in 2023
Porn usage is widespread and has significant psychological and social consequences globally.
Demographic Breakdowns
- 28% of men aged 18-49 in the US report daily porn use per 2022 General Social Survey
- Women aged 18-24 make up 26% of Pornhub's US audience in 2023
- 67% of teen boys and 45% of teen girls have seen porn by age 16 per 2021 JAMA Pediatrics study
- Among US adults, 35% of 18-24 year olds view porn several times a week vs 12% over 65
- Black Americans are 20% less likely to report porn use than whites per 2022 NSDUH data
- 52% of Pornhub's global female users prefer amateur content in 2023 demographics
- LGBTQ+ users represent 12% of Pornhub traffic worldwide in 2023
- Urban dwellers consume 15% more porn than rural residents per 2022 US Census-linked study
- College-educated men report 25% higher porn frequency than high school grads per GSS 2022
- 41% of single US adults view porn weekly vs 22% married per 2023 YouGov poll
- Hispanic Americans show 58% monthly porn use rate in 2022 surveys
- Gen Z women (18-24) increased porn viewing by 22% from 2021-2023 per Pornhub
- 70% of US porn consumers are male, but female share grew to 35% in 2023
- Men aged 35-44 peak at 45% daily porn use in US demographics 2022
- 19% of US religious adults report no porn use vs 8% non-religious
- Rural teen boys have 10% higher porn exposure rates than urban per 2021 study
- 62% of high-income ($100k+) US men view porn monthly vs 48% low-income
Demographic Breakdowns Interpretation
While America’s porn consumption appears to be a young, educated man’s daily pastime increasingly shared by women, it also reveals a landscape of silent religious abstainers, a predictable gap between singles and the married, and the perhaps less predictable fact that your grandpa’s porn habits are statistically dwarfed by your female classmate’s.
Global Usage Statistics
- Globally, Pornhub recorded 130 million unique daily visitors in 2023
- In the United States, 69% of men and 40% of women viewed pornography in the past month according to a 2022 national survey
- Average time spent on Pornhub per visit was 10 minutes and 3 seconds worldwide in 2023
- Over 42% of internet traffic worldwide is porn-related as of 2023 estimates
- In 2023, Pornhub saw 5.4 billion video views from mobile devices globally
- 33% of all Pornhub traffic in 2023 came from the United States
- Worldwide, searches for "lesbian" topped Pornhub's 2023 search list with over 2 million monthly averages
- Pornhub reported 8.6 billion total visits in 2023 across all platforms
- In Europe, 25% of internet users aged 18-44 consume porn daily per 2022 EU study
- Global porn industry generated $97 billion in revenue in 2023
- 73% of U.S. men aged 18+ have viewed porn in the last month per 2021 Barna Group study
- Pornhub's 2023 data shows peak usage at 11 PM local time worldwide on average
- 15% of global internet bandwidth is used for adult content streaming in 2023
- In 2023, "hentai" was the top search globally on Pornhub with 1.5 million average monthly searches
- Worldwide smartphone porn consumption rose 18% year-over-year in 2023 per Pornhub analytics
- 57% of porn viewers worldwide use incognito mode per 2022 global survey of 50,000 users
- Global average age of first porn exposure is 12 years old according to 2023 meta-analysis
- Pornhub 2023 insights reveal 24% traffic increase during major sports events globally
- 81% of global porn traffic is video-based as of 2023 Cisco reports
- In 2023, Pornhub blocked access in 16 countries, reducing global traffic by 2%
Global Usage Statistics Interpretation
The sheer scale of this digital libido—where billions daily seek a ten-minute escape that now commands a near-hundred-billion-dollar shadow economy—paints a stark portrait of modern intimacy, where our most private curiosities have become our most public and measurable consumption.
Industry and Economic Data
- Global porn industry revenue reached $100 billion in 2023
- Pornhub parent company MindGeek earned $500 million+ in 2022 ad revenue
- OnlyFans generated $5.5 billion in creator payouts in 2023
- US porn industry employs over 100,000 people directly in 2023 estimates
- Average porn performer earns $1,200 per scene in 2022 AVN data
- Porn sites receive 12% of all global ad spend in adult sector 2023
- VR porn market grew to $7 billion in 2023 from $1B in 2019
- 80% of porn revenue comes from free tube sites via ads in 2023 analysis
- Top 1% OnlyFans creators earn 33% of all platform revenue 2023
- Porn production costs average $300k per high-budget film in 2022
- Mobile porn apps generated $2.8 billion in downloads revenue 2023
- 65% of porn industry jobs are non-performing roles like tech/support 2023
- Ethical porn startups raised $150 million VC in 2023
- Porn affiliate marketing pays out $1B annually to promoters 2022
- Streaming porn platforms hold 92% market share over DVDs in 2023
- Global cam site industry worth $4.5 billion in 2023 performer earnings
- Porn search traffic drives 25% of all bandwidth costs for ISPs 2023
- AI-generated porn content market projected at $1B by 2025 from 2023 base
Industry and Economic Data Interpretation
While the future of sex may involve AI-generated content in VR headsets, today’s still very human porn economy is a massive, ad-fueled pyramid scheme where a free-for-all for viewers funds a precarious gig for performers, all watched over by a handful of tech companies getting very, very rich.
