Washington, September 15, 2025 (Agencies): The United States is experiencing what researchers are calling a “sex recession,” with fewer Americans reporting regular sexual activity than at any time in recent decades, according to a new study by the Institute for Family Studies (IFS).
Drawing on data from the General Social Survey (GSS), the report reveals that the number of 18–29-year-olds who went an entire year without sex more than doubled between 2010 and 2024 — rising from 12% to 24%. Weekly sexual activity among adults aged 18–64 has also seen a steep drop, falling from 55% in 1990 to just 37% last year.
“Young adults are spending less time dating, mating, and getting married, with obvious implications for sex,” the IFS noted. “Indeed, the lack of marriage is why young adults face the brunt of the sex recession.” The report also found that even married couples are reporting declining intimacy, though they still tend to have more frequent sex than their unmarried peers.
Researchers attribute the downturn to several societal factors, including the rise of digital technology, smartphones, computers, and streaming platforms, which have cut into time couples and friends spend together. Social interaction among young adults has halved over the past decade, with average weekly time with friends dropping from 12.8 hours in 2010 to just 5.1 hours in 2024.
Similar trends have been recorded in other parts of the world. A French study published in late 2024 found that nearly one-quarter of 18–29-year-olds in France reported having no sexual relations in the past year, suggesting a global shift in intimacy patterns.