OBJECTIVES: Overactive bladder (OAB) is characterized by urinary urgency (UU), with or without urgency incontinence (UUI), typically with frequency and nocturia. As urinary urgency is highly subjective and difficult to assess, we examined the relationship of urgency intensity with symptom frequency, symptom-specific bother, and treatment seeking to better understand urinary urgency. METHODS: This cross-sectional, population representative survey of men and women age 40 and older was conducted via the Internet in the US, UK, and SE. Participants were asked to rate how often they experienced urinary symptoms during the past four weeks on a 5-point Likert scale. Urgency intensity was rated using a 10-point numerical rating scale. ANOVA was used to assess urgency intensity by frequency and bother levels. Logistic regression was used to assess treatment seeking and urgency intensity while controlling for demographics and medical comorbidities. RESULTS: Overall response rate was 59.2%; of the 30,000 who participated, about half of men (n=7172) and 65% of women (n=9887) reported UU at least “rarely” or more often. Mean ages were 58.4 (men) and 57.3 (women), and about 80% were white. Urgency intensity increased in relation to symptom frequency and symptom-specific bother for both men and women. Even after controlling for covariates, intensity of UU was significantly (p<0.0001) associated with treatment seeking. CONCLUSIONS: Urgency rating increases with both UU frequency and bother for both men and women. Higher levels of urgency intensity increase the likelihood of seeking treatment.