Who Cheats More Men Or Women? (37 Infidelity Statistics)

Who Cheats More Men Or Women - Do Men Or Women Cheat More - Which Gender Cheats More

We’re answering the question of who cheats more men or women.

But, other topics that we cover in this article are:

  • cheating statistics
  • differences between infidelity and adultery
  • is it legally considered cheating if you are separated?
  • why do men have affairs?
  • why do women cheat?

Let’s dig in.

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Key Infidelity Statistics

Let’s look at some key sexual infidelity statistics of cheating: 

  • 18% of Millennials have emotional affairs on social media, dating sites, and dating apps.
  • 75% of people believe emotional affairs are cheating.
  • 24% of unmarried couples talk to others sexually on social media and dating apps.
  • 75% of married couples think infidelity and cheaters are wrong.
  • 11% of married people are cheaters even though they believe it’s wrong.
  • 14% of cheating women care more about feeling appreciated than if cheating is wrong.
  • 44% of people admitted to emotional affairs and sexual infidelity.
  • 60% of affairs happen in the first place with close friends or coworkers.
  • 33% of men say they have thought about having an affair.

Related: Divorce Statistics

Who Cheats More Men Or Women

Men cheat 54% more than women do.

According to research, 20% of men cheat.

And 13% of women cheat.

There are 54% higher rates of infidelity with cheating men.

This data gets pulled from respondents to a General Social Survey.

The General Social Survey believes these cheating statistics are evolving.

There’s evidence that the infidelity rate of married women is increasing.

And that the percentage of cheating women is increasing.

This is due to the fact that the amount of cheating women is increasing.

And not that the amount of cheating men is decreasing.

But we need to dig deeper to see who cheats more men or women.

And we need to look at different ages and the gender gaps of married couples.

Related: Filing for Divorce

What Percentage Of People Cheat

According to the General Social Survey, 16% of all respondents are cheaters.

  • 20% of men are cheaters
  • 13% of women are cheaters
  • 16% of married people cheat

Cheating By Age Group

(This data got pulled from the respondents of the General Social Survey.)

Women cheat more between ages 18-29.

On average, 11% of the women in this age group are cheaters.

Between high school and 29, men cheat less than women.

But as married couples age, men cheat more.

After the age of 50, the number of cheating men increases to about 25%.

With the higher rates of sexual infidelity happening with coworkers.

Men have higher rates of cheating based on sexual behavior.

Men cheat at progressively higher rates as they age.

While the amount of cheating women increases between the ages of 18 and 69.

After that, married women cheat progressively less over time.

Women have higher rates of emotional affairs with friends.

That’s the gender differences between heterosexual couples in a committed relationship.

The married women are seeking emotional support.

And the men are seeking physical support in the form of sexual behavior.

Related: How to Leave Your Husband

What Percentage Of Men Cheat

Do All Men Cheat - Do Men Cheat More Than Women - Do Men Or Women Cheat More

20% of men have cheated.

That’s 1 out of every 5 men that have cheated.

33% of men think about having extramarital affairs.

Higher rates of men have extramarital affairs with coworkers.

The older that men get, the more likely they are to cheat. 

After 50 years old, about 25% of men cheat. 

This is because they lack intimacy in their relationships

Related: I Want To Leave My Husband

What Percentage Of Women Cheat

What Percentage Of Women Cheat - Why Do Women Cheat - Percentage Of Women Who Cheat

According to the General Social Survey, 13% of married women cheat.

If you look at the age groups of women who cheat, 12% of women cheat on average.

The percentage of women that cheat peaks between the ages of 50 to 69. 

Women cheat due to a lack of emotional connection to their husbands. 

And the lack of appreciation and flattery. 

Related: Leaving Your Husband Checklist

What Is Infidelity?

Infidelity is cheating on a spouse or partner.

It means engaging in emotional affairs, sexual infidelity, and extramarital affairs.

These are in the form of sexual or emotional relationships with someone else.

Infidelity vs Adultery

How does infidelity vs adultery get defined?

Adultery gets recognized by the law.

It’s having a sexual affair with someone outside of the married couple.

And adultery is a legal grounds for divorce.

Infidelity can happen with an unmarried or married couple.

But, infidelity is not only a sexual affair.

Infidelity can be sexual infidelity or emotional affairs.

Is It Cheating If You Are Separated?

Per divorce laws, it is cheating if you are separated but still married.

A sexual affair gets considered adultery even if you’re separated.

This is true even if:

  • you break up and don’t live together anymore
  • you’re no longer emotionally in a relationship
  • you’re no longer physically in a relationship

How Common Is Cheating?

36% of people cheat on their spouses.

That’s over one-third of spouses that are having extramarital affairs.

Do All Men Cheat?

No, not all men cheat.

