Sexual Behaviors of U.S. High School Students, 2011

These percentages, as high as they may seem, are actually lower than they were in the early 1990s. (States not listed did not participate fully in the survey.) The data in this table reflect responses from students in the 9th to 12th grades. When only high school seniors are surveyed, the percentages are higher: Nationwide, 62 percent of seniors have had sexual intercourse, and 21 percent have had four or more partners.

Table : Percentage of High School Students Who Ever Had Sexual Intercourse and Who Had Sexual Intercourse for the First Time Before Age 13, by Sex—Selected U.S. Sites, Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2011
Site Ever had sexual intercourse (%) Had first sexual intercourse before age 13 years (%) Had sexual intercourse with four or more persons during their life (%) Currently sexually active (%)
State surveys Female Male Total Female Male Total Female Male Total Female Male Total
Alabama 54.4 60.6 57.6 5.8 13.9 10 19 26.3 22.8 44.8 43.1 44.1
Alaska 37.3 39.3 38.3 2.4 6.2 4.4 7.5 11.8 9.7 26.2 24.2 25.2
Arizona 44.2 49.7 46.9 3.1 7.9 5.4 11.9 16.6 14.2 31.3 35.9 33.5
Arkansas 48.6 51.9 50.3 4.7 12.1 8.4 16 23 19.5 39.6 36.4 38.1
Colorado 36.1 44.5 40.8 2 5.4 3.6 11.1 14.8 13.2 29.2 33.5 31.8
Connecticut 41.8 43.7 42.7 3.3 6.5 4.9 8.6 12.6 10.6 31.9 29.2 30.5
Delaware 57.1 60.8 59 4.3 13.7 8.8 17 26.5 21.7 42.9 42.7 42.9
Florida 43.9 52.4 48.2 3.2 11.8 7.6 10.8 21.4 16.1 32.2 35.8 34
Georgia —† — — — — — —§ — — — — —
Hawaii 37.4 36.7 37 3 7.5 5.2 7.4 8.7 8 25.9 21.7 23.9
Idaho 39.1 40.8 40 2.2 4.9 3.6 11 16.5 13.8 — — —
Illinois 45.3 44.4 44.8 3.4 9.1 6.3 10.4 14.4 12.4 35.2 30.3 32.8
Indiana 50.5 51.4 51 3.6 6.9 5.2 15.2 18.4 16.8 39.9 37 38.5
Iowa 43.5 44.3 43.9 2.5 5.6 4.2 13.1 13.1 13.1 34.3 31.7 33
Kansas 43 43.4 43.2 1.9 5.5 3.7 8.5 10.9 9.7 33.6 32.1 32.8
Kentucky 51.9 51.7 51.8 5.5 8.9 7. 2 16.3 17 16.6 40.9 34.6 37.7
Louisiana — — — — — — — — — — — —
Maine 45.2 44.6 45.1 2.2 5.6 4 9.6 11.2 10.5 35.6 31.3 33.6
Maryland — — — — — — — — — — — —
Massachusetts 39.4 44.7 42 2.1 6.2 4.2 9.5 13.3 11.4 30.3 30.7 30.4
Michigan 40.4 42.1 41.2 2.9 5.9 4.4 9 12.2 10.7 30.9 27.2 29.1
Mississippi 53.3 62.5 57.9 4.8 19.1 11.8 13.7 30.6 22.1 38.6 45.4 42.1
Montana 46.6 49.1 47.9 2.4 6.3 4.4 14.5 15.5 15 36.8 32.6 34.7
Nebraska 37.2 37.2 37.1 2.7 4.8 3.8 9.9 11.3 10.6 28.5 25.7 27
New Hampshire 45.7 49.4 47.5 2.4 6.5 4.5 11.5 13.4 12.4 36.4 37.9 37.1
New Jersey 41.4 47.6 44.6 2.6 7.5 5.1 9.9 17.8 13.9 30.6 33.6 32.2
New Mexico — — — 5.1 10.4 7.7 11.5 17.5 14.5 31.8 31.9 31.9
New York 39.6 44.5 42 4 7.6 5.7 11.1 15.5 13.3 31.1 31 31
North Carolina 47.1 51.4 49.3 5.3 12 8.6 14.6 18.9 16.8 36.7 32.9 34.9
North Dakota 46.2 43.4 44.8 3 4.4 3.7 14.7 11.5 13.2 — — —
Ohio — — — 4.3 8 6.1 15.8 19 17.5 43.3 39.8 41.8
Oklahoma 50.1 51 50.5 2.7 7.2 5 14.9 18.6 16.8 39.2 36.4 37.8
Rhode Island 38.2 45.4 41.7 1.7 8 4.9 7. 2 13.9 10.5 28.4 31.2 29.8
South Carolina 52 61.3 56.6 3.9 17.1 10.5 16.7 25.9 21.3 38.9 44.6 41.8
South Dakota 48.9 46.1 47.4 2.5 5.1 3.8 15.4 14.5 14.9 37.6 33.4 35.4
Tennessee 49.4 55.3 52.4 4 10.4 7. 2 13.9 20.5 17.2 37.4 36.8 37.1
Texas 48.6 54.8 51.6 4 10.1 7 12.9 20.7 16.7 36.8 35.6 36.2
Utah — — — — — — — — — — — —
Vermont — — — 2.6 5.7 4.2 10 12.1 11.1 32.8 30.7 31.8
Virginia — — — — — — — — — — — —
West Virginia 50.1 51.8 50.9 2.3 7.5 4.9 10.2 14.6 12.4 39.4 35.9 37.6
Wisconsin 41.4 41.7 41.6 2.7 6 4.4 9.6 10.1 9.9 32.9 28.8 30.8
Wyoming 47.4 48.5 47.9 4.3 7.6 6 16.2 18.4 17.3 37.8 31.6 34.7
Median 45.3 47.6 46.9 3 7.5 5 11.5 15.5 13.8 35.4 33.1 33.8
Source: MMWR, June 8, 2012

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