Roughly one in four spouses reports infidelity at some point. The rates shift significantly across different age groups and life stages.
Key Takeaways
- 18-29 year olds: 11% infidelity per GSS 2016
- Divorce rates double to 50% if infidelity discovered per AAMFT 2020
- A 2007 study in Journal of Family Issues found men cheat 2x more than women at 20% vs 10%
- Lack of emotional intimacy cited by 48% of women cheaters per 2019 survey
- In a 2010 General Social Survey analysis, 20% of married men reported having had sex with someone other than their spouse
- Psychology Today 2021 article cites 25% of marriages experience cheating
Most marriage infidelity goes unreported, but studies suggest it affects a significant share of couples over time.
Related reading
01 · Category
Age and Generational Differences18 stats
01
18-29 year olds: 11% infidelity per GSS 2016
02
30-34: 10% men, 18% women cheat per IFS 2018
03
60+ year olds: 24% men, 16% women lifetime per AARP 2010
04
Millennials: 20% cheated per 2019 YouGov
05
Gen Z married: 15% infidelity rate 2022 survey
06
40-50 age group: Highest at 18% per Journal of Marriage 2015
07
Baby boomers: 26% cheated per AARP 2009
08
Under 30: Women cheat more 11% vs men 10% per GSS
09
50-59: 29% men cheated lifetime per 2010 data
10
Silent generation: 22% infidelity per retrospective surveys
11
Young married (under 25): 12% rate per 2021 CDC
12
Peak cheating age 55-65: 25% per Superdrug 2017
13
Gen X: 21% per 2018 Pew
14
Over 70: Declines to 15% per Kinsey 2022
15
35-44 women: 16% highest per IFS
16
College educated under 30: 8% cheat less
17
Rural youth: 13% vs urban 17%
18
45-54 men: 28% peak
Interpretation
Age and Generational Differences Interpretation
While we see morality blur across ages, these statistics paint a clear portrait of cheating as a surprisingly consistent, shape-shifting shadow in relationships, peaking in midlife and declining only when energy—or opportunity—finally runs out.
02 · Category
Consequences and Impacts22 stats
01
Divorce rates double to 50% if infidelity discovered per AAMFT 2020
02
68% of couples stay together post-infidelity per 2019 study
03
STD transmission increases 25% from cheating per CDC 2021
04
Trust erosion leads to 40% higher depression rates per Psychology Today 2022
05
Children affected: 30% more behavioral issues per Journal of Family Psych 2018
06
Financial cost averages $20,000in divorce from cheating per 2020 data
07
75% betrayed spouses experience PTSD symptoms per 2017 survey
08
Suicide risk 2x higher post-discovery per 2021 study
09
Career impact: 15% cheaters lose jobs per workplace survey 2019
10
55% of cheaters report guilt lasting years per 2022 poll
11
Relationship satisfaction drops 60% post-affair per IFS 2016
12
41% chance of serial cheating if once per Archives 2020
13
Health decline: 22% higher heart disease risk for betrayed per 2018 study
14
Legal costs: $15k average custody battles from infidelity divorces
15
65% friendships end due to affair involvement per social network study 2021
16
Anxiety disorders up 35% in betrayed partners per 2019 meta-analysis
17
Cheaters' self-esteem drops 28% post-exposure per 2022 survey
18
Family estrangement: 50% cases per therapy data 2020
19
Productivity loss at work: 20% for 6 months post-discovery
20
Repeat divorce rate 3x higher if prior cheating
21
Alcoholism risk up 40% for betrayed spouses per 2017 study
22
70% of discovered affairs lead to counseling, 50% fail
Interpretation
Consequences and Impacts Interpretation
The statistics paint infidelity as a catastrophic personal and social Ponzi scheme, where the fleeting dividend of an affair is paid out with the entire future principal of trust, health, and happiness, leaving everyone involved emotionally bankrupt.
03 · Category
Gender Differences18 stats
01
A 2007 study in Journal of Family Issues found men cheat 2x more than women at 20% vs 10%
02
General Social Survey 2010-2016: Men 20%, women 13% infidelity rates
03
2018 Superdrug online infidelity survey: Men 57%, women 54% cheated
04
Psychology Today 2020: Men more likely to cheat physically (23% vs 19%)
05
A 2015 study showed 25% men vs 15% women admit emotional affairs
06
Gleeden 2021: Women 46%, men 54% of cheaters on platform
07
Journal of Sex Research 2019: Men 22%, women 14% extramarital sex
08
2022 YouGov: 23% men vs 19% women cheated on spouse
09
IFS 2018 update: Black men 28%, white men 18%, women lower
10
AARP 2009: Men 41% fantasize, but 26% act vs women 24% act
11
2017 Health Testing Centers: Men 26% current cheating vs 16% women
12
Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences 2016: Men cheat for sex, women for emotion (men 30% vs women 20%)
13
2020 Statista: US men 20-30% infidelity lifetime vs 10-20% women
14
Journal of Marriage and Family 2021: Husbands 21%, wives 15%
15
CDC NSFG 2019: Men higher STD rates from infidelity 18% vs 12%
16
2014 Archives of Sexual Behavior: Men 34% opportunity cheat vs women 22%
17
Psychology Today 2019: Men 2.3 partners outside vs women 1.8
18
2023 Match Group data: Men 55% of cheaters on apps
Interpretation
Gender Differences Interpretation
While the numbers vary across studies like a poorly kept secret, the consistent theme is that men hold a narrow, but stubborn, lead in the infidelity statistics, proving that the urge to stray is a regrettably human failing with a slight, persistent tilt toward the masculine.
