Recent studies and large-scale surveys (primarily from the General Social Survey analyzed by the Institute for Family Studies) show that men report higher rates of infidelity overall in marriages and long-term relationships.
Key consistent findings from sources up to 2025–2026 include:
About 20% of married men admit to having had sex with someone other than their spouse while married, compared to 13% of married women.
This pattern holds in lifetime reports of extramarital affairs for ever-married adults.
Men’s infidelity rates have historically been higher, though the gender gap has narrowed over recent decades (women’s rates rose about 40% in the last 20 years in some analyses, while men’s have stayed stable or slightly declined in certain age groups).
However, it’s not a simple blanket answer—several nuances matter:
Age differences — Among younger adults (ages 18–29), women sometimes report slightly higher rates (e.g., 11% for women vs. 10% for men in older GSS data). The gap reverses in the 30s and widens with age, where older men (especially 50+) show the highest rates.
Recent trends in prime working ages (25–54) — Some 2025 analyses of the latest GSS data suggest rates are now roughly similar (around 11–14% for both genders in that group), with men’s rates dropping over time while women’s hold steadier.
Type of infidelity — Men more often report purely physical affairs, while women are more likely to report emotional components or mixed emotional-physical affairs.
Underreporting issues — Self-reported data can be affected by social desirability bias (people lie to appear faithful), and definitions of “cheating” vary (some include emotional affairs, online flirting, etc.; women often define more behaviors as cheating).
No major study shows women cheating more overall in committed relationships or marriages. The data points to men cheating more on average, but the difference is smaller than stereotypes suggest, and it’s closing in younger cohorts due to changing social norms, greater independence for women, dating apps, etc.
Infidelity remains relatively uncommon (most people stay faithful), but when it happens, it causes massive harm regardless of gender.