U.S. Sex Census

June 18, 2011

Health News Digest reports, 14 June 2011:

http://www.healthnewsdigest.com/news/Research_270/Sex_Census_Finds_Sexual_Diversity_and_Satisfaction_on_Rise.shtml

Household relationships, gender preferences and population penetration aren't exclusive to the U.S. Census - new findings released today as part of the Trojan® U.S. Sex Census uncovers that the sexual habits of our nation are just as multiplied and diverse as the population. On a national level, the survey finds that the average American (18 and over) has sex 120 times a year (2.3 times per week), and reports very high levels of sexual satisfaction (76 percent satisfied). Despite the high findings, sixty-three percent of respondents still wish they were having sex more frequently.

The geography of American sexuality points to a decidedly northeasterly trend in sexual frequency. Indeed people in the Northeast report having more sex than any other U.S. region, averaging 130 times per year (2.5 times per week), compared to the Midwest (125 times per year / 2.4 times per week), West (120 times per year / 2.3 times per week) and South (114 times per year / 2.1 times per week). When it comes to practicing safe sex, Northeasterners (43 percent) are more likely to report using a condom during sexual activity.

"As we saw with the Indiana University's National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior, there is enormous variability that exists in the sexual repertoires of U.S. adults," said Michael Reece, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Sexual Health Promotion at Indiana University. "The Sex Census adds to our understanding of sexual behavior across different parts of the country, having probed deep into the sexual landscape, reinforcing that Americans demonstrate a high comfort level in exploring with and learning from their partners."

The Geography of American Sexuality

Researchers find residents of metropolitan centers like Los Angeles and Houston are having the most sex per year, 135 times and 125 times respectively, while residents of Philadelphia and Dallas have the least, 99 and 104 times each. Despite low levels of sexual frequency, Philadelphians report very high rates of sexual satisfaction (82 percent satisfied), followed by New York (81 percent satisfied) and Atlanta (80 percent satisfied). San Francisco (70 percent satisfied), Boston (73 percent satisfied), Los Angeles (75 percent satisfied) and Chicago (75 percent satisfied) reported the lowest levels of satisfaction.

While overall sexual satisfaction in America remains high, researchers found a great deal of variability in satisfaction based on relationship status. In fact, married couples reported much higher satisfaction rates (82 percent married, 71 percent single) while singles reported higher sexual frequency (130 times per year single, 109 times per year among married couples).

Meanwhile, national data on sexual exploration and preferences indicated overall high levels of sexual satisfaction, with seventy-six percent of Americans stating to be satisfied by their sex lives and eighty-five percent having experienced an orgasm.

Population Shake-Up

From sexual fantasies to vibrators, seventy-four percent of Americans are experimenting with sex and embracing ways to enhance the sexual experience for themselves and their partners.

-- Across the four U.S. Census regions, the most sexually exciting place Americans have had sex is in a car (48 percent), followed by sex in someone else's bed (33 percent)

-- When asked where they would like to have sex but have not yet tried, thirty-three percent of men said sex on a plane and twenty-six percent of women said sex on a beach/sea

He Said, She Said

... in tracking and documenting the complex and diverse preferences of men and women when it comes to sex .... The survey shows that men (83 percent) are certainly more willing to experiment as compared to women (65 percent), which may explain why men are more likely to describe themselves as sexually liberal (31 percent) versus women (16 percent).

-- Men are more likely to report they enjoy both oral and penetrative sex equally (50 percent) compared to thirty-two percent of females

-- Seventy-one percent of men want more sex compared to fifty-five percent of females

-- The majority (85 percent) of men indicated that they had purchased a condom compared to only about one-half (51 percent) of women.

-- Men's favorite sex positions are missionary (27 percent), followed by doggy style (24 percent); Females report missionary (45 percent) and reverse missionary (13 percent) as their top sex position

-- Men are more likely to discuss their sex life on Facebook or Twitter (15 percent) compared to women (6 percent)

-- More than seventy percent of Americans believe hooking up is having sex with someone outside of a relationship, with forty percent of women saying they were against hooking up compared to only about one-quarter (22 percent) of men

Sex Talk in America

From downloading with friends to uploading on Facebook, Americans are open to talking about sex both on- and off-line.

-- 19 percent of Americans have engaged in sexting and 19 percent have had online sex

-- 18 percent have had sex with someone they met over the internet

-- 10 percent have discussed sex on Facebook and/or Twitter

-- Americans are open to talking to their friends about sex, with 47 percent talking about sex with friends of the same gender and 28 percent talking to friends of the opposite gender ...

About The Survey

The Sex Census presented by Trojan® condoms is based on two studies conducted by StrategyOne from March 15-21, 2011. The first, a national sample of 1,000 10-minute surveys were conducted online among U.S. Adults 18+. The results are nationally representative based on the U.S. Census indicators. With 95% confidence, the margin of error is +/- 3.1%. The data was weighted to ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the actual U.S. population according to U.S. Census figures.