The rates of marriage and divorce in the U.S. have been gradually changing over time as people adapt to more modern ways of living. But how do factors like location and age relate to marriage and divorce? And just how many marriages end in divorce these days?
Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Statista, and Forbes between 1920 and 2022, this study on behalf of Spokeo has compiled some of the most interesting marriage and divorce statistics using the latest data and reports to see how the world is changing when it comes to relationships.
Key statistics
- In the U.S., the average age at which men marry for the first time is 30.9 years, while it’s 28.8 for women. The average age has increased over time from 26.7 for men and 25 for women in 1998.
- People in Utah get married the youngest, with women marrying at 23.5 years old, and men marrying at 25.6 years old on average. This is likely due to Utah having the largest Mormon population in the U.S.
- It is estimated that 1.2% of the 61.3 million households with married couples in the U.S. are made up of same-sex couples.
- The percentage of married people has decreased with every generation, with 44% of Millennials aged 23 to 38 being married, compared to 81% for the Silent Generation.
- Divorce rates have been declining since 2000 when the rate was 4, and it is predicted they will reach a low of 2.2 by 2027.
- Over a third of marriages (34.7%) end in divorce; this is a 14.9% decrease from the 40.8% of marriages that ended in divorce in 2000.
- Arkansas and West Virginia are the states with the highest percentage of divorced people at 13.3% in both.
Marriage statistics in the U.S.
According to the most recent figures, the marriage rate in the U.S. is 6 marriages per 1,000 people, with a total of 1,985,072 weddings taking place in 2021. This was an increase from the rate of 5.1 marriages per 1,000, and 1,676,911 marriages in total in 2020. This increase from 2020 to 2021 can most likely be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused the cancellation of many wedding ceremonies in 2020.
In New York and California, the current marriage rate is 5.2, which falls fairly low on the state ranking. These states are also among those when people get married the latest in life, with the average age of first marriage in New York being 29.6, and 28.4 in California.
Although the marriage rate and the number of marriages increased in 2021, these figures were both still 2% lower than in 2019. In fact, marriage rates have declined every year since 2016.
Marriage rates by state
Vegas weddings likely push Nevada to the top spot.
The latest data from the U.S. Census shows that the state with the highest marriage rate is Nevada, with 26.2 marriages per 1,000 people over the age of 15. This is likely due to the number of people who get married in Las Vegas, known as ‘the marriage capital of the world’, where around 120,000 marriages take place each year.
After Nevada, Hawaii has the highest marriage rate at 12.8, followed by Montana at 11, and Utah at 9.1. Interestingly, Utah is the state with the highest population of Mormon adherents, with 66% of the population identifying as Mormons. This likely contributes to the higher marriage rate in this state.
The state with the lowest marriage rate is Louisiana, at 4.4, followed by Massachusetts (4.6), and Illinois (4.7).
California and New York both land at 39th on the list, with a marriage rate of 5.2.
