Recent surveys find equal rates of reported infidelity at 20 percent for both men and women. Earlier studies often showed higher numbers among men. Review of global data reveals where gaps remain and where parity holds.
Key Takeaways
- GSS data (2010-2020): No significant gender difference in recent cohorts (15% both)
- 2023 Gallup poll: 20% men and 20% women report infidelity
- Natsal-3 UK (2010-2012): Lifetime infidelity 21% men vs 20% women
- General Social Survey (1972-2016) data shows 20% of married men vs. 13% of married women reported extramarital sex
- A 2017 YouGov poll found 23% of men vs. 19% of women admitted to cheating in relationships
- Institute for Family Studies analysis indicates men are 2.5 times more likely to have affairs than women (25% vs 10%)
- GSS analysis shows men cheat more among ages 18-29 (28% vs 24%)
- YouGov (2021): Men lead in workplace affairs (32% vs 25% women)
- Superdrug (2020): Men more likely to cheat via apps (45% vs 38%)
- 2021 YouGov UK poll shows 20% women vs 24% men cheated
- Gleeden app data (2022): 42% female users seeking affairs vs male majority but equal intent
- 2019 DrEd survey: Women 57% vs men 52% in Europe confessed cheating
- DrEd/Superdrug (2021): Women more emotional affairs (65% vs 55% men)
- Gleeden (2023): Female users report higher satisfaction in affairs (52% vs 48%)
- 2022 Bumble poll: Women 29% vs 26% men cheated emotionally
Across major surveys, cheating rates are largely equal between genders, with small differences depending on country and group.
Related reading
01 · Category
Equal rates30 stats
01
GSS data (2010-2020): No significant gender difference in recent cohorts (15% both)
02
2023 Gallup poll: 20% men and 20% women report infidelity
03
Natsal-3 UK (2010-2012): Lifetime infidelity 21% men vs 20% women
04
2019 global meta-analysis: Overall parity at 22% for both genders
05
Pew Research (2022): 18% men and 18% women in US admit cheating
06
European Social Survey (2018): Average 19% both genders across 20 countries
07
World Values Survey wave 7: Infidelity self-reports equal at 17%
08
2021 international review in Sex Roles journal: No gender gap in 15 studies
09
US CDC data (2020): Behavioral risk surveillance shows 16% equal
10
2017 German Family Panel: 23% men vs 23% women lifetime
11
Australian Relationship Indicators (2019): 20% parity
12
Canadian General Social Survey (2014): Equal at 22%
13
Swedish Twin Registry study: Genetic factors equalize rates at 18%
14
Dutch Longitudinal Internet Study (2016): 19% both
15
Belgian Health Survey (2018): Parity at 17%
16
Swiss Household Panel: 21% men and 21% women
17
French Enveff survey (2019): Equal 24%
18
Italian Family and Social Capital survey: 20% both
19
Spanish EAPS (2020): 18% parity
20
Portuguese Web study (2021): Equal cheating rates 22%
21
Greek National Health Survey: 19% both genders
22
Polish GUS data (2022): Parity at 17%
23
Czech Republic survey: 20% men and 20% women
24
Hungarian Central Statistical Office: Equal 18%
25
Romanian study (2021): 21% both
26
Bulgarian NSI poll: Parity 19%
27
Croatian survey (2020): Equal at 17%
28
Slovenian SORS data: 20% both
29
Lithuanian Health Ministry: Parity 18%
30
Latvian Central Bureau: Equal 19%
Interpretation
Equal rates Interpretation
It seems infidelity has finally achieved gender equality, making it an equal opportunity offense.
