Average Number of Sexual Partners: What’s YOUR Number? [2023 Data]

The average number of sexual partners depends on many factors: age range, country, gender, and sexuality, to name a few. Find out ALL recent trends & stats here.

Have you ever wondered how many sexual partners the average person in the US and other countries has had in their lifetime? Well, as it turns out, many are curious about this topic, so we’ve done some digging for you.

In this article, we’ll look at various studies that reveal fascinating insights into the average number of lifetime sexual partners.

It’s important to note that the average varies depending on three major factors—country, age range, and gender. For example, in the U.S., men have more partners than women across all age groups.

If you’re ready to jump right in, here are a few statistics to help you understand this exciting topic.

Top Multiple Sexual Partners Statistics You Should Know

• The average number of sexual partners was 9 in 2005.
• The average number of sexual partners among men was 6, and 4.3 among women.
• Turkey (14.5) posted the highest average number of sexual partners globally, while India (3) recorded the lowest.
• 9.3% of college students reported having 4 or more sexual partners in 2017.
• Having an average of 15.2 sexual partners is too promiscuous for women and 14 for men.

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Lifetime Average Number of Sexual Partners Among Men And Women

It is probably not surprising that most people in the world have been with more than one sexual partner in their lifetime. This applies to both women and men and has been statistically proven to be true. 

A 2021 research indicates a noticeable gender difference between men and women in their tendencies to have more than one sexual relationship with the opposite sex in their lifetime. 

Overall, men tend to have more lifetime sexual partners than women.

Men have an average of 6.3 sexual partners while women have 4.3 sexual partners.

Sexual Partners

Female

Male

Sexual Partners

15 or more partners

10-14 partners

5-9 partners

2-4 partners

Only 1 partner

Female

12.9%

11.6%

28.6%

29.2%

17.7%

Male

28.3%

12.5%

25.8%

22.3%

11.2%

It may be hard to believe that sexual trends have remained essentially unchanged over the past years despite the boom of online dating.

Interestingly, there were neither significant decreases nor increases in the average number of sexual partners of men and women aged 25 to 44 from 2002 to 2015.

2002: American men reported having an average of 6.7 sexual partners, while women averaged 3.8.

Year

Men

Women

Year

2006 to 2010

2011 to 2015

Men

6.0

6.1

Women

3.9

4.2

The same trend goes for the percentage of men and women aged 15-44 who have had 15 or more sexual partners over the said period.

Year

Men

Women

Year

2002

2006 to 2010

2011 to 2015

Men

23.2%

21.6%

21.1%

Women

9.2%

9.0%

10.1%

Sources: Statista, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Biotechnology Information

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Countries With the Highest Average Numbers of Sexual Partners

The average number of sexual partners varies depending on where a person lives. We took a look at stats from around the globe and identified what they were per country. 

In 2005, the people from the following countries recorded the highest average numbers of sexual partners:

Country

Sexual Partners

Turkey

14.5

Australia

13.3

New Zealand

13.2

Iceland

13

South Africa

12.5

This study presents a stark contrast between societies that have adopted liberal views on sexual intercourse and its practice and those that remain to uphold conservative sexual ideals.

Conversely, the following countries recorded the lowest averages: 

Country

Sexual Partners

India

3

China

3.1

Vietnam

3.2

Hong Kong

3.7

Indonesia

5.1

A similar study in 2017 listed the following countries as having the highest averages in Europe:

Country

Sexual Partners

United Kingdom

7

Netherlands

6.9

Italy

5.4

Belgium

5.41

Germany

6.2

Sources: Statista, Superdrug

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Average Number of Sexual Partners in the U.S.

A 2017 survey indicates that the average number of sexual partners among Americans is below the global average. However, another study in 2021 suggests that it is higher.

Year

Average Sexual Partner

2017

7.2

2021

14.8

Sources: Superdrug, Bespoke Surgical

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Average Number of Sexual Partners in the U.S. by State

You are probably wondering what the states with the highest average number of sexual partners. To get the answer, we turn to a 2017 study published by Superdrug. 

