Top 20 U.S. Cities for "Adulterous Behavior," Says New Study

Cheaters may never prosper, but they proliferate online. This has led to the continued success of Ashley Madison, a site that whispers to users, "Life is short. Have an affair." The portal brands itself as a "dating" site for those who are in committed relationships but are looking to step out on their spouses, and in a questionable audience development effort, the site recently released another list of the top 20 cities where partnered people are seeking some strange. Does that make users of the site paranoid that someone is keeping tabs on them and releasing them as a data point, even anonymously, or does it drum up business? That's beyond our current scientific grasp, but for the moment, here are the top 20 locations for "adulterous behavior," according to Ashley Madison's own reporting.

In a different survey, Portland was named America's kinkiest city, but it's not the hottest spot for non-ethical non-monogamy: According to Ashley Madison, Portland ranks #20 nationwide for adulterous behavior. 

The nation's capital was rated the 19th biggest city for adulterous behavior. Perhaps unsurprising: We all saw House of Cards, and it's been less than two years since now-former Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-NC) claimed he was invited to a local orgy.

Frasier's former home city came in at #18 in the survey. In late September, local station KING reported that Seattle is a "hub for commercial sex in the Northwest." 

Oh, it has been a long time since Wayne's World—the birthplace of SNL's most famous basement dwellers ranked #17 among cities when it comes to looking for action away from home.

The ninth most populous city in California, located north of Los Angeles, might seem like a sleepy, nonremarkable suburb, but it ranks even higher than L.A. (which didn't make the top 20 list) when it comes to adultery.

Alaska's largest city is freezing most months of the year, but it's a national hotspot for adulterous behavior, ranking 15th overall.

The more-than-a-mile-high city in the Centennial State also has a sky-high number of people looking for extramarital activity, the Ashley Madison researchers said.

While Tucson ranked 13th nationwide for adulterous behavior, adultery is still a crime in Arizona—you can be charged with a Class 3 misdemeanor, resulting in up to 30 days in jail, a $500 fine, and one year of probation.

The Ohio city came in 12th place overall. A few months ago, Cleveland Scene rated Ashley Madison the "best affair dating site overall", a piece of sponsored content that was apparently effective.

The capital of Colorado ranked 11th nationwide, which might seem unexpected. But a recent browse of 2023 headlines found it's where newly separated Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO)groped a date at a performance of Beetlejuice the Musical, and former NFL player Chadwick Brown allegedly fired a woman at the behest of his wife after he had an affair.  

The city in the Keystone State hit the top 10 nationally among locales where marriages are less than solid.

Unsuspecting Buffalo placed ninth nationwide for extramarital activity, while swinging New York City didn't even make the list. Maybe all those months of lake-effect snow make residents feel trapped at home in more ways than one.

The Twin Cities came in #8 and #7, respectively, among cities for adulterous behavior.

The locale of beloved classic sitcom WKRP is #6 among American cities that may have one or more partners performing D-I-V-O-R-C-E.

The first of three Florida cities to make the top 5, Tampa was also the scene of a mild viral sensation last July 8, when a woman was captured on TikTok sending apparently adulterous messages during a Luke Combs concert.

What happens in Vegas still apparently stays in Vegas—unless your data is on Ashley Madison.

A recent Real Housewives plot strand wasn't the only infidelity drama going on in Georgia's capital city, apparently, as it came in third nationwide.  

Florida men and women are doing more than showing up in viral headlines—Orlando is #2 in terms of adulterous behavior nationally, Ashley Madison says.

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Bienvenidos a the nation's capital for adultery, according to Ashley Madison's statistics. Adulterous behavior may still be a misdemeanor in the state, as NBC Miami reported this month—but it probably won't get you in the headlines as soon as driving around with a three-foot alligator in your SUV.