The generation having the most satisfying sex life didn’t grow up with dating apps, didn’t coin “situationship,” and remembers when calling someone after 9 p.m. was cheaper.

Body+Soul’s 2026 Sex Census found Baby Boomers were the most pleasure-led generation surveyed. That comes with a few physical realities. Sixty-six percent said age affects sexual performance in some way, 43% reported erectile dysfunction, and 39% cited health-related changes. Boomers were also the generation most likely to use sex as a way to express love, feel close to a partner, and deepen intimacy, even with all the physical annoyances that can come with getting older.

They’re confident about it, too. A third said they don’t need any further information or education about sex, dating, or relationships. Among those still interested in learning something, 30% wanted help keeping intimacy alive in a long-term relationship. Their bodies might have become less cooperative. Their interest in sex clearly had not.

Baby Boomers Are Having the Most Satisfying Sex, According to a New Survey

The younger crowd wasn’t having quite the sexual renaissance you might expect. Two in five Gen Z respondents were single, and they reported less sex than older adults. Pleasure also ranked lower than emotional reassurance and feeling secure in who they are. Millennials had a more scattered set of reasons for having sex, while Gen X ended up with the lowest satisfaction rate in the survey at 58%.

Money probably deserves a seat at the table here. Seventy-seven percent of Boomers said the cost of living wasn’t affecting their sex or dating lives. Younger adults are trying to date while rent, groceries, and the price of leaving the house keep eating larger chunks of a paycheck. Romance has always required some imagination. A round of drinks doesn’t exactly help.

One less sexy detail in the Boomer results. Seventy-eight percent said they never use protection, and 70% had never had an STI screening. Australia’s 2025 national STI surveillance report adds some uncomfortable context. Chlamydia notification rates increased 58% among people over 50 between 2015 and 2025.

The Australian government recommends regular STI testing for anyone who is sexually active, regardless of age. So the pleasure crown goes to Boomers, with an asterisk and perhaps the phone number for a local clinic. Age might change what sex looks like. It doesn’t seem to have convinced older Australians to retire from it.