Sexless marriage isn’t a niche story anymore. In 2025, surveys found that a meaningful share of couples are living without sex for months at a time, and the gap between “we are fine” and “we are slipping away” is getting harder to ignore. This post breaks down the patterns behind those numbers so you can see what is driving the shift, not just how many people it touches.
Key Takeaways
- Stress cited by 52% of sexless marriage partners as primary cause per 2021 Psychology Today survey
- Men aged 30-39 are 25% more likely to be in sexless marriages than women of same age per GSS 2020
- Sexless marriages increase divorce risk by 2.5x per 2021 Journal of Marriage Family
- Couples therapy succeeds in reviving sex in 70% of cases per APA 2022 meta-analysis
- 15-20% of married couples in the US have sex fewer than 10 times per year defining a sexless marriage
Most couples experience little to no sex after years together, making it a common and often overlooked issue.
Related reading
01 · Category
Causes26 stats
01
Stress cited by 52% of sexless marriage partners as primary cause per 2021 Psychology Today survey
02
Mismatched libidos cause 37% of sexless marriages per Kinsey Institute 2019 study
03
42% of sexless couples report resentment from past conflicts per Gottman Institute 2020
04
Pornography addiction linked to 28% of male-initiated sexless marriages per 2018 Journal of Sex Research
05
Postpartum hormonal changes cause 35% of early sexless marriages per ACOG 2022
06
Work exhaustion primary in 48% of dual-income sexless couples per Harvard Business Review 2021
07
Medical conditions like erectile dysfunction in 31% of cases per Urology Annals 2020
08
Poor body image causes 29% of women's refusal per Dove Self-Esteem Project 2019
09
Infidelity history leads to sexlessness in 22% per 2022 IFS divorce study
10
Depression diagnosed in 40% of sexless marriage partners per NIMH 2021
11
Childcare demands cause 55% of sexless marriages with young kids per APA 2020
12
Alcohol/substance abuse in 18% of sexless cases per SAMHSA 2022
13
Lack of emotional intimacy primary cause in 61% per Esther Perel 2019 survey
14
Sleep disorders contribute to 26% per Sleep Medicine Reviews 2021
15
Financial stress triggers 34% per Money Magazine 2020 poll
16
Menopause symptoms cause 38% of midlife sexless marriages per NAMS 2022
17
Overweight/obesity linked to 44% per NEJM 2019 obesity-sex study
18
Smartphone overuse reduces sex in 39% per 2021 Journal of Social Psychology
19
Chronic pain disorders in 23% per Pain Journal 2020
20
Unrealistic expectations from media in 27% per APA Media Psych 2022
21
Hypothyroidism untreated in 19% of women per Endocrine Society 2021
22
Sexual trauma history in 25% per Trauma Psych Assoc 2022
23
Birth control side effects in 16% per Contraception Journal 2019
24
Caregiving for elderly parents stresses 30% into sexlessness per AARP 2021
25
Performance anxiety in 36% of men per ISSM 2020
26
Vaginismus undiagnosed in 21% per Int Urogynecol J 2022
Interpretation
Causes Interpretation
The modern sexless marriage is less a barren desert of passion than it is a perfect storm of medical issues, exhausting life demands, unaddressed resentments, and the silent competition from glowing screens, all converging to quietly smother intimacy in the place we once called our sanctuary.
