What percentage of married men cheat
1. The headline number: what the big surveys say
The most-cited benchmark comes from analyses of the General Social Survey (GSS) and Institute for Family Studies work showing about 20 percent of men — versus about 13 percent of women — admitting to sexual infidelity while married, a figure widely quoted by IFS reporting and summaries of the GSS [1] [3].
2. A range, not a single truth: other reputable estimates
Other reputable sources and professional groups place the male rate in a similar neighborhood: the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy summarizes research as indicating roughly 20–25 percent of married men have been unfaithful, while lifetime or broader-scope summaries often produce an upper bound near 25 percent of marriages experiencing infidelity at some point [2] [4].
3. Age, cohort and definition matter — the gap widens with age
Cheating rates shift across age groups: among those under 30, men and women report similar rates (around 10–11 percent), but the gender gap grows with age so that men become more likely to report extramarital sex in mid‑life and later life — a pattern flagged by IFS/GSS analyses [5] [1].
4. Methodology caveats: why estimates vary and why none are absolute
All figures rest largely on self‑report surveys, which are vulnerable to underreporting, changing social norms, question wording, and sampling differences; several outlets stress that reliable measurement of infidelity is difficult and that apparent increases can reflect shifting willingness to admit behavior as much as behavior change [6] [7] [8].
5. Contrasting studies and broader context
Some analyses and meta‑summaries cite higher or different numbers depending on scope: Kinsey‑linked summaries, reviews of unmarried as well as married samples, and popular compilations occasionally report male cheating rates in the low‑to‑mid‑20s percent or cite lifetime incidence estimates approaching 25 percent, underscoring that inclusion criteria (emotional vs. sexual infidelity, one‑time vs. repeated acts, married vs. ever‑married) shift the headline [9] [10] [11].
6. What the numbers tell and what they do not
These statistics reliably show that a substantial minority of married men report sexual infidelity and that men report higher rates than women in most age groups, yet they do not fully explain causes, consequences, or the private meanings of those acts; commentators warn that media coverage, viral anecdotes, and survey framing can sensationalize or obscure the nuances behind these percentages [1] [8] [6].