State

Number of Sexual Partners

Lousiana

15.7

Oklahoma, Nebraska, and South Carolina

10 each

Kansas, Mississippi, and West Virginia

5 each

In 2021, the following topped Bespoke Surgical’s list of states in the U.S. with the highest averages.

State

Average Sexual Partner

Washington

54.8

Connecticut

31.0

New Mexico

20.8

Wisconsin

19.4

Arkansas

18.9

Georgia

18.6

Maryland

18.4

Kansas

17.8

Michigan

17.6

Florida

15.1

On the other hand, here are the states with the lowest averages:

State

Average Sexual Partner

Pennsylvania

8.6

South Carolina

8.6

Colorado

8.6

Illinois

8.7

Arizona

9.2

Mississippi

9.2

New Jersey

9.3

Indiana

9.4

Ohio

9.7

Oregon

10.0

Sources: Superdrug, Bespoke Surgical

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Average Number of Lifetime Sexual Partners by Age Group

The average number of sexual partners people say they’ve had in their lifetime varies significantly by age.

In their twenties, most men (65.3%) and women (67.9%) become more exploratory and engage in sexual relationships with more than one person. This can be a defining moment in their lives as they try to figure out what they want from relationships.

Sexual Partners

Percentage Of Women

Age Of Women

Percentage Of Men

Age Of Men

Sexual Partners

0-1

2-4

5-9

10-39

40

Percentage Of Women

72% (1,592)

30.9% (605)

29.5% (504)

20.1% (437)

2.3% (44)

Age Of Women

15-19

30-34

25-29

30-34

40-44

Percentage Of Men

70.5% (1,581)

25.6% (427)

24.7% (33)

34.2% (522)

8.8% (132)

Age Of Men

15-19

25-29

40-44

35-39

30-35

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Women

Age group

0-1 partners

2-4 partners

5-9 partners

10-39 partners

40+ partners

15-19

72%

17.2%

7.9%

2.9%

0%

20-24

34.7%

28.8%

23.4%

12.2%

0.9%

25-29

24.9%

30.6%

24%

18.6%

2%

30-34

22.2%

30.9%

24.7%

20.1%

2.1%

35-39

23.3%

30.3%

27.5%

17.5%

1.5%

40-44

21.5%

30.5%

29.5%

16.2%

2.3%

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Men

Age group

0-1 partners

2-4 partners

5-9 partners

10-39 partners

40+ partners

15-19

70.5%

17.4%

6.7%

5.1%

0.3%

20-24

32.2%

25.1%

20.4%

19.3%

3.1%

25-29

17.2%

25.6%

24.7%

27.8%

4.7%

30-34

16.6%

21.4%

20%

33.2%

8.8%

35-39

16.3%

21.5%

20.0%

34.2%

8.1%

40-44

13.3%

23.2%

24.2%

32.2%

7.1%

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Another research suggests that women across all age groups are more likely to stick with one sexual partner than men. 

The majority of respondents aged 25 and above reported only having one sexual partner from 2016 to 2018.

0 sexual partner: 

Age group

Men

Women

Age group

18-24

25-34

35-44

Men

30%

14%

7%

Women

20%

13%

6%

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1 sexual partner: 

Age group

Men

Women

Age group

18-24

25-34

35-44

Men

25%

58%

78%

Women

60%

71%

84%

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2 sexual partners: 

Age group

Men

Women

Age group

18-24

25-34

35-44

Men

17%

10%

9%

Women

10%

8%

5%

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3 or more sexual partners: 

Age group

Men

Women

Age group

18-24

25-34

35-44

Men

22%

14%

5%

Women

13%

13%

3%

Sources: National Center for Biotechnology Information, JAMA Network

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Average Number of Lifetime Sexual Partners of Students

High school and college life are a period of exploration, a time to try new things and find out who you are, how you fit into the world, and who you are as a sexual being. 

Having a sexual relationship with more than one person at a time is not uncommon among high school and college students.

Average Number of Student Sexual Partners in a Study in 2017:

Percentage

Sexual Partners

9.3%

4 or more sexual partners

5.1%

3 sexual partners

8.8%

2 sexual partners

44.2%

1 sexual partner

32.5%

No sexual partner

Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American College Health Association

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Where Do People Draw the Line?

