Cheating Statistics in 2024

Some people don’t talk about Bruno, and most – stay silent about adultery, but we prefer raw honesty and numbers to showcase all there is about cheating statistics in 2024. It is always a messy and painful business that brings up feelings of guilt and betrayal, but there’s so much more under the surface. Let’s dive into it!

Key Takeaways

According to cheating statistics 2024, about a third of Americans in monogamous relationships admit to cheating, and over half say they’ve been cheated on at some point. It’s more common than we’d like to believe.
Infidelity rates vary depending on whether you’re married, living together, or just casually dating. Those not married tend to cheat more.
Do men or women cheat more? While men used to cheat more, women are now admitting to it more often. Men usually go for physical encounters, while women often seek emotional connections outside their relationships.
Personal issues like addiction and childhood trauma, along with relationship problems like poor communication and financial stress, can lead to cheating.
Cheating can ruin trust, self-esteem, and intimacy, not just for the couple involved but for their friends and family too.
Changes in behavior, like secretive communication or a sudden focus on appearance, could indicate potential cheating.
If you’re suspecting your partner, you can use spyware like SpyBubble to monitor their activities, including social media, calls, and location.

Infidelity Facts and Figures

Infidelity in marriage is one of those heavy topics that people prefer to avoid in conversations. You can feel guilty for being the cheater in the first place or ashamed if you’re the one being cheated on; it is never easy. However, when you start digging into the cheating statistics, facts, and figures, you realize just how complex it all is. Let’s break it down:

If you want to know how common is cheating, then stats will get you a bit disappointed. 33% of Americans who have ever been in a monogamous relationship admit to having cheated. Nearly 59% of them confessed to cheating with one other person, 16% – with two other individuals, and 7% – with three different people.
71% of Americans who ever cheated did not want their partners to find out about their infidelity.
According to a study by Tom W. Smith, 54% of Americans who have ever been in a monogamous relationship report being cheated on.
52% of Americans who were cheated on say that their partners broke up with them as a result of the cheating. However, 79% of them are glad they found out about the cheating.
More than four in five Americans with monogamous partners claim they have never cheated on their current partners. However, about one in five (18%) say their current partner has cheated on them.
The likelihood of cheating on a current partner is higher among adults in casual relationships (36%) and among those living together but not married (26%) compared to married adults (13%).
Adding to the question of how many people cheat in relationships, nearly 20% of Americans in committed relationships have romantically kissed someone else, and 15% of men and 7% of women admitted to having engaged in online sex or sexual Webcamming.

Who Cheats More: Men or Women?

If you ever wondered what percent of men cheat, here’s your answer – around 20% of men admit to it, compared to just 13% of women. But since 1990, there’s been a big change in the ever-present question of which gender cheats more. The number of married women cheating shot up by 40%, while men’s numbers in cheating statistics have stayed pretty steady.

Surprisingly, more young women admit to stepping out than men, with 11% of women going for it compared to 10% of men. Now, in this group, men cheat more often, so the question “who cheats more” is also getting its answer, with 14% owning up compared to 11% of women. But there’s a twist – older guys in their 60s and 70s have the highest rates of cheating, with 24% to 26% admitting it, while 16% of women cheat in their 60s.

The rise in women in cheating statistics suggests a big shift in how society sees female sexuality, maybe influenced by things like more women working and how relationships are changing. Dating apps like Tinder have made it easier to cheat – a bunch of people there are in relationships but still swiping. So, what is the difference in stats on cheating in relationships between men and women’s cheating?

Approach	Men	Women
Physical vs. Emotional	More inclined towards physical encounters	Seek emotional affairs and/or connections
Strangers	27% of cheating men have affairs with strangers	Only 9% have affairs with strangers
Work vs. Leisure	44% have affairs with coworkers	53% of cheating women have affairs with friends

Interestingly, men and women are about the same when it comes to coming clean. They will confess to everything within a week, a month, or wait six months or more, so an answer to “what percentage of women cheat” may vary. Among those who admitted to cheating in this portion of infidelity statistics:

Time period and percentage for both	Men among the stated percentage	Women among the stated percentage
Week: 47.7%	46.9%	48%
Month: 26.6%	27.4%	26%
6+ months: 25.7%	25.7%	26%

Why Do People Cheat?

Cheating is a tricky subject, no doubt about it. Pinning down why people cheat on their partners isn’t as easy as flicking a switch. It’s a mix of personal and relationship problems, which is better treated at a therapist’s office before you ever get into relationships of any kind. But since we’re already here, let’s break it down into extramarital affair stats – starting from the personal matters:

Addiction: You know how struggling with addiction (e.g., alcoholism) can mess things up? Well, it turns out people dealing with addiction are more likely to cheat. Research by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism found that individuals struggling with alcohol were nearly twice as likely to report infidelity compared to those without such addictions.
Childhood trauma: Ever heard the phrase “the abused becomes the abuser”? It’s very applicable here. People with a history of childhood trauma, such as abuse or neglect, are at a higher risk of cheating – three times as likely to betray a marriage, as was reported by a study published in the Journal of Marriage and Family.
Mental illness: Mental health matters too. People with certain conditions, like bipolar disorder, are more prone to extramarital affairs. They’re two to three times more likely to stray.