Rank | State | Marriage Rate 2021 |
---|---|---|
U.S. Average | 6 | |
1 | Nevada | 26.2 |
2 | Hawaii | 12.8 |
3 | Montana | 11 |
4 | Utah | 9.1 |
5 | Arkansas | 8.2 |
6 | Alabama | 7.6 |
6 | Tennessee | 7.6 |
8 | Colorado | 7.4 |
8 | Idaho | 7.4 |
8 | Vermont | 7.4 |
8 | Wyoming | 7.4 |
12 | Washington DC | 7.3 |
12 | Maine | 7.3 |
14 | Florida | 6.8 |
15 | New Hampshire | 6.7 |
16 | South Carolina | 6.5 |
17 | Alaska | 6.3 |
17 | Kentucky | 6.3 |
17 | South Dakota | 6.3 |
20 | North Carolina | 6.2 |
21 | Oklahoma | 6.1 |
22 | Indiana | 6 |
22 | Mississippi | 6 |
22 | Missouri | 6 |
22 | West Virginia | 6 |
26 | New Mexico | 5.9 |
26 | Virginia | 5.9 |
28 | Rhode Island | 5.8 |
28 | Texas | 5.8 |
30 | Oregon | 5.7 |
31 | Georgia | 5.5 |
31 | Washington | 5.5 |
33 | Arizona | 5.4 |
33 | Connecticut | 5.4 |
33 | Kansas | 5.4 |
33 | Pennsylvania | 5.4 |
37 | Iowa | 5.3 |
37 | Nebraska | 5.3 |
39 | California | 5.2 |
39 | Maryland | 5.2 |
39 | Michigan | 5.2 |
39 | New York | 5.2 |
39 | North Dakota | 5.2 |
39 | Ohio | 5.2 |
45 | New Jersey | 5.1 |
46 | Wisconsin | 5 |
47 | Delaware | 4.9 |
48 | Minnesota | 4.8 |
49 | Illinois | 4.7 |
50 | Massachusetts | 4.6 |
51 | Louisiana | 4.4 |
Total number of marriages by state
In total, almost 2 million marriages took place in the U.S. in 2021.
The state with the highest number of marriages was California, where 203,443 marriages took place. This is unsurprising as California has the highest population of all of the states, at 39.24 million.
Although California has the most marriages, its marriage rate is on the lower side at 5.2 per 1,000 people.
Rank | State | Marriages 2021 |
---|---|---|
U.S. Total | 1,985,072 | |
1 | California | 203,443 |
2 | Texas | 170,486 |
3 | Florida | 149,102 |
4 | New York | 103,632 |
5 | Nevada | 82,386 |
6 | Pennsylvania | 70,221 |
7 | North Carolina | 65,663 |
8 | Ohio | 61,803 |
9 | Georgia | 59,603 |
10 | Illinois | 59,487 |
11 | Tennessee | 53,032 |
12 | Michigan | 51,882 |
13 | Virginia | 51,059 |
14 | New Jersey | 47,343 |
15 | Colorado | 42,945 |
16 | Washington | 42,405 |
17 | Indiana | 40,693 |
18 | Arizona | 39,453 |
19 | Alabama | 38,190 |
20 | Missouri | 37,254 |
21 | South Carolina | 33,916 |
22 | Maryland | 32,255 |
23 | Massachusetts | 32,004 |
24 | Utah | 30,324 |
25 | Wisconsin | 29,616 |
26 | Kentucky | 28,402 |
27 | Minnesota | 27,373 |
28 | Arkansas | 24,863 |
29 | Oklahoma | 24,405 |
30 | Oregon | 24,254 |
31 | Louisiana | 20,243 |
32 | Connecticut | 19,491 |
33 | Hawaii | 18,496 |
34 | Mississippi | 17,842 |
35 | Iowa | 17,022 |
36 | Kansas | 15,708 |
37 | Idaho | 14,032 |
38 | New Mexico | 12,550 |
39 | Montana | 12,174 |
40 | West Virginia | 10,771 |
41 | Nebraska | 10,437 |
42 | Maine | 10,035 |
43 | New Hampshire | 9,359 |
44 | Rhode Island | 6,355 |
45 | South Dakota | 5,611 |
46* | Washington D.C | 4,895 |
47 | Delaware | 4,886 |
48 | Vermont | 4,764 |
49 | Alaska | 4,627 |
50 | Wyoming | 4,279 |
51 | North Dakota | 4,001 |
*Washington D.C. is included
How many people are currently married?
Just under half of people in the U.S. are currently married.
The most recent Census data shows that 48.5% of people in the U.S. are married. Using 2023’s population figures, this would amount to approximately 160.9 million people.
Men over 65 are the most likely to be married, with 68.5% of people in this group being currently married. For women, those aged between 45 and 54 are most likely to be married, at 63.1%.
When comparing by race, Asian people have the highest percentage of married people at 57%, while Black people have the lowest at 30.6%.