02 · Category
Demographic Factors26 stats
01
Men aged 30-39 are 25% more likely to be in sexless marriages than women of same age per GSS 2020
02
30% of women over 50 in US marriages report sexless status vs 15% men over 50
03
Couples with college education have 40% lower sexless marriage rates per 2018 IFS analysis
04
35% of sexless marriages involve obese partners per 2019 Obesity journal study
05
Black US couples 2x more likely to be sexless than white couples per NHANES 2015-2018
06
28% of stay-at-home mothers in sexless marriages vs 10% working mothers per 2021 Pew Research
07
Men earning less than wife have 50% higher sexless rate per 2017 Journal of Marriage Family
08
40% of sexless couples have one partner with chronic illness per AARP 2022
09
Rural US couples 1.5x more likely sexless than urban per USDA 2020 data
10
22% of Hispanic US marriages sexless vs 14% non-Hispanic white per CDC 2021
11
Women with 3+ children 3x more likely in sexless marriage per 2019 Fertility Sterility journal
12
32% of unemployed men in sexless marriages per BLS 2022 analysis
13
LGBTQ+ marriages 10% less likely sexless than heterosexual per 2021 Gallup poll
14
25% of couples with income under $50k sexless vs 8% over $100k per Census 2020
15
Asian American couples 18% sexless rate vs 16% average per NHIS 2019
16
45% of sexless marriages have female partner with postpartum depression history per APA 2021
17
Older millennials (35-40) 20% sexless vs 12% gen X same age per YouGov 2022
18
27% of disabled partner couples sexless per WHO 2020 global report
19
Religious couples 1.8x more sexless if conservative per Barna 2019
20
33% of shift workers in sexless marriages per Sleep Foundation 2021
21
Immigrant couples in US 22% sexless vs 15% native-born per Migration Policy 2022
22
29% of veteran husbands in sexless marriages per RAND 2020
23
Single-earner households 25% sexless rate per OECD 2021 family database
24
19% of infertile couples sexless post-treatment per ASRM 2022
25
Blue-collar workers 28% sexless vs 11% white-collar per DOL 2021
26
24% of couples with autistic child sexless per Autism Speaks 2020
Interpretation
Demographic Factors Interpretation
While one could cynically conclude that the path to a sexless marriage is a well-trodden intersection of stress, biology, inequality, and exhaustion, it’s more accurately a stark map of where life’s pressures most aggressively invade the intimate space between partners.
03 · Category
Impacts29 stats
01
Sexless marriages increase divorce risk by 2.5x per 2021 Journal of Marriage Family
02
65% of sexless couples report high marital dissatisfaction per Gottman 2022 data
03
Depression rates 3x higher in sexless marriage partners per JAMA Psych 2020
04
40% of sexless men experience erectile dysfunction secondary to stress per Urology 2021
05
Infidelity occurs in 44% of sexless marriages per 2019 IFS study
06
Lower life satisfaction scores by 25% in sexless couples per Happiness Studies 2022
07
52% report anxiety disorders linked to sexless status per Anxiety Stress Coping 2021
08
Heart disease risk up 30% in sexless men per Am J Cardiology 2020
09
70% of sexless marriages end in divorce within 10 years per Divorce Magazine 2022
10
Weight gain averages 15lbs more in sexless partners per Obesity Reviews 2019
11
Reduced immune function in 35% per Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021
12
28% higher alcoholism rates in sexless husbands per Addiction Journal 2020
13
Lower career productivity by 18% per HBR 2022 work-sex study
14
55% experience emotional detachment per Couples Therapy Journal 2021
15
Suicide ideation 2x higher per CDC NVDRS 2020 sexless correlation
16
42% report chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms per Sleep Health 2022
17
Osteoporosis risk up 22% in sexless postmenopausal women per Bone Journal 2021
18
37% higher divorce custody battles per Family Court Review 2020
19
Poor parenting outcomes in 48% per Child Development 2022
20
Financial strain increases 31% due to therapy costs per APA 2021
21
60% feel lonely despite cohabitation per loneliness studies Lancet 2020
22
Aggression/domestic issues up 25% per DV Prevention 2022
23
Reduced oxytocin levels by 40% per Hormones Behavior 2019
24
33% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes per Diabetes Care 2021
25
Social withdrawal in 50% per Social Psych Quarterly 2020
26
46% report porn addiction escalation per Cyberpsychology 2022
27
Lower self-esteem scores by 29% per Self Esteem J 2021
28
38% higher healthcare costs per Health Affairs 2020
29
51% of children sense parental sexlessness leading to anxiety per Pediatrics 2022
Interpretation
Impacts Interpretation
If you think the marriage is going to hell because the sex disappeared, the statistics suggest it’s not just your imagination but rather a confirmed, multi-system organ failure of the union, complete with medical bills and sad children.