However, these are more personal that can be boiled down to a “you problem”. On the other hand, you can pinpoint issues that appeared within the relationship and led to cheating. Among those in adultery statistics are:

Communication problems: You know how important talking things out is? Well, married couples who struggle to communicate well are more likely to cheat.
Money stress: Financial issues can strain a relationship big time. One survey showed that money problems can lead to being unfaithful in about 1 in 5 relationships, which was roughly 21% of respondents admitting that financial problems had led to infidelity in their relationship.
Domestic violence: It’s sad, but some folks who experience domestic violence end up cheating as a way to cope. You can also include revenge cheating in this one.
Marital dissatisfaction: When people aren’t happy in their marriage or feel taken for granted, they’re more likely to look for happiness elsewhere. In fact, nearly half of cheating cases stem from this – 45%, as concluded by the American Psychological Association. According to the APA’s research, they feel upbeat after the deed if nobody knows about it.
Commitment issues: If someone isn’t fully committed to their relationship, they’re more likely to cheat. Makes sense, right? If they’re not all in, they might be looking for something more elsewhere.

How Does Cheating Affect Relationships?

Cheating in a relationship is a huge disaster that wrecks everything in its path. Imagine finding out your spouse cheated on you – it’s devastating. You feel angry, sad, and lost like your whole world is falling apart. But what else could be there?

Trust complications: Trust is essential in any relationship, but when it’s broken, it’s hard to rebuild. You start doubting not only your partner but also future relationships. It’s like a chain reaction of distrust that affects everything.
Self-esteem takes a hit: Cheating makes you feel worthless. You start questioning yourself, wondering why you weren’t enough. It’s a massive blow to your confidence.
PTSD and PTSD-like symptoms: Nightmares, intrusive thoughts, emotional numbness – it’s like living in a war zone where the enemy is your own mind. And the worst part? It doesn’t just go away overnight. It lingers, haunting you long after the dust has settled.
Intimacy problems: Intimacy after infidelity is like walking through a minefield – one wrong step, and everything blows up in your face. It’s hard to let down your guard when you’ve been hurt so deeply, leaving you trapped behind walls you built to protect yourself.
Impact on friends and family: Infidelity doesn’t just affect the two people involved; it sends shockwaves through the entire community. Friends and family are left picking up the pieces, trying to make sense of a world turned upside down.

How to Keep an Eye on Your Partner?

Nowadays, according to cheating statistics worldwide, around 70% of Americans suspect a partner cheating on them. If you’re among those numbers – first of all, we’re deeply sorry, and secondly, we have a list of signs of cheating you should look out for:

Changes in communication: Stonewalling, changing the subject, or storming off without explanation.
Increased focus on appearance: Dressing differently or spending more time grooming, spending more time away from home, especially without clear explanations.
Attitude shifts: Increased negativity or picking fights, dishonesty, and avoidance, where your partner refuses to discuss their whereabouts or becomes defensive.
Accusations of extramarital sex: This may be the guilt and/or projecting speaking.
Changes in sex life: A decrease in intimacy or the introduction of new activities.
Financial issues: This can include unexplained charges or a sudden reluctance to plan for the future.
Changes in technology use: This can range from secretive behavior or sudden password changes to getting a new phone altogether.

If you’ve been proven correct in your assumptions, then again – we’re sorry. But sometimes you need more than a weird circumstance to be assured you’ve been cheated on, and if hiring a professional or stalking your partner yourself isn’t what you’re interested in, then installing spyware on their phone might be it.

SpyBubble is a tool that provides you real-time monitoring with every-5-minute updating. With its help, you’ll be able to check out your partner’s social media and messaging apps (including Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Discord, Reddit, and Telegram), SMS, email, and call logs. It doubles down as a GPS tracker, so you’ll definitely know where they’ve been when they claim otherwise. Want to see if they renamed someone on their contact list? You can do that with SpyBubble.

It also allows you to delete unwanted apps from their phone, check out browser history, photos and videos, and restrict their access to ongoing calls or messages. Or even block them from certain websites if you feel like it.

FAQ

What % of people cheat in relationships?

If you asked yourself, “do most people cheat”, then no. Approximately 33% of Americans in monogamous relationships admit to cheating, with 71% of them preferring not to disclose it. Moreover, 54% report being cheated on, and confession rates are similar between men and women, with around 47.7% admitting within a week.

How common is infidelity in different age groups?

With 32% cheating in their 30s, 28% in their 20s, and 24% in their 40s, staying with a cheater depends on age-related challenges and personal circumstances.

Should you stay with a cheater?

Staying with a cheater is a tough call. While some relationships recover, a study conducted by psychologist Dr. Shirley Glass confirms that it’s rare. Building back trust demands hard work from both. Therapy can help, but it’s crucial to weigh your feelings and whether you’re both committed to the journey.

What is the #1 reason people cheat?

The #1 reason people cheat, according to the American Psychological Association, is marital dissatisfaction, accounting for approximately 45% of cheating cases. You can add the lack of connection that leads to emotional infidelity to the mix due to the fact that many people don’t understand how important communication and empathy are.

Can a relationship go back to normal after cheating?

Yes, it can. However, it will require a lot of work from you and your partner. You must be completely honest with each other and, obviously, they must stop seeing the other person. Also, encourage open communication between you as much as possible without being defensive or judgemental.

By jekson-birch

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