The states with the most married people
Utah has the most married people, while Washington DC has the fewest.
The state with the most married people is Utah, where 55.3% of people over 15 are currently married. This is followed by Idaho at 54.8%, and Wyoming at 53.8%.
Washington DC has the fewest married people at just 30.2%, followed by Louisiana at 43.5%, and New York at 44.4%.
Rank | State | Percentage of people aged 15 years and over who are currently married |
---|---|---|
U.S. Average | 48.5% | |
1 | Utah | 55.3% |
2 | Idaho | 54.8% |
3 | Wyoming | 53.8% |
4 | Nebraska | 52.3% |
5 | Maine | 51.6% |
6 | Kansas | 51.4% |
6 | New Hampshire | 51.4% |
6 | South Dakota | 51.4% |
9 | Iowa | 51.2% |
10 | Montana | 50.9% |
11 | Minnesota | 50.8% |
12 | Washington | 50.7% |
13 | Colorado | 50.2% |
13 | North Dakota | 50.2% |
15 | Hawaii | 50% |
16 | New Jersey | 49.9% |
16 | Wisconsin | 49.9% |
18 | Texas | 49.7% |
19 | Virginia | 49.5% |
20 | Missouri | 49.4% |
20 | Vermont | 49.4% |
22 | West Virginia | 49.3% |
23 | Indiana | 49.2% |
24 | Alaska | 49% |
24 | Kentucky | 49% |
26 | Arkansas | 48.9% |
26 | Oklahoma | 48.9% |
28 | Oregon | 48.8% |
28 | Tennessee | 48.8% |
30 | Arizona | 48.7% |
31 | North Carolina | 48.5% |
32 | Delaware | 48.1% |
32 | Pennsylvania | 48.1% |
34 | South Carolina | 47.9% |
35 | Michigan | 47.7% |
36 | Maryland | 47.5% |
37 | Florida | 47.4% |
37 | Illinois | 47.4% |
39 | Ohio | 47.2% |
40 | Alabama | 47.1% |
41 | Connecticut | 46.9% |
42 | Massachusetts | 46.6% |
43 | Georgia | 46.5% |
44 | California | 46.4% |
45 | Nevada | 45.1% |
46 | Rhode Island | 44.9% |
47 | New Mexico | 44.7% |
48 | Mississippi | 44.5% |
49 | New York | 44.4% |
50 | Louisiana | 43.5% |
51* | Washington D.C | 30.2% |
*Washington, D.C. is included.
Marital status of the U.S. population
The rates of divorce and widowhood are higher among women than men.
As of 2022, 51.7% of men and 49.9% of women are married. A higher percentage of women are divorced and widowed compared to men. 8.4% of women are widowed, compared to 2.8% of men, and 10.7% of women are divorced, compared to 8.4% of men.
Change in marriage rates over time
The U.S. marriage rate has declined by 50% in 101 years.
Marriage rates have fluctuated over time between 1920 and 2021, and during this period, the marriage rate across the U.S. has declined by 50% from 12 to 6.
Prior to the 2000s, the lowest marriage rate was in 1932 during the Great Depression. One study found that the low marriage rate during this era was likely down to poor job opportunities for men. However, marriages tended to be delayed rather than denied, and began picking up after this period. In 1946, after the end of the Second World War, the marriage rate reached an all-time high of 16.4. This is still higher than any marriage rate recorded since.
Overall, marriage rates have been on a steady decline since the 1980s, from 10.6 in 1980 to 6.9 in 2015. Since 2016, marriage rates have fallen every year, from 7 in 2016 to 6.1 in 2019, and then 5.1 in 2020. The steep drop seen in 2020 was due to the COVID-19 pandemic which caused thousands of weddings to be cancelled or postponed. Marriage rates rose to 6 in 2021 as weddings recovered from the pandemic, but this was still lower than 2019’s figure.
Men get married older than women on average
As of 2023, the average age at which men get married for the first time is 30.9 years, while it’s 28.8 for women.