The definition of “too promiscuous” varies from person to person. We have our own idea about what’s acceptable for us and what isn’t, which can change over time.

Gender

Too promiscuous

Too conservative

Gender

Women

Men

Too promiscuous

15.2

14

Too conservative

1.9

2.3

For some people, having sex with multiple partners is completely fine; for others, it’s unthinkable. Some people would even break up with a partner who has had many sexual partners, whether they’ve been unfaithful or not.

Percentage

 

9%

“Very likely” end the relationship

21%

“Somewhat likely” end the relationship

33%

“Neutral”

20%

“Somewhat unlikely” end the relationship

17%

“Very unlikely” end the relationship

In contrast, fewer people are inclined to end a relationship with a partner with too few past sexual partners.

Percentage

 

2%

“Very likely” end the relationship

6%

“Somewhat likely” end the relationship

22%

“Neutral”

15%

“Somewhat unlikely” end the relationship

55%

“Very unlikely” end the relationship

Research confirms that people are interested in finding mates with a bit of past sexual experiences, but not too much.

People are less likely to engage in a relationship with a partner who has had more than three sexual partners.

People are less likely to engage in a relationship with a partner who has had no experience in sex than with someone who has had one sexual partner.

Sources: Superdrug, ResearchGate

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What Are People’s Ideal Body Count for Their Partner?

You can have a lot or only a few sexual partners, and that’s okay. However, the number of sexual partners you have had can be an issue when engaging in romantic relationships. Let’s look at what experts and researchers say.

Research in 2017 indicates that the ideal average lifetime number of past sexual partners:

Gender

Average Number of Sexual Partners

Men

7.5

Women

7.6

Sources: The Latch, Superdrug, ResearchGate

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Do People Lie About Their Body Count?

There’s a good chance you have lied about your number of past sexual partners to your significant other. Even if you haven’t, we can all agree that it’s not always easy sharing this information. We sometimes feel that being honest would cause you to lose the relationship.

Percentage

 

32%

Americans have lied about the number of sexual partners to their significant other.

21%

Americans lied because they thought their partner would judge them.

17%

Fabricated a closer number to their partner’s body count

48%

Who lied admitted that they’d be worried about their partner’s reaction

Source: SWNS Digital

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Should People Tell Their Body Count to Their Partners?

Before dating someone new, there’s always a big decision to make. Is it better to tell them you have had multiple sexual partners or not? 

When do people typically share this information with their significant other?

Months

Women

Men

1 to 4 months

36.3%

35.3%

Within the first month

31.2%

33.8%

5 to 8 months

13.9%

13.2%

9 to 12 months

3.9%

3.8%

Over 12 months

3.8%

2.6%

Never

10.9%

11.3%

Your sexual history is a natural topic of conversation in the first three to six months of the relationship. So be prepared to disclose it by this point if you intend to be an honest partner.

40% shared their body count in the first three months.

Sources: Superdrug, SWNS Digital

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Do People Do This for Love or the Social Norm?

Sexual activity is a rite of passage for adolescents. They do it because they want to feel more independent, explore their bodies and find their identities. 

That said, many factors may influence sexual behavior, and the number of sexual partners adolescents accumulate until they become adults.

Subjective and descriptive social norms from parents, peers, and schoolmates during adolescence can affect a person’s accumulation of sexual partners from early adolescence through early adulthood.

Source: National Center for Biotechnology Information

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Conclusion

Research and statistical data prove that most people, whether male or female, young or old, just aren’t interested in having sex with only one partner throughout their lives. 

As you’re reading this, you might be asking yourself whether or not having more than one sexual partner is right for you.  Maybe you feel confused about what it means for your relationship with your partner or with yourself as a person. Or maybe you are feeling anxious about how this may impact your self-esteem.

It’s entirely up to you whether or not you want to have multiple sexual relationships in your lifetime. Having multiple sexual partners can be risky, but it’s also rewarding, especially if the relationships are healthy and respectful.

For more interesting sex studies and statistics, head over to our guide here.