“Only” 20% of men, on average, cheat.

How Many People Cheat?

On average, 16% of people cheat.

This data is averaging how many people cheat:

  • based on genders
  • based on age groups

Do Women Cheat More Than Men?

No, women cheat 35% less than men do.

Do Men Cheat More Than Women?

Yes, men cheat 54% more than women cheat.

If there were 100 married couples:

  • 20 married men would cheat
  • 13 married women would cheat

Which Gender Is More Likely To Cheat?

Men are more likely to cheat based on the data.

Men are more likely to cheat because they were:

  • flattered by the attention
  • emotionally deprived by their spouse
  • dissatisfied with their sex life

Women are less likely to cheat.

But women are more likely to cheat due to:

  • flattery with the attention
  • emotionally deprivation by their spouse

Cheating Statistics

Who Cheats More Men Or Women - Why Do Men Cheat - Why Do Women Cheat

Let’s look at some cheating statistics for who cheats more men or women.

According to YouGov:

  • 43% of cheaters do it with a close friend
  • 38% have cheated with a coworker
  • 18% have cheated with a stranger
  • 12% have cheated with an ex
  • 8% have cheated with a neighbor

How Many People Cheat?

  • 16% of people cheat.
  • 19% of men cheat if you average cheating men in all age groups.
  • 12% of women cheat if you average cheating women in all age groups.

Are Women More Likely To Cheat?

Women are more likely to cheat with a friend.

54% of cheating women cheat with a close friend.

Are Men More Likely To Cheat?

Men are 54% more likely to cheat than women.

And 49% of cheating men are repeat offenders.

Compared to 41% of cheating women who are repeat offenders.

How Common Is Cheating In Marriage

Cheating is common among married couples.

19% of married men cheat.

12% of married women cheat.

On average, 16% of married couples cheat.

Let’s look at which gender cheats more.

Which Gender Cheats More?

Men cheat 54% more than women cheat.

Women cheat more between the ages of 18-29 years old.

But men cheat more at 30+ years old.

Men cheat at a rate that’s roughly 33%-54% more than women.

Why Do Men Cheat?

Why Do Men Cheat - Percentage Of Men That Cheat - Do Men Cheat More

So, why do men cheat?

The top reasons men cheat are:

  • 35% said they were flattered by the attention
  • 29% said they were emotionally deprived by their spouse
  • 33% said they were dissatisfied with their sex life
  • 18% enjoyed the thrill of one-night stands
  • 13% said they were unable to commit to monogamy

Why Do Women Cheat?

Why Do Women Cheat - Do Women Cheat More Than Men - What Percentage Of Women Cheat

So, why do women cheat?

89% of women cheat because their lovers make them feel more appreciated.

Cheating women do not say that they are no longer attracted to their spouses.

60% of women say that their spouse is more attractive than their lover.

The top reasons women cheat are:

  • 45% said they were flattered by the attention
  • 43% said they were emotionally deprived by their spouse
  • 12% said they were dissatisfied with their sex life
  • 15% enjoyed the thrill of one-night stands
  • 7% said they were unable to commit to monogamy

What Percentage Of People Cheat

According to the General Social Survey, 16% of all respondents are cheaters.

  • 20% of men are cheaters
  • 13% of women are cheaters
  • 16% of married people cheat

Cheating Statistics Per Ethnic Groups

What Percentage Of People Cheat - How Common Is Cheating In Marriage - Who Cheats More Men Or Women

When it comes to demographics, Hispanics in a committed relationship cheat the least.

And African American married couples cheat the most.

  • 16% of white people have cheated
  • 22% of black people have cheated
  • 13% of Hispanics have cheated

Related: Legal Reasons for Divorce

Which Age Group Cheats The Most?

Do Men Cheat More Than Women - How Common Is Cheating - How Many People Cheat

Younger age groups cheat less than the older age groups.

  • 11% of people have cheated between the ages of 18 to 34
  • 17% of people have cheated between ages 35 to 64
  • 18% of people have cheated who are 65+ years old

Which Education Group Cheats The Most?

Education levels didn’t matter for married couples who cheat.

They all cheated equal amounts regardless of education.

  • 15% of people with a high school education have cheated
  • 18% of people with some college education have cheated
  • 16% of people with a college education have cheated

Related: How Long Does A Divorce Take

Which Political Group Cheats The Most?

How Common Is Infidelity - How Many People Cheat On Their Spouse - Do Men Or Women Cheat More

Democrats cheat more than Republicans do.

  • 18% of Democrats cheat on their spouses
  • 14% of Republicans have affairs
  • 15% of Independent respondents cheated

So, Who Cheats More Men Or Women?

According to the cheating statistics, men cheat more than women. 

And the amount that men cheat more increases with age.

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