This figure has been rising steadily over time from 26.7 for men and 25 for women in 1998.
The average age someone gets married varies by state
The age of first marriage varies from a high of 30.2 in Washington DC to a low of 24.6 in Utah.
People in Washington DC get married the oldest on average at 30.6 for men and 29.8 for women. This is followed by people in New York, where the average age of marriage for men is 30.3, and for women is 28.8.
The state where people get married the youngest is Utah, where women marry at 23.5, and men marry at 25.6 on average. As we mentioned earlier, Utah has the highest population of Mormons in the U.S. which likely contributes to this lower average age of marriage.
Average age of first marriage by state | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Rank | State | Women | Men | Combined |
1 | Washington D.C | 29.8 | 30.6 | 30.2 |
2 | New York | 28.8 | 30.3 | 29.6 |
3 | Massachusetts | 28.8 | 30.1 | 29.5 |
4 | New Jersey | 28.1 | 30.1 | 29.1 |
4 | Rhode Island | 28.2 | 30 | 29.1 |
4 | Vermont | 28.8 | 29.3 | 29.1 |
7 | Maryland | 27.7 | 29.5 | 28.6 |
8 | Pennsylvania | 27.6 | 29.3 | 28.5 |
9 | California | 27.3 | 29.5 | 28.4 |
9 | Illinois | 27.5 | 29.3 | 28.4 |
11 | Florida | 27.2 | 29.4 | 28.3 |
12 | New Hampshire | 26.8 | 29.3 | 28.1 |
13 | Delaware | 26.9 | 29 | 28.0 |
14 | Michigan | 26.8 | 28.9 | 27.9 |
15 | Hawaii | 26.7 | 28.6 | 27.7 |
15 | Maine | 26.8 | 28.6 | 27.7 |
15 | Virginia | 26.7 | 28.6 | 27.7 |
18 | Minnesota | 26.6 | 28.5 | 27.6 |
19 | Ohio | 26.6 | 28.4 | 27.5 |
19 | Oregon | 26.4 | 28.5 | 27.5 |
19 | South Carolina | 26.7 | 28.2 | 27.5 |
19 | Wisconsin | 26.6 | 28.4 | 27.5 |
23 | Louisiana | 26.6 | 28.4 | 27.5 |
24 | Georgia | 26.3 | 28.3 | 27.3 |
25 | Arizona | 26.2 | 28.1 | 27.2 |
27 | Colorado | 26.1 | 28 | 27.1 |
27 | Montana | 25.7 | 28.5 | 27.1 |
27 | New Mexico | 26.1 | 28.1 | 27.1 |
27 | North Carolina | 26.3 | 27.9 | 27.1 |
31 | Washington | 26 | 27.9 | 27.0 |
32 | Missouri | 26.1 | 27.6 | 26.9 |
33 | Indiana | 26.1 | 27.4 | 26.8 |
33 | Mississippi | 26.1 | 27.5 | 26.8 |
35 | North Dakota | 25.9 | 27.5 | 26.7 |
36 | Alabama | 25.8 | 27.4 | 26.6 |
36 | Iowa | 25.8 | 27.4 | 26.6 |
36 | Texas | 25.7 | 27.5 | 26.6 |
39 | Nebraska | 25.7 | 27.2 | 26.5 |
39 | Tennessee | 25.7 | 27.3 | 26.5 |
39 | West Virginia | 27.3 | 25.7 | 26.5 |
42 | Kansas | 25.5 | 27 | 26.3 |
42 | Kentucky | 25.4 | 27.1 | 26.3 |
42 | South Dakota | 25.5 | 27 | 26.3 |
45 | Alaska | 25 | 27.4 | 26.2 |
46 | Wyoming | 24.5 | 26.8 | 25.7 |
47 | Arkansas | 24.8 | 26.3 | 25.6 |
47 | Oklahoma | 24.8 | 26.3 | 25.6 |
49 | Idaho | 24 | 25.8 | 24.9 |
50 | Utah | 23.5 | 25.6 | 24.6 |
Marriage rates vary by generation
The percentage of married people has decreased with every generation.
