Quick Scoop

About 14% to 16% of marriages are commonly described as sexless, depending on the definition used. A stricter definition like no sex in the past year tends to land closer to 7% to 15% , while a looser definition that includes very infrequent sex pushes the estimate higher.

Why the number varies

“Sexless marriage” is not measured the same way in every source. Some counts use no sexual activity in the past 12 months , while others include couples having sex less than once a month or fewer than 10 times a year , which changes the percentage a lot.

Commonly cited estimates

  • Around 7% of married adults report no sex in the past year in some nationally representative U.S. survey data.
  • Around 14% to 15% is a broader estimate when infrequent sex is included.
  • One 2025 discussion of the research noted as many as 15% of married couples had not had sex in the past year.

Important context

A sexless marriage is not automatically unhealthy; it becomes a clinical concern mainly when one or both partners are distressed by it. If you want, I can also give you the latest U.S. stats by age group or explain what counts as “sexless” in research.