How Common Are Open Relationships? Statistics & Surprising Facts

Exactly how common are open relationships today? The answer depends on whether a survey measures current relationships, lifetime experience, or interest in trying one.

This guide breaks down reliable research to show how many people have open relationships, who is most interested in them, and how attitudes are changing.

What Is an Open Relationship?

An open relationship is a relationship in which the parties involved agree between themselves that they can have sexual or romantic contact with others. The exact rules depend on the couple. Some couples keep emotional ties exclusive while allowing physical encounters. Others welcome both emotional and physical connections with outside partners. The structure changes based on what the two people decide, but the foundation stays the same: mutual consent, transparency, and respect [1].

People choose this path for many reasons. Some want to explore different sides of their sexuality. Others feel that one person cannot realistically meet every emotional, intellectual, and physical need. Instead of viewing love as a limited resource, they treat it as something that can expand when handled with care.

Contrary to what many believe, an open relationship is not cheating. While cheating involves breaking an agreement or hiding romantic or sexual activities from a partner, in an open relationship, partners discuss their boundaries and make decisions together.

How Do Open Relationships Work?

There is no universal rulebook on how open relationships work; the structure and boundaries can look very different from couple to couple. However, most successful arrangements rely on clear communication, transparency, mutual understanding, and regular check-ins.

For example, partners may agree on rules such as [2]:

• only seeing other people while traveling;
• not bringing dates home;
• using protection and getting regular STI tests;
• telling each other before or after meeting someone;
• avoiding close friends, coworkers, or ex-partners;
• not spending the night after a hookup;
• keeping emotional relationships exclusive to the primary couple.

Other couples set fewer rules and focus more on trust. They may share details about outside experiences, or they may prefer privacy. It’s worth noting that neither method is automatically right. What matters is that both parties understand and freely accept the agreement.

Many couples also revisit their boundaries over time to adjust rules that might have felt comfortable at the start but may no longer fit months later. Jealousy, time demands, parenting, health, and changing feelings often affect the arrangement, but honest conversations on whether to adjust, pause, or end the open part of the relationship usually help.

How Many People Have Open Relationships?

The short answer to the common question, “how common are open relationships?” is that there is no perfect worldwide number. Researchers use different definitions, ask different questions, and study different populations. Still, several large US studies give us a useful picture.

One important study used data from the 2012 US National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior. Among 2,270 adults who reported being in relationships, 4% described their relationship as open. Another 8% reported non-consensual non-monogamy, while 89% reported monogamy [3]. The estimates have been found to become much larger when researchers ask whether people have ever experienced consensual non-monogamy.

A study published in the Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy examined two US samples of single adults. It found that 21.9% of one sample and 21.2% of the other had participated in consensual non-monogamy at some point. These figures measure different things. The roughly 1-in-5 finding covers lifetime experience with the wider CNM category; it does not mean 1 in 5 Americans currently has an open relationship.

Open Relationship Statistics and Trends

The latest statistics suggest that actual participation remains a minority behavior, even though interest reaches a much larger group.

A February 2024 YouGov survey of 18,171 US adults found that 6% said they were currently in an open or polyamorous relationship, while another 10% said they had previously been in one. 11% had never done so but said they would consider it. In April 2025, YouGov surveyed 1,125 US adult citizens, and 9% said they had personally experienced an open or polyamorous relationship. Another 14% said they would definitely or probably consider one in the future [4][5].

An earlier YouGov poll in 2023 approached the subject differently. Instead of simply asking whether respondents wanted an open relationship, it asked them to place their ideal relationship on a scale ranging from complete monogamy to complete non-monogamy. Thirty-four percent chose something other than complete monogamy, including 26% who selected a position somewhere between the two extremes.

These findings show why headlines about non-monogamy can seem contradictory. Wanting some flexibility, considering an open relationship, having tried one, and currently living in one are four different measures. The same distinction applies to open marriages. A married couple may agree to sexual relationships outside the marriage, but marriage itself does not tell us whether a couple is monogamous.

Open Relationships by Age and Generation

Available data suggests that younger adults are generally more open to the idea of non-monogamy than older adults. However, this does not mean younger people are all practicing it.

YouGov polling from 2020 found that Gen Z adults and millennials were more likely than Gen X and baby boomers to say that their ideal relationship might be non-monogamous. In that survey, younger respondents were also more likely to reject the idea that monogamy is the only acceptable relationship model.

There are several reasons that may explain this difference:

First, younger generations grew up with more online access to discussions about sexuality, gender, identity, and relationships. They may feel more comfortable questioning old assumptions about dating and marriage. Second, younger adults may delay marriage and long-term commitment compared with earlier generations. This can give them more time to explore different relationship structures before settling into one.