Studies show that when the Greatest Generation were aged between 23 and 38 (roughly between the 1940s and 1960s), 81% of them were married. This figure has reduced with each generation, with 61% of Baby Boomers being married at this age, and 53% of Gen X.
For Millennials, this figure has almost halved compared to the Silent Generation, with only 44% of Millennials being married between the ages of 23 and 38.
Generation | Married between age 23 and 38 |
---|---|
Greatest Generation | 81% |
Baby Boomers | 61% |
Gen X | 53% |
Millennials | 44% |
The average cost of a wedding by state
In the U.S., the average cost of a wedding is $28,146 but this figure varies by state.
New Jersey has the most expensive weddings, at a typical cost of $51,000 for a ceremony and reception. This is followed by Massachusetts and New York, both at $46,000.
Utah, Oklahoma, and Kansas have the lowest-cost weddings at an average of $16,000, while Wyoming, New Mexico, and Montana come in second at $18,000.
Rank | State | Average cost of a wedding ceremony and reception |
---|---|---|
U.S. Average | $28,146 | |
1 | New Jersey | $51,000 |
2 | Massachusetts | $46,000 |
2 | New York | $46,000 |
4 | Rhode Island | $43,000 |
4 | Vermont | $43,000 |
6 | Washington D.C | $40,000 |
7 | Connecticut | $39,000 |
7 | Delaware | $39,000 |
7 | Maryland | $39,000 |
10 | California | $37,000 |
10 | Illinois | $37,000 |
12 | Pennsylvania | $33,000 |
13 | South Carolina | $32,000 |
14 | Louisiana | $31,000 |
14 | Maine | $31,000 |
14 | Virginia | $31,000 |
14 | West Virginia | $31,000 |
18 | Colorado | $30,000 |
18 | Florida | $30,000 |
18 | New Hampshire | $30,000 |
21 | North Carolina | $29,000 |
22 | Mississippi | $28,000 |
23 | Michigan | $27,000 |
23 | Texas | $27,000 |
25 | Georgia | $26,000 |
25 | Ohio | $26,000 |
25 | Wisconsin | $26,000 |
28 | Minnesota | $25,000 |
29 | Arizona | $23,000 |
29 | Indiana | $23,000 |
29 | Missouri | $23,000 |
29 | Washington | $23,000 |
33 | Alabama | $22,000 |
33 | Tennessee | $22,000 |
35 | Arkansas | $21,000 |
35 | Nebraska | $21,000 |
35 | Nevada | $21,000 |
38 | Kentucky | $21,000 |
38 | North Dakota | $20,000 |
38 | South Dakota | $20,000 |
41 | Idaho | $19,000 |
41 | Iowa | $19,000 |
41 | Oregon | $19,000 |
44 | Montana | $18,000 |
44 | New Mexico | $18,000 |
44 | Wyoming | $18,000 |
47 | Kansas | $16,000 |
47 | Oklahoma | $16,000 |
47 | Utah | $16,000 |
47 | Utah | $16,000 |
Same-sex marriage statistics
The Census Bureau estimates that 1.2% of the 61.3 million households with married couples in the U.S. are made up of same-sex couples.
Of all same-sex married-couple households, marriages between two women were more common, accounting for 52.6% of same-sex marriages, compared to 47.7% between two men.
Divorce statistics
The latest data on divorces shows that the current divorce rate in the U.S. is 2.5, meaning there were 2.5 divorces per 1,000 people in the last year.
Change in divorce rates over time
The U.S divorce rate declined from 4 to 2.5 between 2000 and 2021.
The divorce rate in the U.S. has been gradually declining since the year 2000 when the divorce rate was 4 per 1,000 people. The rate dipped sharply to 2.3 per 1,000 people in 2020, possibly due to the COVID-19 pandemic having an effect on the work that divorce attorneys could carry out and causing backlogs with related paperwork. However, divorce rates rose back up to 2.5 in 2021, continuing the same downward trend shown before the pandemic.
