A new survey is lifting the veil on one of the oldest dating questions: are men honest about the size of their penis?
The answer, it seems, depends a lot on where they live.
A nationwide study by Bespoke Surgical asked over 1,300 American men to reveal two very personal things — their actual penis length at full erection, and the size they claim when chatting with potential partners or dates.
The goal wasn’t to shame anyone. The New York-based company clarified their intent was simply to gain insight into “who has the biggest package, and which state is most likely to exaggerate the size of theirs.”
Let’s just say — the results were revealing.
Self-Reported Penis Sizes Vary Wildly by State
According to the survey, men in Alabama boasted the largest self-reported average length, clocking in at 7.44 inches.
Close behind were Louisiana (7.15 inches), West Virginia (7 inches), Vermont (6.98 inches), and Utah (6.97 inches).
On the smaller end of the spectrum, Delaware men reported the shortest average length at 5.22 inches, with New Mexico (5.36 inches) and Maryland (5.5 inches) also reporting below the national average.
When all states were considered, the U.S. self-reported average was 6.41 inches — a notable leap from the actual measured average reported in a 2020 study, which found the mean erect penis length to be between 5.1 and 5.5 inches, according to the Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy.
Which state tells the most lies? Credit: Cultura Creative / Getty
Who’s Telling the Biggest Lies?
Turns out, Louisiana isn’t just big in size — it’s also big in exaggeration.
Bespoke Surgical found that men in the Pelican State had the highest average self-reported penis length when exaggerating (8.07 inches), along with one of the “widest variances of what they tell others with 0.92 inch.”
Interestingly, Delaware — home to the smallest actual average — had the highest average exaggeration at 1.30 inches. Georgia’s exaggeration gap was more modest, coming in at 0.66 inches.
Nationwide, about 26 percent of men exaggerated their size by an average of 0.98 inches. On the flip side, 12 percent of men understated their length by around 1.03 inches, while 62 percent gave honest answers.
You know what they say — honesty is the best policy... here’s looking at you, Louisiana!
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Louisiane might be telling some lies... Credit: Jeremy Poland / Getty
What Penis Size Do Women Actually Prefer?
While men are inflating their numbers, it raises another age-old question: does size even matter?
A separate study tackled exactly that, surveying women on what penis size they found most attractive — with different preferences depending on the type of relationship.
For casual flings, women chose a model measuring 6.4 inches in length and 5.0 inches in girth. When it came to long-term partners, preferences dipped slightly to 6.3 inches long and 4.8 inches in girth.
The variations were small, but revealing.
“Situational context matters,” said scientist Dr. Nicole Prause in an interview with Vice. “What someone prefers for a one-night stand may differ from what they prefer in a long-term partner.”
She also pushed back against the myth of the “perfect” size, saying: “Please don’t call any penis the perfect penis."
What is the ideal size? Credit: Pexels/Marta Longas
How Researchers Found the ‘Ideal’ Size
Contrary to what you might expect, the study didn’t involve real men. Instead, women were shown 33 3D-printed models of penises in various sizes and shapes, and asked to select their preferred length and girth based on two scenarios: casual and committed sex.
While most women remembered their favorite models with accuracy, some underestimated the length in favor of girth — showing that visual memory doesn’t always match precise measurements.
Ultimately, the takeaway wasn’t to obsess over numbers, but to understand how preferences shift with context, emotional connection, and comfort.
As the researchers pointed out, the idea of a “perfect penis” is more social myth than sexual science. The study emphasizes that “individual tastes, sexual compatibility, and relationship dynamics often outweigh simple measurements.”