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Miami has another hard-earned trophy to add to its mantle — this time for leading the U.S. in new sign-ups for the controversial dating app Ashley Madison, which is marketed to people in monogamous relationships who are looking to have affairs.
The 305’s lustful reputation is well-established (Ashley Madison named Miami its capital for winter affairs last year), so the accolade shouldn’t come as a total shock, especially considering that Florida also ranks high for overall interest in non-monogamous relationships. Still, threesomes, throuples, and other types of polyamorous arrangements are typically built on foundations of trust, consent, and boundaries, while Ashley Madison’s platform caters to those seeking discreet extramarital relationships.
If you’re asking yourself, “Wait, that Ashley Madison? The one with the massive data breach that exposed its members to their unsuspecting spouses?” The answer is yes. In 2015, hackers breached Ashley Madison’s database and exposed the names, logins, and payment details of around 32 million users. Apparently, that didn’t kill demand for the app. Neither did the explosive 2024 Netflix documentary Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies, and Scandal, about how the breach affected the marriages, families, and communities of those involved. In the last decade, the app’s user base grew from 40 to 80 million.
What’s the appeal of extracurriculars in Miami, other than the beaches, restaurants, nightclubs, and a general appreciation for hedonism? In a 2024 interview with New Times, Paul Keable, Ashley Madison’s chief strategy officer, said, “There’s a much younger demographic [in Miami], and we’ve seen a significant increase in Gen Z joining [the app]. They’re actually the largest member group joining in 2024 America — which is fascinating, given people assume it’s older people.”
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Keable also suggested that not everyone on the platform is cheating, and that growing interest in nonmonogamy has led to members joining the app with permission from their partners.
“We’ve been interested in tracking people who would not identify as adulterers but rather would identify as disclosed nonmonogamists, meaning they are on the site with their partner’s consent, if not participation,” Keable explained. “They’re really interested in that space and want to see what’s out there beyond the traditions of monogamy, but they still don’t want their family, their friends, and their colleagues knowing about it.”
Miami wasn’t the only Florida city to make the Top 10 list of aspiring cheaters: Orlando came in at No. 2, and Tampa came in tenth. Rounding out the Top 5 were St. Louis, Missouri; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Minneapolis, Minnesota. With stats like these, maybe Miami really is a great place to be single, after all.
