Married Americans report wide range of sexual frequency, survey data shows

Against a backdrop of shifting demographic patterns in American marriage, new survey data is reframing common assumptions about intimacy and relationship health. The General Social Survey, conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago, drew responses from 1,893 married participants in 2024. Researchers say the findings reflect broad natural variation across long-term relationships, pointing to no single frequency as a standard against which couples should measure themselves.

What the survey found

The average American adult has sex 53 times a year, roughly once a week, according to research by the telehealth platform Hims. A 2014 study put married people at about 55 times a year, compared with 59 times annually among unmarried peers. The difference is relatively small. Hims noted in a medically reviewed article that researchers are uncertain why this gap exists, with some attributing it to the rising age at which most people now marry. Hims also wrote that there is no ideal statistic and that individual preference is valid on its own terms.

Where frequency and satisfaction diverge

A 2015 study published in Social Psychological and Personality Science followed more than 30,000 individuals across four decades. Marital satisfaction rose as physical intimacy moved from monthly to weekly. Beyond the weekly threshold, couples reporting sex two, three or four times a week showed no additional gain in marital satisfaction compared to those at once a week.

Healthcare providers, rather than encouraging couples to set a higher target, recommend open discussion between partners and an evaluation of hormone levels, medication profiles and overall metabolic health when mismatched desire is a factor. National demographic studies suggest that lower sexual frequency is often a natural part of aging and long-term commitment, not necessarily a sign of relationship difficulty.

Intimacy in later life

Sexual desire shifts as couples navigate career demands, parenthood and biological aging, researchers note. AARP survey data shows roughly 17% of adults aged 70 and older remain sexually active on a weekly basis. Researchers link that level of physical connection to improved physical and emotional well-being in later life, a finding that pushes back against the assumption that intimacy becomes peripheral with age.

The International Society for Sexual Medicine identifies specific physiological conditions that can influence libido, and medical professionals recommend ruling out underlying health factors before drawing conclusions about incompatibility.