Men generally cheat more than women, but the difference varies by age and other factors.

• According to the General Social Survey data, about 20% of men and 13% of women reported having sex with someone other than their spouse while married

• Among younger adults (ages 18 to 29), women are slightly more likely to cheat than men (11% vs. 10%), but after this age range, men’s infidelity rates surpass women’s and the gap widens with age

• Men’s cheating rates peak in their 70s (26%) and remain high into their 80s, while women’s peak is in their 60s (16%)

• Over recent decades, the number of women admitting to cheating has increased, narrowing the gender gap somewhat, but men still report higher rates overall

• Men tend to engage more in physical or casual affairs, while women’s infidelity is more often emotionally motivated

• Factors influencing cheating include age, race, religious attendance, education, and personality traits like impulsivity, with some differences in how these factors affect men and women

In summary, men cheat more overall, but younger women cheat at slightly higher rates than men in the same age group, and women's infidelity has been rising in recent years. The patterns of cheating differ by age and motivation between genders