How Common Is Swinging in the U.S.? A Deep Dive Into the Latest Survey Data
- Jake
- 2 days ago
- 7 min read
You might think swinging is a fringe activity—but the data tells a different story.
Recent studies suggest that about 4% of adults in the U.S. and Canada practice consensual non-monogamy (CNM)—a broad term that includes swinging, polyamory, and open relationships. That works out to roughly 1 in every 25 couples. Know a few dozen couples? Statistically, at least one is likely non-monogamous.
Here’s what the research shows:
A Temple University study found 4% of U.S. adults are in CNM relationships.
Indiana University found 21% of singles had tried CNM at least once.
10% of women and 18% of men have had at least one threesome.
A Canadian study of 2,003 adults also found 4% currently practice CNM.
Interestingly, CNM couples reported relationship satisfaction levels equal to—or in some cases higher than—monogamous couples, especially when both partners were equally invested.
And demographically, people who practice CNM tend to have college degrees, fall into middle to upper-middle income brackets, and are more likely to have professional or white-collar jobs.
As researchers put it:
“Only a small proportion of the population is involved in open relationships, but interest has increased. ‘Open’ appears to be a viable and important relationship type.”
So, how common is swinging specifically? And who’s doing it? A new 2024 study from Bedbible dives deep into the swinging landscape—revealing who's participating, where they live, how often they swing, and what kind of relationships and identities are most common.
Let’s take a look at what the numbers say.
Here’s what we’ve covered in this piece:
Top Findings
🔢 2.4 million Americans swing. That’s 1.1% of the U.S. population between 18 and 80. Not exactly niche.
💰 The swinging industry is worth $9.5 billion. Globally. That’s not small potatoes—it’s a whole damn economy.
🌍 Delaware is secretly wild. It has the most swingers per capita—1 in every 40 people. Who knew?
💍 Married people are 32% more likely to swing. Apparently, “I do” doesn’t mean “just you.”
🧠 1 in 3 people are curious about swinging. 31% say they’re interested in trying it. That’s a whole lot of curiosity.
🏙️ Portland takes the crown for clubs. It has 39 swinger/sex clubs—the most of any U.S. city. Rainy nights, busy weekends.
🇫🇮 Finland is the most open-minded. Over 50% of Finns say swinging is acceptable. The U.S. ranks 4th, with 46% on board.
👫 Millennials are redefining relationships. Nearly half (49%) say their ideal relationship is non-monogamous.
🎂 Most swingers are in their 40s. The 40–49 age group makes up the largest slice—about 40% of active swingers, close to a million people.
🌈 Only 57.6% of swingers identify as straight. Compare that to 88.7% of the general U.S. population. The lifestyle attracts a broader spectrum of orientations.
🤐 Most swingers keep it quiet. 44.1% don’t tell anyone. The rest stick mostly to close friends.
How Common Is Swinging in the U.S.?
So, just how many people are actually swinging? The numbers might surprise you—what seems like a niche lifestyle is more common than you'd think.
1.1% of the sexually active US population are swingers.
2.5% of the US population have tried swinging at least once. In other words, one in six couples have tried swinging.
44% of people who try swinging continue to do it, and become “active swingers”.
2.4 million people are active swingers and 8.3 million have tried swinging at one point.
How Many People Are Actually Interested in Trying Swinging?
What about those who haven’t tried swinging yet? Survey data shows that among the 97.5% of Americans who haven’t, there’s a clear and growing curiosity. Good news—if you’re curious, chances are your partner might be too!
31% would be interested in trying swinging if their partner asked for it.
19% have thought about asking their partner to try swinging of which 58% were men and 42% were women.
Interest in Swinging
Are Swingers More Likely to Be Married?
When it comes to swinging, married couples are leading the way. Not only are they more likely to be active swingers, but they also participate more often than other relationship types.
1.6% of married couples are active swingers.
Being married increases the chance of being a swinger by 32% compared to other relationship types (dating, unmarried partners, friends with benefits).
Married couples are the most active swingers, on average swinging 2.3 times per month, compared to other relationship types who participate in swinging 1.7 times per month.
Swingers by Relationship Type
Is Swinging Becoming More Popular?
Research indicates that swinging and non-monogamous relationships are on the rise. In a recent survey, respondents were asked to rate their ideal relationship on a scale from fully monogamous to fully non-monogamous. The results showed a clear generational divide, with Millennials significantly more open to non-monogamy than Baby Boomers.
The study found that:
36.4% see their ideal relationship as non-monogamous
49% of Millennials see their ideal relationship as non-monogamous, conversely, only 28.9% of Baby Boomers share that opinion.
Monogamy by Generation
Is Swinging a Young Person’s Game?
You might expect younger adults to dominate the swinging scene—but the numbers tell a different story. Most active swingers are in their 30s to 50s, with 40-somethings leading the pack.