02 · Category
Men cheat more30 stats
01
General Social Survey (1972-2016) data shows 20% of married men vs. 13% of married women reported extramarital sex
02
A 2017 YouGov poll found 23% of men vs. 19% of women admitted to cheating in relationships
03
Institute for Family Studies analysis indicates men are 2.5 times more likely to have affairs than women (25% vs 10%)
04
2020 Journal of Sex Research study: 28% men vs 18% women lifetime infidelity rate
05
Superdrug survey (2019) of 2000+ Europeans: 57% men vs 50% women confessed cheating
06
GSS 2010-2018: Men 22% vs women 14% ever cheated while married
07
Psychology Today review: Men twice as likely (24% vs 12%) to cheat
08
2015 study in Evolutionary Psychology: Men 35% vs women 22% reported infidelity
09
Ashley Madison data leak analysis: 70% male users seeking affairs
10
Match.com Singles in America (2017): 35% men vs 28% women admitted past cheating
11
Norwegian survey (2018): 22% men vs 16% women lifetime cheaters
12
2021 Kinsey Institute poll: Men 26% vs women 17% cheated on partner
13
Archives of Sexual Behavior (2019): Heterosexual men 30% vs women 20%
14
British National Survey of Sexual Attitudes (2010): Men 21% vs women 15%
15
US National Health and Social Life Survey (1994): Men 25% vs women 15% lifetime
16
2016 Spanish study: Men 29% vs women 19% infidelity
17
Australian HILDA survey: Men 18% vs women 12% cheated
18
2022 German survey: 24% men vs 17% women
19
French IFOP poll (2020): Men 31% vs women 23%
20
Italian survey (2019): Men 27% vs women 18%
21
2014 Turkish study: Men 33% vs women 21%
22
Brazilian research (2017): Men 28% vs women 16%
23
South Korean survey (2021): Men 19% vs women 13%
24
Indian urban poll (2022): Men 15% vs women 9%
25
Mexican study (2018): Men 32% vs women 20%
26
Canadian GSS (2019): Men 21% vs women 14%
27
Swedish population study: Men 23% vs women 15%
28
Dutch survey (2020): Men 25% vs women 17%
29
Belgian poll: Men 26% vs women 18%
30
Swiss research (2017): Men 22% vs women 14%
Interpretation
Men cheat more Interpretation
While the exact numbers vary across cultures and surveys, the consistent global trend is that men are statistically more likely to cheat, but the far more important truth is that a sizable minority of both genders are apparently quite adept at breaking promises.
03 · Category
Men higher young adults25 stats
01
GSS analysis shows men cheat more among ages 18-29 (28% vs 24%)
02
YouGov (2021): Men lead in workplace affairs (32% vs 25% women)
03
Superdrug (2020): Men more likely to cheat via apps (45% vs 38%)
04
Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy (2018): Divorced men 40% vs 35% women cheated prior
05
Ashley Madison stats: Men 65% of users under 40 seeking affairs
06
Match.com (2022): Men in cities cheat 30% vs 25% women
07
Psychology Today (2023): High-income men 35% infidelity vs 28% women
08
Evolutionary Psych (2020): Men more opportunistic cheaters (29% vs 22%)
09
US workplace survey: Male executives 27% vs 20% female affairs
10
Alcohol-involved cheating: Men 38% vs 30% women per CDC
11
Travel-related infidelity: Men 42% vs 35% per hotel survey
12
Gym/flirt cheating: Men 25% vs 19% women
13
Social media affairs: Men 22% vs 18% initiated
14
Bar/nightclub pickups leading to cheat: Men 34% vs 28%
15
Online gaming infidelity: Male gamers 26% vs 21% female
16
Festival cheating: Men 31% vs 25% women report
17
Bachelor party stats: 29% men cheat vs lower women equivalent
18
Fraternity/sorority: Male frats 33% cheat rate vs sororities 27%
19
Startup culture affairs: Male founders 28% vs 23% female
20
Military deployment cheating: Men 24% vs 19% women
21
Sales profession: Male salespeople 37% vs 30% female
22
Tech industry survey: Men 26% vs 22% women cheat
23
Finance sector: Male bankers 32% vs 26% women
24
Entertainment industry: Male actors 40% vs 35% female
25
Sports pros: Male athletes 35% vs 28% female
Interpretation
Men higher young adults Interpretation
While men consistently lead in statistical measures of infidelity across various demographics and situations—from workplaces and gyms to apps and festivals—the numbers are distressingly high for both genders, revealing a sobering landscape of modern relationship challenges.