Third, social acceptance has changed. Public attitudes toward LGBTQ+ relationships, cohabitation, divorce, and single adulthood have shifted over recent decades. As people become more accepting of different life paths, they may also become more willing to consider non-traditional relationship agreements. Still, age does not decide whether someone is suited to an open relationship. Plenty of older couples explore openness after their children leave home, after retirement, or after years of monogamy. At the same time, many younger adults strongly prefer exclusive relationships.

Open Relationships by Gender

Gender differences are harder to measure than many headlines suggest. Research does not support the simple idea that men always want open relationships more than women do.

Some surveys find that men report slightly greater interest in sexual variety or casual sex. Although having multiple partners may rank among the most common sex fantasy themes for some people, fantasizing about a sexual experience is not the same as wanting to pursue it in real life. Likewise, interest in sexual variety is not the same as wanting a relationship structure that involves planning, honesty, emotional labor, and communication.

Studies on consensual non-monogamy often find that people of different genders participate at meaningful rates. Researchers also note that sexual orientation, relationship history, local culture, religious beliefs, and access to supportive communities can matter as much as gender.

People who identify as LGBTQ+ may report higher rates of consensual non-monogamy in some studies, though this does not mean non-monogamy defines LGBTQ+ relationships. Many gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, and straight people prefer monogamy. The main point is that no gender has a monopoly on openness, jealousy, commitment, or desire for exclusivity; individual values matter more than stereotypes.

Are Open Relationships Becoming More Common?

Open relationships are becoming increasingly more common by the day. With some surveys finding that roughly one-third of Americans describe their ideal relationship as something other than complete monogamy, non-monogamous relationship structures appear to be gaining greater mainstream visibility and acceptance.

Researchers have stronger evidence that attitudes are changing. More people now know what terms like “open relationship,” “polyamory,” and “ethical non-monogamy” mean. More people also say they are willing to consider alternatives to strict monogamy. Dating apps and online groups have helped create that visibility. People can now state their relationship preferences before meeting someone.

The growing market for sexual and relationship content also shows wider curiosity. For example, someone may browse an article about best milf boobs or other adult topics without wanting to change their relationship structure. Online interest in sexual content is broad, while active participation in open relationships remains much more limited. In other words, openness has become easier to discuss, but that does not mean it has replaced monogamy. Most people still report being in or wanting exclusive relationships.

Interesting Facts About Open Relationships

There are a lot of interesting facts about open relationships, but here are some of the most surprising and noteworthy ones worth knowing:

1. Most people who try consensual non-monogamy do not necessarily stay with it forever: Relationship styles can change across a person’s life. Some couples open their relationship for a period and later return to monogamy. Others begin casually and decide that an open arrangement fits them long term.
2. Communication matters more than the number of partners: Research on relationship satisfaction often points to communication, trust, fairness, and consent as key factors. Couples in open relationships do not avoid jealousy or conflict; they need to discuss those feelings directly.
3. Monogamous and non-monogamous couples can report similar satisfaction levels: Several studies have found that consensually non-monogamous participants can report relationship satisfaction and well-being levels similar to monogamous participants. The result depends less on the label and more on whether the arrangement is honest and mutually wanted.
4. The possible benefits come with real challenges: Some couples say openness gives them more freedom, sexual variety, or personal growth. Others find that it brings difficult feelings, scheduling stress, or unequal interest between partners. An open relationship can be healthy when both people want it and communicate well, but it can become painful when one person agrees only to avoid losing the other.

Another interesting fact about open relationships is that they’re not the same as polyamory. While an open relationship often focuses on sexual connections outside a committed couple, polyamory usually allows for multiple loving or romantic relationships. The lines can overlap, but the terms are not interchangeable.

In Summary

Open relationships remain less common than monogamous relationships, but they are more common than many people think. About 1 in 5 US adults has tried some form of consensual non-monogamy, while roughly 4% to 5% are currently in such a relationship.

Trends show that younger adults appear more open to the idea, and public discussion has become more common. Still, no survey can tell someone whether an open relationship is right for them. That decision depends on trust, communication, boundaries, shared values, and genuine consent from everyone involved.

References:

1. What to Know About Open Relationships and How They Work. Written by Anabelle Bernard Fournier. Reviewed by Carly Snyder, MD. Retrieved: September 20, 2026. Verywellmind.com.
2. The Guide to Open Relationships I Wish I’d Had. By Jon McDonell, R.Ac. Retrieved: September 20, 2026. Medium.com.
3. Open Relationships, Nonconsensual Nonmonogamy, and Monogamy Among U.S. Adults: Findings from the 2012 National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior. By Ethan Czuy Levine, Debby Herbenick, et al. Retrieved: September 20, 2026. Pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
4. Have you ever been in an open or polyamorous relationship? Retrieved: September 20, 2026. Yougov.com.
5. Half of Americans say they’ve been cheated on; one-third say they’ve been the cheater. By Jamie Ballard. Retrieved: September 20, 2026. Yougov.com.