The Action Network’s Poker Face Survey: 59% of Americans Admit to Lying Weekly

The Action Network commissioned a nationwide survey of 3,000+ to find out how often Americans lie — and who they're lying to. The research was carried out online by Research Without Barriers (RWB) between Nov. 4–7, 2025, with a sample of 3,019 U.S. adults.

All research follows the MRS Codes of Conduct (2023) and ICC/ESOMAR World Research Guidelines, and RWB is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office and compliant with GDPR and the Data Protection Act (2018).

We asked people about lying frequency, how good they think they are at it, what they lie about, and who their primary “victims” are. The goal wasn’t to expose anyone… although some of you confessed quicker than a bad poker bluff.

We also looked at the states that lie the most and think they’re the best liars!

Key Findings:

• 59% of Americans lie on a weekly basis
• Men lie on average 166 times per year
• Women lie less (122 times per year)
• Georgia tops the list as the state that lies the most, 191 times per year
• New Jersey residents think they can lie the best
• 17% of Americans admit they lie to themselves

How Often Do You Lie in a Typical Week?

Americans appear to be a lot more creative with the truth than they’d like to admit. A full 59% of Americans lie at least once a week, and 12% admit they lie more than five times a week, which works out to over 60 lies a year. If lying were cardio, some of us would be training for a marathon.

Despite that, 41% claim they never lie, proving that the first lie happens before the survey even starts.

Men lie 3.2 times per week on average (166 per year), while women average 2.4 lies per week (122 per year). So yes, men lie more often — shocking news to absolutely no one who has ever asked a man if he read the instructions.

Younger adults are the most prolific: those aged 18–24 lie 3.8 times per week, edging into “professional tournament bluffer” territory. Adults 55+ lie the least, averaging just two lies per week, which may be because they’ve achieved the age where they simply say whatever they want.

Relationship status plays a role, too. People in a relationship lie most frequently (3.4 times per week). Married respondents lie less (2.7 times per week), and divorced respondents lie only 1.8 times per week — possibly because they’ve learned that lying has consequences, like losing half your stuff.

Across the full sample, Americans lie an average of 2.8 times per week.

States That Lie the Most

Some states don’t just think they’re good liars — they practice.
We ranked states by how many times respondents admit to lying per week, giving us an estimate of how many lies that becomes per year.

Georgia takes the #1 spot for most lies told

According to the survey, Georgia lies more than any other state, with residents averaging:

• 3.7 lies per week
• 191 lies per year

At that point, lying isn’t occasional — it’s a hobby.

Close behind is Virginia (#2), averaging 3.5 lies per week, followed by Massachusetts (#3), Kentucky (#4), and Ohio (#5), all averaging around 3.4 lies per week. Whether it’s polite social lies or an aggressive “I’m five minutes away,” these states are keeping the truth on standby.

Do You Think You're Good at Lying?

Even though most people lie regularly, 39% say they are terrible at it and “crack instantly,” which honestly sounds like the most wholesome outcome. Meanwhile, 25% believe they are average, 24% say they're somewhat good, and 12% claim they're extremely good at lying and can “bluff like a poker pro.” Someone call Vegas.

Men Have More Confidence in Their Lying Skills

A full 67% of men believe they are average, good, or extremely good at lying, compared to 55% of women.  Nearly 45% of women say they are terrible at lying.

Lying Confidence Drops With Age

The 18—24-year-old age group are most likely to say they’re extremely good at lying (18%), and 35% call themselves somewhat good. By the time people reach 55+, 50% say they are terrible liars. The older you get, the less energy you have to maintain a cover story.

Relationship Status Adds Another Layer

People in a relationship or living with a partner are more likely to think they’re good liars, while 42% of married people say they’re terrible at lying. The most brutal honesty comes from divorced respondents, with nearly half (49%) admitting they "crack instantly." Divorce attorneys everywhere probably saw that coming.

States That Think They’re the Best Liars

While the previous section ranked states by how often people lie, this one looks at how confident people are in their lying skills — who thinks they’re the best at bluffing.

Some states don’t just lie — they brag about their lying ability.

When we asked respondents if they consider themselves good or extremely good liars, certain states confidently said yes, while others basically admitted, “I crack like wet cardboard.”

New Jersey takes the crown

46% of New Jersey residents say they’re good or extremely good liars, the highest of any state.
This raises questions — like what exactly is going on in New Jersey business meetings, poker games, and family group chats?

Kentucky follows closely at 43%, and New York rounds out the top three at 42%.

Apparently, confidence and lying ability are both highest in tri-state areas.

Who Do Americans Lie to the Most?

When asked who they lie to the most, Americans overwhelmingly picked strangers (25%). Apparently, we save our best lies for awkward small talk, like telling a barista we “have no plans today” when we’re actually late for a meeting.

The second most common target isn’t another person — 17% admit they lie to themselves. If you’ve ever said, “This is my last drink” or “I’ll start the diet Monday,” congratulations, you’re in this category.

When it comes to personal relationships, lying drops off sharply.

• 12% lie most to friends
• 8% lie to a partner or spouse
• 6% lie to parents
• 5% lie to bosses or coworkers
• 4% lie to their children

And in a surprising twist, 0% admit to lying to religious figures. Either everyone suddenly finds religion sobering, or people are very confident that God knows when they’re full of it.

Some respondents maintain a clean conscience — or a terrible poker face.

• 12% say they never lie, and
• 10% say none of the listed options apply.

Lying by State: Who Lies to Whom?