If divorce rates continue on the same pattern, it is predicted that they will reach a low of 2.2 by 2027.
Over a third of marriages end in divorce
The percentage of marriages ending in divorce has decreased from 40.8% in 2000.
The latest data shows that 34.7% of marriages in the U.S. end in divorce. This figure has fluctuated since the year 2000 when 40.8% of marriages ended in divorce. 2002 saw the highest percentage of divorces during this time period with 41.7% of marriages ending.
Lack of family support is the leading cause of divorce
Divorced individuals cited a lack of family support as the most common reason for their divorce.
43% of divorcees surveyed by Forbes in 2023 cited a lack of family support as a factor that led to their divorce.
This was followed by infidelity or extramarital affairs at 34%, and lack of compatibility, too much conflict and lack of intimacy (all 31%).
Other common reasons for divorce include financial stress (24%), getting married too young (10%), and issues with substance abuse (3%).
How many people are divorced in the U.S.?
The latest Census figures show that, out of all people aged over 15 in the U.S., 11% are divorced.
When looking at age groups, people aged between 55 and 64 are most likely to be divorced with 17.4% of males, and 20% of females in this age group being a divorcee.
Breaking down the percentage of divorced people by race, Black people have the highest percentage at 11.9%, and Asian people have the lowest percentage of divorcees at 5.5%.
The states with the most divorced people
The U.S. states with the highest percentage of divorced people are Arkansas and West Virginia.
13.3% of people in Arkansas and West Virginia are divorced. New Jersey has the lowest percentage of divorcees at 8.5%, followed by Utah at 8.6%.
Rank | State | Percentage of people aged 15 years and over who are divorced |
---|---|---|
U.S. Average | 11% | |
1 | Arkansas | 13.3% |
1 | West Virginia | 13.3% |
3 | Maine | 13.2% |
4 | Nevada | 12.8% |
4 | New Mexico | 12.8% |
6 | Oregon | 12.7% |
7 | Kentucky | 12.6% |
7 | Oklahoma | 12.6% |
9 | Florida | 12.5% |
9 | Indiana | 12.5% |
11 | Wyoming | 12.3% |
12 | Alabama | 12.2% |
13 | Idaho | 11.9% |
13 | Montana | 11.9% |
13 | Ohio | 11.9% |
13 | Tennessee | 11.9% |
17 | Missouri | 11.8% |
18 | Louisiana | 11.7% |
18 | New Hampshire | 11.7% |
20 | Arizona | 11.6% |
21 | Michigan | 11.5% |
21 | Mississippi | 11.5% |
23 | Vermont | 11.4% |
23 | Washington | 11.4% |
25 | Alaska | 11.3% |
25 | Georgia | 11.3% |
27 | Colorado | 11.1% |
28 | Kansas | 11% |
29 | Wisconsin | 10.8% |
31 | North Carolina | 10.7% |
32 | Iowa | 10.5% |
32 | South Carolina | 10.5% |
34 | Connecticut | 10.4% |
34 | Nebraska | 10.4% |
36 | Minnesota | 10.1% |
37 | Virginia | 10% |
38 | Delaware | 9.9% |
38 | South Dakota | 9.9% |
38 | Texas | 9.9% |
41 | Maryland | 9.8% |
41 | North Dakota | 9.8% |
43 | Pennsylvania | 9.7% |
44 | Illinois | 9.6% |
45 | Hawaii | 9.4% |
46* | Washington DC | 9.3% |
47 | Massachusetts | 9.2% |
48 | New York | 9.1% |
49 | California | 8.9% |
50 | Utah | 8.6% |
51 | New Jersey | 8.5% |
*Washington, D.C. included
The average cost of divorce by state
The average cost of a divorce in the U.S. is $9,960 per person, but the cost varies from state to state.
