Fact Check: more wives cheat on their husbands

Published July 7, 2025

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VERDICT

False

# Fact Check: "More Wives Cheat on Their Husbands" ## What We Know The claim that "more wives cheat on their husbands" lacks substantial support from...

Fact Check: "More Wives Cheat on Their Husbands"

What We Know

The claim that "more wives cheat on their husbands" lacks substantial support from recent studies on infidelity. According to the Institute for Family Studies, surveys conducted between 2010 and 2016 revealed that approximately 20% of men reported infidelity compared to only 13% of women. This trend has been consistent over time, indicating that men are generally more likely to cheat than women.

However, the landscape of infidelity is nuanced and varies by age. For instance, among younger adults aged 18 to 29, infidelity rates are closer, with 11% of women admitting to cheating compared to 10% of men in the same age group. As age increases, the gap widens, with men in their 60s reporting a significantly higher infidelity rate of 24%, while women in the same age group report 16% (source-2).

Moreover, a report from 2020 indicated that 20% of men and only 10% of women admitted to cheating, further supporting the notion that men are more likely to engage in infidelity (source-1).

Analysis

The evidence presented in multiple studies consistently shows that men cheat more than women overall. The General Social Survey indicates that the infidelity rates for men and women are 20% and 13%, respectively. This data has been corroborated by other sources, including a comprehensive analysis of infidelity trends that highlights the historical patterns of cheating behavior across genders (source-2).

While the claim suggests that wives cheat more than husbands, the data indicates otherwise, particularly in older demographics where men show significantly higher rates of infidelity. The narrowing gap among younger generations, where women are catching up to men in infidelity rates, does not support the claim that more wives cheat than husbands; rather, it suggests evolving relationship dynamics (source-2).

The reliability of the sources used is generally high, as they are based on reputable surveys and studies conducted by organizations focused on family and relationship dynamics. However, it is essential to note that infidelity can be subjective and influenced by various factors, including emotional dissatisfaction and opportunity, which may not be fully captured in the statistics (source-1).

Conclusion

The claim that "more wives cheat on their husbands" is False. The evidence overwhelmingly indicates that men are more likely to cheat than women, with consistent statistics showing a significant gender gap favoring male infidelity. While there are nuances in the data, particularly among younger adults, the overall trend does not support the assertion that wives cheat more than husbands.

Sources

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