While Americans lie most to strangers on average, some states take that to another level. Colorado leads the nation, with a massive 37% saying they lie to strangers most often — meaning nearly four in ten Coloradans have mastered the art of “Oh wow, crazy weather today” while escaping conversations.
A few notable standouts:

• Missouri (26%) and Wisconsin (25%) lead the country in lying to themselves. If self-delusion were a competition, Missouri might medal.
• Indiana (24%) also ranks high in lying to themselves — matching their lie-to-self energy with self-reported honesty (10% claim they never lie).
• California (29%), Illinois (31%), and Tennessee (30%) are all heavy users of the “Sorry, just saw this text!” lie.
• Louisiana has the highest percentage of people lying to their partner or spouse (10%) and to their kids (10%) — family poker night must be a roller coaster.
• New Jersey is the most strategic: they lie to strangers (30%), but almost never lie to partners (1%). That’s either honesty or fear.

Several states maintain a high “I never lie” score:

• Colorado and Washington: 17%
• Illinois: 19%
• Alabama: 13%
• Florida: 16%

(They’re either very honest or very good at lying about not lying.)

Even with a complete list of targets — parents, spouses, bosses — one category remains untouched:

0% admit to lying to a religious figure. Whether out of reverence or anxiety, confession remains a lie-free zone.

What Americans Lie About the Most

When it comes to subject matter, Americans aren’t lying about big things — we’re lying about texts, spending habits, and pretending we definitely watched that show everyone is talking about.

The No. 1 lie overall is socially defensive and universally relatable:

• 44% admit to pretending they didn’t see a call or text.
  (If “Sorry, I just saw this!” were a crime, half the country would be behind bars.)

Money also inspires creativity:

• 35% lie about how much they spent on something, and
• 34% lie and say they like someone’s cooking or outfit.

Appearance-related lies are common, too:

• 31% lie about their weight or appearance,
• 23% lie about their income,
• 21% lie about their age.

And a dedicated 17% have lied about seeing a movie or TV show to participate in a conversation.
(We see you, “Yeah, I love 'The Wire', totally watched the whole thing.”)

A smaller group goes big:

• 11% admit to lying on a résumé,
• 10% lie about their ability to play poker or other games, which might be why these people lose money in casinos.

Men vs. Women: Who Lies About What?

Both genders lie most often about ignoring calls or texts — it’s modern survival.

But differences appear after that:

Men lie more about income and being better at poker — classic. Women lie more about their appearance and how much they spent.

The Biggest Liars by Age Group

Gen Z absolutely dominates the lying leaderboard.
Young adults (18–24) lie the most across multiple categories:

• Pretending not to see a text — 57%
• How much they spent — 42%
• Weight/appearance — 36%
• Relationship status — 26%
• Age — 34%
• Lying about watching a show/movie — 33%
• Résumé exaggeration — 17%

Basically, 18–24-year-olds are just vibing and occasionally lying on paperwork.

Other standout age groups:

• 35–44 lie the most about their income (28%).
• 45–54 lie the most about saying they like someone’s cooking/outfit (36%) and weight/appearance (36%).
• 25–34 hold the elite title of lying the most about being good at poker or games (15%).

If someone in their late twenties says, “I’m actually really good at poker,”—they’re probably not.

Tennessee Tops the Nation With 54% Ghosting Texts on Purpose

When it comes to lying topics, states have very different priorities.

Some lie to dodge confrontation. Others lie to dodge… Target receipts.

The most common lie nationwide — pretending you didn’t see a call or text — has a few states performing at elite Olympic levels:

• Tennessee tops the nation with 54% ghosting texts on purpose. (Deep down, Tennesseans just want peace.)
• Alabama (52%), North Carolina (51%), Colorado (50%), and Virginia (51%) aren’t far behind.

A few standout state-level lie categories:

States that lie the most about how much they spent

• Kentucky (45%)
• Wisconsin (46%)
• Tennessee (43%)

Kentucky, in particular, is lying about everything.

It also ranks high for lying about cooking compliments (45%) and weight (48%). If someone in Kentucky says, "No, it wasn't expensive", it was.

States most likely to lie about saying they like someone’s cooking or outfit

• Massachusetts (49%)
• Tennessee (47%)
• Kentucky (45%)

These states refuse to hurt feelings. They will, however, lie about your potato salad.

States that lie the most about weight/appearance

• Kentucky (48%)
• Massachusetts (36%)
• Ohio (36%)

Kentucky: undefeated in body-related deception.

Résumé "enhancers" (a.k.a. LinkedIn fiction writers)

• Kentucky (20%)
• Colorado (15%)
• Maryland (15%)

Kentucky might have three people claiming to be astronauts on Indeed.

States most likely to lie about being good at poker/games

• Colorado (22%)
• Tennessee (14%)
• Missouri / Texas (13%)

Colorado lies about poker more than any state, and also lies about ignoring texting. Visionary multitaskers.

Americans may see themselves as decent liars, but the data shows most lies are small, harmless, and — ironically — directed at total strangers. Whether it’s bluffing at a poker table or lying about why you’re late, it turns out nearly everyone has a poker face… some are just better at it than others.

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Methodology

The Action Network commissioned a nationwide survey of 3,000+ to find out how often Americans lie — and who they're lying to. The research was carried out online by Research Without Barriers (RWB) between Nov. 4–7, 2025, with a sample of 3,019 U.S. adults.

All research follows the MRS Codes of Conduct (2023) and ICC/ESOMAR World Research Guidelines, and RWB is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office and compliant with GDPR and the Data Protection Act (2018).

In our state-level analysis of the above, states with fewer than 40 respondents were excluded.

You can find the complete data set here.