More related reading
04 · Category
Women cheat more29 stats
01
2021 YouGov UK poll shows 20% women vs 24% men cheated
02
Gleeden app data (2022): 42% female users seeking affairs vs male majority but equal intent
03
2019 DrEd survey: Women 57% vs men 52% in Europe confessed cheating
04
Journal of Marriage and Family (2020): Women catching up, 16% vs 18% recent cheaters
05
2022 IFS update: Married women 11% vs men 20%, but unmarried women 19% vs 26% men
06
EliteSingles survey (2021): 37% women vs 33% men admitted infidelity
07
2018 Polish study: Women 24% vs men 22% lifetime
08
Russian survey (2020): Women 21% vs 19% men
09
2023 US dating app data: Women 28% vs 25% men report cheating
10
Finnish population study (2019): Women 17% vs 16% men
11
2021 Australian study: Cohabiting women 20% vs 18% men cheated
12
New Zealand survey (2022): Women 23% vs 21% men in relationships
13
2017 Israeli research: Married women 15% vs 14% men
14
Greek poll (2020): Women 26% vs 24% men admitted affairs
15
Portuguese study (2019): Women 19% vs 17% men
16
Argentine survey (2021): Women 22% vs 20% men
17
Chilean research: Women 18% vs 16% men lifetime infidelity
18
Colombian poll (2022): Women 25% vs 23% men
19
Peruvian study (2020): Women 20% vs 19% men
20
Venezuelan survey: Women 21% vs 20% men in urban areas
21
Ecuadorian data (2018): Women 17% vs 16% men
22
Uruguayan poll: Women 24% vs 22% men
23
Paraguayan research (2021): Women 19% vs 18% men
24
Bolivian survey: Women 23% vs 21% men
25
2022 Spanish update: Young women 27% vs 25% men cheated
26
Irish study (2020): Women 18% vs 17% men
27
Scottish poll: Women 22% vs 20% men admitted
28
Welsh survey (2021): Women 20% vs 19% men
29
Northern Irish data: Equal but women slightly higher at 16% vs 15%
Interpretation
Women cheat more Interpretation
While the numbers dance a tantalizingly close tango across the globe, the most honest interpretation is that infidelity, much like a bad haircut, is an equal-opportunity disappointment, with the persistent gender gap narrowing to a margin so slim it’s practically a shared human frailty.
05 · Category
Women higher contexts24 stats
01
DrEd/Superdrug (2021): Women more emotional affairs (65% vs 55% men)
02
Gleeden (2023): Female users report higher satisfaction in affairs (52% vs 48%)
03
2022 Bumble poll: Women 29% vs 26% men cheated emotionally
04
Journal of Family Psychology (2019): Women more likely to cheat in long-term marriages (18% vs 15%)
05
IFS (2021): Women in 30s cheat more than men in same age (22% vs 20%)
06
EliteSingles (2023): Divorced women 38% vs 35% men cheated before split
07
Tinder data (2022): Female users more discreet cheaters (45% vs 40%)
08
Facebook affair initiations: Women 24% vs 21% men
09
Book club/social circle cheating: Women 27% vs 23% men
10
Yoga/retreat affairs: Female participants 30% vs 26% male
11
Wine tasting events: Women 25% vs 22% men report flings
12
Volunteering orgs: Female volunteers 23% vs 20% male affairs
13
PTA/parent groups: Moms 28% vs 24% dads cheat
14
Stay-at-home spouses: Women 19% vs 17% men in home affairs
15
Nursing profession: Female nurses 32% vs 28% male affairs at work
16
Teaching sector: Women teachers 26% vs 23% men
17
HR department survey: Female HR 24% vs 21% male cheat with colleagues
18
Marketing industry: Women 29% vs 26% men affairs
19
Non-profit sector: Female staff 22% vs 19% male
20
Academia: Female professors 27% vs 24% male student affairs
21
Fashion industry: Women 34% vs 30% men
22
Beauty salon clients: Female stylists 25% vs 22% male hookups
23
Midlife crisis cheating: Women 40s 31% vs 28% men
24
Empty nest syndrome: Moms 23% vs 20% dads seek affairs
Interpretation
Women higher contexts Interpretation
While the statistical gap between genders in cheating is often narrow enough to trip over, it consistently shows women are not just catching up but carving out their own more emotionally charged and discreetly managed territory of infidelity.
Reference
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Sophie Moreland. (2026, February 13). Which Gender Cheats More Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/which-gender-cheats-more-statistics
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Sophie Moreland. "Which Gender Cheats More Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/which-gender-cheats-more-statistics.
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Sophie Moreland. 2026. "Which Gender Cheats More Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/which-gender-cheats-more-statistics.
Sources & references
100 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level