The most expensive state to get divorced in is California, where someone will pay $14,435 on average, followed by New York where the cost of divorce is $13,835.
Montana is the cheapest state to get a divorce in, with the average person paying $6,170, and New Mexico comes in second at $6,637.
Rank | State | Average cost of divorce per person |
---|---|---|
U.S. Average | $9,960 | |
1 | California | $14,435 |
2 | New York | $13,835 |
3 | Texas | $12,792 |
4 | Connecticut | $12,360 |
5 | New Jersey | $12,300 |
6 | Massachusetts | $12,200 |
7 | Delaware | $12,165 |
8 | Virginia | $11,584 |
9 | Georgia | $11,400 |
10 | Colorado | $11,230 |
11 | Pennsylvania | $11,202 |
12 | Maryland | $11,165 |
13 | Utah | $10,725 |
14 | Florida | $10,409 |
15 | Alabama | $10,400 |
15 | Rhode Island | $10,400 |
17 | Illinois | $10,334 |
18 | Washington | $10,314 |
19 | Oregon | $10,301 |
20 | Alaska | $10,288 |
21 | Arizona | $10,280 |
22 | Nevada | $10,258 |
23 | Michigan | $10,215 |
24 | Louisiana | $10,200 |
25 | Missouri | $10,184 |
26 | South Carolina | $10,150 |
27 | North Carolina | $10,113 |
28* | Washington DC | $10,080 |
29 | Tennessee | $9,722 |
30 | New Hampshire | $9,400 |
31 | Minnesota | $9,365 |
32 | Ohio | $9,350 |
33 | Hawaii | $9,240 |
34 | Iowa | $9,184 |
35 | Oklahoma | $9,183 |
36 | Indiana | $9,157 |
37 | Vermont | $9,090 |
38 | Wyoming | $9,085 |
39 | Wisconsin | $8,690 |
40 | South Dakota | $8,595 |
41 | Kansas | $8,400 |
42 | Mississippi | $8,400 |
43 | Idaho | $8,181 |
44 | Arkansas | $8,165 |
45 | Nebraska | $8,158 |
46 | Kentucky | $8,151 |
47 | West Virginia | $8,134 |
48 | Maine | $8,120 |
49 | North Dakota | $8,080 |
50 | New Mexico | $6,637 |
51 | Montana | $6,170 |
*Washington, D.C. included
More U.S. divorce statistics
- The average length of a marriage that ends in divorce is 8 years.
- Spouses aged between 25 and 39 account for 60% of all divorces.
- The average couple is 30 years old at the time of their first divorce.
Conclusion
Overall, marriage and divorce rates have changed significantly over the last 25+ years. Both marriage and divorce are declining with each generation, and people are waiting longer on average to get married if they get married at all. The marriage rate has declined by 50% from 12 in 1920 to 6 in 2021, with divorce rates expected to reach an all-time low of 2.2 by 2027.
Location also impacts marriage in divorce with people getting married younger and more commonly in states like Utah, compared to New York where people marry later in life or not at all.
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Pew Research – Same Sex Couples Statistics – https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/06/13/in-places-where-same-sex-marriages-are-legal-how-many-married-same-sex-couples-are-there/
Love to Know – Historical Divorce Rate Statistics – https://www.lovetoknow.com/life/relationships/historical-divorce-rate-statistics
CDC – National Marriage and Divorce Rates – https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/dvs/marriage-divorce/national-marriage-divorce-rates-00-21.pdf
Forbes – Common Causes of Divorce – https://www.forbes.com/advisor/legal/divorce/common-causes-divorce/
Self – Cost of Divorce by State – https://www.self.inc/info/cost-of-divorce-in-the-us-by-state/
U.S. Census – Number, Timing and Duration of Marriages and Divorces – https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2021/marriages-and-divorces.html
Buncher Law – Most Common Age for Divorce – https://buncherlaw.com/2023/02/14/most-common-age-for-divorce/