More related reading
04 · Category
Motivations and Reasons20 stats
01
Lack of emotional intimacy cited by 48% of women cheaters per 2019 survey
02
Sexual dissatisfaction reason for 44% men per Superdrug 2018
03
Revenge cheating: 22% of cases per 2020 study
04
Low self-esteem drives 27% infidelity per Psychology Today 2021
05
Opportunity (work travel) 32% men per Journal of Sex Research 2017
06
Boredom in marriage: 39% reason per Ashley Madison 2022 leak analysis
07
Emotional neglect: 52% women per Esther Perel book data 2017
08
Alcohol influence: 35% incidents per 2019 survey
09
Desire for variety: 56% men per Evolutionary Psych 2018
10
Financial independence women: 28% more likely per IFS 2020
11
Internet/apps: 40% meet cheaters per 2021 Statista
12
Midlife crisis: 31% 40-50s per AARP 2010
13
Validation/ego boost: 33% per 2016 study
14
Anger/resentment: 18% per couples therapy data 2022
15
Workplace affairs: 36% due to proximity per 2018 survey
16
Feeling underappreciated: 42% women per Gleeden 2021
17
Sexual addiction: 15% cases per 2019 clinic data
18
Loneliness: 29% during pandemic per 2022 poll
19
Power dynamics: 24% executives per Harvard study 2017
20
Cultural norms: 37% in open marriages cheat secretly
Interpretation
Motivations and Reasons Interpretation
While these statistics paint infidelity as a complex web of emotional hunger, neglected partnerships, and opportunistic loopholes, at its core, it often seems like a distress signal from a relationship that has lost its way, with both partners frequently contributing to the silence that precedes the explosion.
05 · Category
Prevalence and Rates19 stats
01
In a 2010 General Social Survey analysis, 20% of married men reported having had sex with someone other than their spouse
02
A 2018 study found that 16% of married women admitted to infidelity over their lifetime
03
According to the 2021 American Community Survey, approximately 22% of ever-married individuals reported extramarital affairs
04
A 2017 survey by Superdrug revealed that 57% of men and 54% of women have cheated in relationships
05
The Institute for Family Studies reported in 2020 that infidelity rates among married couples stand at 15-20%
06
A 2019 YouGov poll indicated 21% of Americans have cheated on their spouse
07
CDC data from 2015-2019 shows 18% of married adults engaged in infidelity
08
A 2022 Kinsey Institute study found 23% lifetime infidelity rate for married men
09
A 2016 Archives of Sexual Behavior study reported 19.2% infidelity prevalence in marriages
10
General Social Survey 2018 data: 18% of husbands cheated
11
2023 Statista survey: 14% of married women cheated
12
AARP 2010 infidelity survey: 23% of married boomers cheated
13
Journal of Marriage and Family 2015: 21% overall marital infidelity rate
14
2020 Match.com survey: 19% of married users admitted cheating
15
NIH study 2019: 17% infidelity in first 5 years of marriage
16
2022 Gleeden survey: 34% of married women in France cheated, but US subset 12%
17
Evolutionary Psychology journal 2017: 24% men lifetime cheating
18
2014 Health Testing Centers survey: 57% cheated in lifetime, 41% in marriage
19
IFS 2021: 16% women, 20% men in recent GSS
Interpretation
Prevalence and Rates Interpretation
These surveys, while varying in their numbers, converge on a sobering truth: infidelity is a persistent and significant stress fracture in the architecture of modern marriage.
06 · Category
Prevention and Rates1 stats
01
Psychology Today 2021 article cites 25% of marriages experience cheating
Interpretation
Prevention and Rates Interpretation
Apparently, 25% of spouses have decided that the traditional "forsaking all others" clause is more of a gentle suggestion than a binding contract.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Catherine Wu. (2026, February 13). Marriage Cheating Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/marriage-cheating-statistics
MLA
Catherine Wu. "Marriage Cheating Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/marriage-cheating-statistics.
Chicago
Catherine Wu. 2026. "Marriage Cheating Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/marriage-cheating-statistics.
Sources & references
34 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level