Psychological and Health Impacts
- Porn addiction risk is 3x higher in males under 25 per 2023 DSM-linked study
- 54% of porn addicts report erectile dysfunction issues per 2022 meta-analysis of 20 studies
- Daily porn use correlates with 25% higher depression rates in young men per 2021 JAMA study
- Compulsive porn viewing linked to 40% increase in anxiety disorders per 2023 review
- 30% of heavy porn users show brain changes similar to drug addicts in fMRI scans 2022
- Porn use frequency predicts 18% higher insomnia rates in adults per 2022 Sleep Medicine study
- Women with high porn consumption report 22% lower body image satisfaction per 2023 survey
- 47% of porn addiction treatment seekers are under 25 per 2022 clinic data
- Excessive porn linked to 35% reduction in relationship satisfaction scores per 2021 study
- 61% of compulsive users experience shame and guilt weekly per 2023 self-report study
- Porn-induced sexual dysfunction affects 16-28% of young men per 2022 Italian study of 3,000+
- High porn use associated with 2.5x risk of ADHD symptoms in teens per 2023 analysis
- 25% of daily porn viewers report decreased libido outside screens per 2022 survey
- Brain reward system desensitization in 68% of heavy users per 2021 neuroimaging review
- Porn use predicts 15% higher loneliness scores in longitudinal US study 2022
- 42% of porn addicts relapse within 3 months of quitting per 2023 recovery stats
- Heavy porn consumption correlates with 28% increase in aggression per 2022 meta-analysis
Psychological and Health Impacts Interpretation
While the internet promised limitless connection, this data suggests it's often fulfilling a darker, more solitary contract: offering young men a digital harem in exchange for their real-world vitality, relationships, and peace of mind.
Societal and Relational Effects
- 35% of married individuals report porn as a factor in divorce per 2022 US survey
- Couples where one partner uses porn 5+ times/week have 20% lower intimacy scores
- 57% of women feel betrayed by partner's porn use per 2023 relationship poll
- Porn viewing linked to 15% higher infidelity rates in committed relationships 2022 study
- 68% of sex trafficking victims are exposed via porn sites per 2021 DOJ report
- Teens exposed to porn are 2.4x more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviors per 2022 CDC data
- 44% of porn includes violence or aggression per 2023 content analysis of 5,000 videos
- Communities with high porn access see 12% higher divorce rates per 2021 county-level study
- 51% of pastors report porn use impacts church attendance per 2022 Barna clergy survey
- Porn correlates with 18% decrease in sexual satisfaction in long-term couples 2023
- 29% of domestic violence cases involve porn as a trigger per 2022 shelter data
- High school students with porn exposure show 22% higher rates of sexting 2021 survey
- 63% of men who cheat cite porn habit as gateway per 2023 infidelity study
- Workplace porn use leads to 17% of HR complaints annually per 2022 SHRM report
- 38% of parents report kids under 13 accessed porn accidentally 2023 poll
- Porn normalization linked to 25% rise in teen casual sex attitudes per 2022 longitudinal study
Societal and Relational Effects Interpretation
Behind the glossy curtain of pixels and pleasure, these statistics reveal a sobering truth: modern porn is less a harmless fantasy and more a corrosive solvent, quietly eating away at the foundations of trust, intimacy, and real-world relationships.
Sources & References
- Reference 1PORNHUBpornhub.comVisit source
- Reference 2IFSTUDIESifstudies.orgVisit source
- Reference 3STATISTAstatista.comVisit source
- Reference 4ECec.europa.euVisit source
- Reference 5BARNAbarna.comVisit source
- Reference 6SANDVINEsandvine.comVisit source
- Reference 7AVGavg.comVisit source
- Reference 8NCBIncbi.nlm.nih.govVisit source
- Reference 9CISCOcisco.comVisit source
- Reference 10GSSgss.norc.orgVisit source
- Reference 11JAMANETWORKjamanetwork.comVisit source
- Reference 12SAMHSAsamhsa.govVisit source
- Reference 13CENSUScensus.govVisit source
- Reference 14TODAYtoday.yougov.comVisit source
- Reference 15FRONTIERSINfrontiersin.orgVisit source
- Reference 16SCIENCEDIRECTsciencedirect.comVisit source
- Reference 17PSYCHOLOGYTODAYpsychologytoday.comVisit source
- Reference 18JOURNALSjournals.sagepub.comVisit source
- Reference 19PSYCNETpsycnet.apa.orgVisit source
- Reference 20FIGHTTHENEWDRUGfightthenewdrug.orgVisit source
- Reference 21JUSTICEjustice.govVisit source
- Reference 22CDCcdc.govVisit source
- Reference 23NBERnber.orgVisit source
- Reference 24JSMjsm.jsexmed.orgVisit source
- Reference 25SHRMshrm.orgVisit source
- Reference 26NSPCCnspcc.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 27FORBESforbes.comVisit source
- Reference 28BUSINESSOFAPPSbusinessofapps.comVisit source
- Reference 29IBISWORLDibisworld.comVisit source
- Reference 30AVNavn.comVisit source
- Reference 31EMARKETERemarketer.comVisit source
- Reference 32GRANDVIEWRESEARCHgrandviewresearch.comVisit source
- Reference 33SMBUZZsmbuzz.ioVisit source
- Reference 34VARIETYvariety.comVisit source
- Reference 35SENSORTOWERsensortower.comVisit source
- Reference 36TECHCRUNCHtechcrunch.comVisit source
- Reference 37AFFILIATEFIXaffiliatefix.comVisit source