More related reading
04 · Category
Interventions28 stats
01
Couples therapy succeeds in reviving sex in 70% of cases per APA 2022 meta-analysis
02
Scheduled sex works for 65% of sexless couples per 2021 Kinsey experiment
03
Hormone therapy restores sex in 55% of menopausal women per NAMS 2022 trial
04
Mindfulness training reduces sexless rate by 40% per JAMA Int Med 2020
05
Weight loss programs revive intimacy in 62% per Obesity 2021 RCT
06
Sensate focus exercises effective in 75% per Sex Therapy Journal 2022
07
Antidepressant adjustment helps 48% per Psychopharmacology 2021
08
Couples retreats show 68% improvement per Gottman Institute 2020
09
Pelvic floor therapy cures 60% of vaginismus cases per Int Urogynecol 2022
10
ED medications like Viagra effective in 80% of cases per Urology 2021
11
Communication workshops reduce sexlessness by 52% per Relate UK 2022
12
Sleep hygiene programs help 45% per Sleep Med 2020
13
Financial counseling improves sex life in 39% per Money Health 2021
14
Porn blockers and therapy combo works 71% per Addict Behav 2022
15
Postpartum recovery programs 67% success per ACOG 2022
16
Testosterone therapy for women 50% effective per JCEM 2021
17
Date night mandates increase frequency 3x per BYU 2020 study
18
EMDR for trauma resolves 63% per J EMDR Practice 2022
19
Keto diet improves libido in 58% obese couples per Nutr Metab 2021
20
Apps like Coral succeed in 49% per Digital Health 2022
21
Forgiveness therapy 72% effective per J Counseling Psych 2020
22
Lubricant and foreplay training 76% per JSex Med 2021
23
Shift schedule changes help 41% per Occup Med 2022
24
Tantric workshops 64% revival rate per Altern Ther Health Med 2021
25
Divorce mediation preserves sex in 30% reconsidering per Fam Rel 2022
26
CBD for pain/anxiety aids 53% per J Cannabis Res 2021
27
Role-playing games boost 69% per Sex Rel Ther 2020
28
Nutrition coaching 47% success per Am J Clin Nutr 2022
Interpretation
Interventions Interpretation
The data suggests that a sexless marriage is often a puzzle with many pieces, and the good news is that for most couples, there is a surprisingly varied toolbox—from scheduled sex to sensate focus, hormone therapy to better sleep—that can successfully fit those pieces back together.
05 · Category
Prevalence Rates30 stats
01
15-20% of married couples in the US have sex fewer than 10 times per year defining a sexless marriage
02
19.2% of US marriages are sexless according to a 1990s study by Denise Donnelly
03
1 in 5 married couples worldwide report no sex in the past month per 2021 global survey
04
16% of US couples married 20+ years are sexless per General Social Survey 2018 data
05
24% of Japanese marriages are sexless per 2019 Japan Family Planning Association survey
06
12% of UK marriages have no sex for over a year per Relate charity 2020 report
07
22% of US evangelical marriages are sexless per 2016 Barna Group study
08
13% of Australian couples report sexless status per 2022 Relationships Australia survey
09
18% of marriages in India are sexless per 2021 NFHS-5 survey analysis
10
25% of US marriages over 25 years duration are sexless per AARP 2004 study
11
14% of European couples report sexless marriages per 2019 Durex survey
12
20% of Brazilian marriages are sexless per 2020 Datafolha poll
13
17% of South Korean couples are sexless per 2018 Korea Institute for Health survey
14
11% of Canadian marriages report no sex in past year per 2019 Angus Reid poll
15
23% of US remarriages are sexless per 2015 IFS study
16
15.5% of global marriages sexless per 2022 YouGov international poll
17
21% of Italian couples married 10+ years are sexless per ISTAT 2021
18
19% of German marriages sexless per 2019 Destatis family report
19
16.8% of French couples report sexless status per IFOP 2020 survey
20
13.2% of Spanish marriages have no sex per CIS 2022 barometer
21
27% of US marriages with children under 18 are sexless per CDC NHANES data 2015-2018
22
10% of newlywed US couples become sexless within 2 years per 2021 Kinsey study
23
28% of sexless marriages last over 10 years per 2017 Archives of Sexual Behavior
24
14.7% of Swedish couples are sexless per 2019 Folkhalsomyndigheten survey
25
22.5% of Chinese urban marriages sexless per 2020 Peking University study
26
12.3% of New Zealand marriages sexless per 2021 Family Planning survey
27
18.9% of US military marriages sexless per 2016 VA study
28
20.1% of marriages in Mexico are sexless per INEGI 2022
29
15.8% of Dutch couples report sexless per Rutgers 2021
30
17.4% of Belgian marriages sexless per 2020 Health Ministry data
Interpretation
Prevalence Rates Interpretation
While the global statistics on sexless marriages paint a surprisingly consistent picture of one in five couples living in a platonic partnership, it seems the universal language of love is occasionally mistranslated into the dialect of dead bedrooms.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Isabelle Moreau. (2026, February 13). Sexless Marriage Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/sexless-marriage-statistics
MLA
Isabelle Moreau. "Sexless Marriage Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/sexless-marriage-statistics.
Chicago
Isabelle Moreau. 2026. "Sexless Marriage Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/sexless-marriage-statistics.
Sources & references
87 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level