Most women masturbate, and the frequency varies widely. National survey data shows that about 37% of women had masturbated within the past month, while roughly 79% of women under 60 have masturbated at least once in their lifetime. There’s no “normal” number of times per week or month. What the data does reveal is a clear pattern shaped by age, comfort level, and life stage.
What the Survey Data Actually Shows
The most detailed numbers come from the National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior, which surveyed nearly 3,000 women across every age group. Among women in their mid-twenties to late twenties, about 52% had masturbated in the past month, the highest rate of any age group. Women aged 20 to 24 came in at around 44%, while teens aged 14 to 17 reported rates closer to 25%. After 30, monthly rates hovered between 28% and 39%, gradually declining with age. Even among women over 70, about 12% reported recent masturbation.
These are “past month” snapshots, not frequency counts, so they don’t tell you whether someone masturbated once that month or every day. But they do confirm that solo sexual activity is common across every decade of life. When you zoom out to lifetime experience, the numbers are higher still: roughly 85% of women aged 25 to 29 have masturbated at some point, and even among women over 70, the figure is 58%.
How Frequency Changes With Age
Masturbation tends to start later for girls than for boys. One study found that no girls under 13 reported masturbating, while nearly half of boys aged 11 to 12 already had. Among 13- and 14-year-old girls, the rate was about 19%. By age 14 to 17, roughly 36% of girls reported masturbating within the past 90 days, and that number stayed relatively stable through the late teen years.
Frequency climbs through the early twenties and peaks in the late twenties and early thirties. Lifetime prevalence is highest among women aged 25 to 34. After that, monthly rates begin a slow decline, though the majority of women in their 40s and 50s still report masturbating within the past year (about 65% and 54%, respectively). Hormonal shifts play a role in how masturbation feels at different life stages. In older women, testosterone levels correlate with the relaxation and soothing qualities of orgasm, while estrogen is linked to more expansive physical sensations.
Why the Numbers Are Probably Underreported
Every survey on this topic carries a significant asterisk: stigma. Women consistently report lower rates of masturbation than men, but researchers believe the gap is at least partly a reporting gap rather than a behavior gap. Studies have documented that women often feel guilt or shame around masturbation, even when they have a partner. In one study examining masturbation as a migraine-relief strategy, women specifically mentioned feeling guilty about masturbating when they were in a relationship.
Cultural and religious background also shapes how willing someone is to disclose this behavior on a survey. The result is that the real numbers are likely higher than what any study captures. A large British survey of adults aged 16 to 44 found that 71% of women reported lifetime masturbation and about 37% had done so in the past four weeks. Those figures have been trending upward over the decades, likely reflecting both changing behavior and increasing willingness to report it honestly.
Why Women Masturbate
Pleasure is the obvious answer, but it’s not the only one. Women report masturbating to reduce stress, fall asleep faster, relieve menstrual cramps, improve their mood, and learn what feels good in their own bodies. That last reason matters more than it sounds: understanding your own arousal patterns is one of the strongest predictors of orgasm during partnered sex.
The biology backs this up. Orgasm triggers a release of dopamine and oxytocin, both of which elevate mood and counteract cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone. This is why many women describe masturbation as a sleep aid or a way to manage anxiety. It’s a physiological reset, not just a psychological one.
Orgasm During Masturbation vs. Partnered Sex
Women reach orgasm far more consistently during masturbation than during sex with a partner, and the reason is straightforward. Among women who orgasm during masturbation, 83% say clitoral stimulation alone is their most reliable method. Only 1% rely on vaginal penetration alone. During partnered sex, the pattern shifts: 76% of women who orgasm say they need simultaneous clitoral and vaginal stimulation, while only about 7% reach orgasm from penetration alone.
This gap highlights why masturbation is often described by researchers as a way women learn what works for their bodies. The knowledge transfers. Women who understand their own arousal through solo experience tend to communicate more effectively with partners about what they need.
What “Normal” Actually Looks Like
There is no medically defined normal frequency. Some women masturbate daily, some weekly, some a few times a year, and some never do. All of these are fine. The only point at which masturbation becomes a concern is if it interferes with daily responsibilities, causes physical irritation from excessive friction, or creates significant emotional distress. For the vast majority of women, it’s a routine part of sexual health that carries no physical risks and several measurable benefits.