Swinging is most popular amongst 40-49-year-olds, where 20.5% of the population is in this age bracket, compared to 39.4% of the Swingers in the same age bracket.
Close to 1 million of the 2.4 million swingers are between the age of 40-49 years old (1.4% of all 40-49 year-olds in the US).
Only 0.18% of the 18-29-year-olds are active swingers, which is 8 times less than among the 40-49-year-olds.
More than 65% of swingers are between 30 and 59 years old.
Only 5.2% of swingers are younger than 30 years old.
Swinging by Demographic
What U.S. State Has the Most Swingers?
To find out where swinging is most common in the U.S., researchers analyzed data from local swinger club directories and national online forums, then used geo-location and survey insights to estimate total participation by state—including those not active on online platforms.
And while Florida often gets the reputation as the swinging capital (no surprise there), you might be better off in Delaware if you're looking to meet like-minded folks. Massachusetts? Not so much—though hey, at least the sports teams are solid.
Here’s what the data revealed:
Delaware is the state with the most active swingers. 1 out of every 40 citizens are active swingers (2.5%).
Massachusetts has the fewest active swingers per capita with only 1 out of every 1570 citizens being active swingers (0.1%).
Florida has the most swingers in total, 193,178 active swingers, toppling both California and Texas despite these states having 18 million and 8 million more citizens.
States Where Swinging is Most and Least Popular per Capita
Which U.S. Cities Have the Most Swinger Clubs?
Wondering where the swinger scene is most vibrant? The number of swinger clubs varies significantly across major U.S. cities, reflecting where the lifestyle is most publicly embraced. For example, Portland tops the list with nearly 40 clubs, followed closely by Seattle and Pittsburgh with around 35 each. Other cities like Miami, New York, and Dallas also have strong scenes with 20 to 30 clubs, showing a diverse and widespread community nationwide.
Here are the top 10 U.S. cities with the most swinger clubs.
How Often Do Swingers Visit Clubs?
Not every swinger uses the so-called “swinger clubs” or “sex clubs” that are typically most Despite their reputation as a central part of the lifestyle, swinger clubs aren’t a go-to for everyone. Survey data reveals that many swingers either rarely visit—or avoid them entirely.
34% of swingers have never visited a swinger or sex club.
37% have been to a club fewer than five times.
Just 4.2% have visited a swinger club more than 20 times.
Visiting a Swinger Club
Where in the World Is Swinging Most Accepted?
Acceptance of swinging varies worldwide, with Northern and Western Europe showing the highest openness. Finland leads with over 50% of people finding swinging acceptable. The United States follows closely at 46.1%, placing it among the top five globally. New Zealand and the United Kingdom also rank high, showing swinging is becoming more mainstream in many regions.
How Big Is the Swinging Industry?
Swinging isn’t just a lifestyle—it’s also a booming global industry. From travel to clubs to events, the business side of swinging is worth billions. Here's a snapshot of the market:
The global swinging industry is valued at an estimated $9.5 billion, including clubs, travel, services, and subscriptions.
Swinger travel alone generates about $1.3 billion annually, with $447.5 million coming specifically from swinger cruises.
Lifestyles Organization, the largest swinger travel company in the U.S., reports $35 million in annual sales.
The annual swinging convention in Las Vegas brings in a profit of $621,900—just from the event itself.
Who Knows About You Being a Swinger?
When it comes to openness about their lifestyle, most swingers tend to keep things private—especially around family and at work. According to the survey, 44.1% of swingers don’t tell anyone about their involvement. Another 41.9% share only with close friends, while just a small minority—4.1%—are fully open about their swinging lifestyle.
What Is the Sexual Orientation Breakdown Among Swingers?
Swingers tend to break away from traditional norms—not just in their relationships, but in how they identify sexually. Compared to the general population, there’s a much wider spectrum of sexual orientation within the lifestyle.
Only 57.6% of swingers identify as straight (compared to 88.7% of the general U.S. population).
32.1% identify as bisexual.
8.1% are questioning or unsure about their sexuality.
1.2% identify as homosexual.
1% identify with other sexualities.
Sexuality of Swingers
Do the Swinging Survey Results Reflect You?
While swinging may still be considered a fairly niche lifestyle, the survey shows just how diverse and varied people’s preferences and experiences really are. Do these results mirror your own experience or perspective on swinging? We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts, stories, or questions in the comments below and help us deepen the conversation about this fascinating and evolving lifestyle.
What to Keep in Mind About the Survey Results
Due to the social stigma surrounding swinging, participants may underreport their involvement in surveys and studies. Additionally, online surveys may attract a higher proportion of individuals already interested or involved in swinging, which could lead to inflated estimates.
All findings and datasets are freely available for public access at Bedbible.com for those interested in exploring the data further.
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