I flutuate between 1480 and 1560 in this site and when I start to face the 1550 or higher the level rises rapidly.
They follow well known opening lines, rarely make tatical mistakes and are good in positional play.
Good job getting to 1700, OP!
There's always going to be these beginners and intermediates complaining about cheating. "I can't get to 1000 because everyone's cheating!!!" they'll say. But the truth is there's really not so many cheaters on chess.com; you can't blame cheaters for your failure.
[snip]
Definitely. There are a lot less cheaters out there than you think... I get them about 3% of the time or less in rapid (10min). Almost never in any faster time control.
There's always going to be these beginners and intermediates complaining about cheating. "I can't get to 1000 because everyone's cheating!!!" they'll say. But the truth is there's really not so many cheaters on chess.com; you can't blame cheaters for your failure.
[snip]
Definitely. There are a lot less cheaters out there than you think... I get them about 3% of the time or less in rapid (10min). Almost never in any faster time control.
That's wrong!!! Everyone who beats me is cheating!!! That's why I'll never get to 2000!!! 
There's always going to be these beginners and intermediates complaining about cheating. "I can't get to 1000 because everyone's cheating!!!" they'll say. But the truth is there's really not so many cheaters on chess.com; you can't blame cheaters for your failure.
[snip]
Definitely. There are a lot less cheaters out there than you think... I get them about 3% of the time or less in rapid (10min). Almost never in any faster time control.
That's wrong!!! Everyone who beats me is cheating!!! That's why I'll never get to 2000!!!
😂😭😭😭😢😭😢😡😡😡🤬🤬🤬😱😱
if you're talking about 15/10 time control, it's because 2/5ths maybe 3/5th of players use engines; if you're talking 3/0 increment only a tenth players use an engine maybe; bullet nobody does; you'll reach 1600 bullet first, then maybe in daily, since the pay off to cheat takes so long only 15% use engines in daily. Concur with the Heisman fear of ratings idea; that's a good one. 1600 seems to be a real milestone; in fact, it is Class B (1600-1800). The 1550s are making mistakes, you probably are just in their level, and don't see them just as they don't know they are making them; mutual board blindness. Hone up on tactics and you'll be 1700 quickly.
I was the same rating a couple months ago playing the same time control, you know how many games I lost to cheaters? 2. BECAUSE THERE AREN’T THAT MANY CHEATERS
I honestly can't relate to why anyone would want to cheat. What do they get out of it? Can't be much sense of accomplishment that way.
If I understand correctly the question was why the 1500's on this site were so good. Cheating aside I think there are several other reasons to be considered. Some people play to get a higher rating and many assume that everyone does this. I think a lot of people play on line to try out new openings and new ideas they have and this practice may or may not correlate with their actual rating. Also I think ratings distribution might be affected by people who play chess for a while (good or bad?) and then quit playing or suddenly figure it all out and get better real quick. Another reason might be, when a player begins they are low rated and before they can get to high rated they usually pass thru the 1500's and they might just really be a very strong player waiting for their rating to reflect more accurately their skill. And finally, it has been my experience that lower rated players play harder to win against higher rated players than do higher rated players against lower rated players. That is until you get to the top levels of chess. Similarly in a single game, it is when you are ahead that you need to watch out for mistakes in your play, since you know your opponent, being behind, is sweating bullets to find a way to not lose. I would wonder if Chess.com has run any statistics on their data base, which must be very large on this topic.
At the time of posting, the OP stated he fluctuates around low 1500s. Of course it would feel difficult to play against 1500s if your peak is about 1500.
The answer seems pretty obvious to me. People lose. That's why.
I've played people who are about equal in ability or even better and lost every game. Sometimes dozens of games. So my rating just goes down and down and down. To the point where I might be a couple hundred points below my normal rating. And of course the opposite has happened too. I've won games that I probably shouldn't have, raised my rating above where it should be, then end up losing because I'm playing people who are better than me. It all evens out.
My rating ranges between 1500 and 1775 (never broken the 1800 blitz barrier) and I find no rating range I have been in has more 90% accuracy games than 1500 lol
I got 1900 in blitz and bullet while completely drunk, so I wouldn't know.
Maybe there are sites out there that let beginners who play like total morons, blundering pieces on every move, get to 1500. Maybe playing people like that gave you a false impression. ( You play 1100's and mostly the same peoples)
its cause of those damn germans... the chessbrahs were right all along!
then keep one eye out for kuchelbuch. hes a hilarious streamer...lol !