47 Disquieting Divorce Statistics to Be Aware of in 2020

Did you know that mistreating your mother-in-law is legal grounds for divorce in Wichita, Kansas? And that divorce statistics show rates going down in the US since the 1980s? Or that we have Millennials to thank for the drop in divorce rates as this generation is less likely to get married and therefore less likely to get divorced? What other facts and stats about divorce would you like to know?

Whatever the case, keep reading and learn more about the figures behind divorce both in the US and the rest of the world and get a better understanding of why people decide to end their marriage.

10 Key Divorce Stats to Keep in Mind

Almost 45% of first marriages in the US end in divorce.
The biggest decrease in divorce rates was noted among 15 to 24 year-olds.
Second marriages don’t last as long.
The average age for couples that get divorced for the first time is 30.
Marriages in which the wife is older than the husband are 53% more likely to end in divorce.
Lack of commitment is the most cited cause of divorce.
Women tend to be the ones who file for divorce.
Half of the kids in the US see their parents get divorced.
The Philippines and the Vatican are the only two countries where divorce is illegal.
80% of people who divorce because of an affair regret their decision.

Divorce Statistics in the US

1. The divorce rate in the US is 2.9 per 1,000 population.

(CDC)

This translates to 787,251 divorces in 2018 alone. What about marriage statistics in the US? In 2018, there were 2,236,496 marriages — a rate of 6.9 per 1,000 total population. This, however, is according to data compiled from just 44 states, including DC, and represents a crude divorce and marriage rate in the US and not an accurate number.

2. Nearly half of all marriages in the US end in divorce or separation.

(Wilkinson & Finkbeiner)

What percentage of marriages end in divorce? Nearly half of them; this includes first and subsequent marriages, as well as separations. Also, keep in mind that while separations are temporary, divorces are final. In fact, the divorce definition says that divorce is the formal and official ending of a marriage. So, no take-backs.

3. Almost 45% of first marriages in the US end in divorce.

(McKinley Irvin)

What is the actual divorce rate in the United States? Estimates put the actual divorce rate between 42–45%. In addition, 60% of second marriages and 73% of third marriages are also dissolved. Or look at it like this: 22% of adult women and 21% of men in the US have gone through at least one divorce in their lifetime. No wonder young couples are reluctant to get hitched!

4. The divorce rate was highest in the US in 1979.

(Wall Street Journal)

Back then, 22.6 marriages per 1,000 ended in divorce. In 2017, the rate plummeted to just 16.1 divorces per 1,000 marriages — the lowest rate recorded in 40 years, divorce stats reveal.

5. The biggest decrease in divorce rates was noted among 15 to 24 year-olds.

(Wall Street Journal)

From 1990 to 2017, the divorce rate for this age group dropped by 43%, i.e., from 47 divorces per 1,000 marriages in 1990 to 27 divorces (per 1,000 marriages) in 2017. The divorce rate also dropped from a whopping 33 divorces per 1,000 marriages to 23 (per 1,000 marriages) from 1990 to 2017 for 25- to 34-year-olds. Moreover, 35- to 44-year-olds and 45- to 54-year-olds did not witness any major changes in divorce rates, divorce statistics in America indicate.

6. Arkansas has the highest divorce rate in the US.

(US News)

With 17.14 per 1,000 people getting divorced in the state, Arkansas is ranked number one in terms of the number of divorces and is closely followed by Alabama and Kentucky (15.15 and 14.99, respectively). It is important to note, though, that divorce is less common in states that have lower marriage rates. For instance, less than 65% of people in New York and Illinois are married, marriage and divorce statistics show — hence why these states also have some of the lowest divorce rates. On the other hand, in Idaho and Arkansas, where over 72% of adults are married, the number of divorces is also higher.

7. Couples in the US wait longer to get married.

(Time)

The average marriage age in the US is 30 (for men) and 28 (for women). However, this does not mean that Americans are committed to the single lifestyle. In 2018, more couples under the age of 25 lived with their partner (9% compared to just 5% 20 years ago), statistics on divorce, marriage, and cohabitation reveal.

8. Financial security is one of the reasons why people postpone marriage.

(Time, The World Economic Forum)

16% of cohabiting couples are living below the poverty line as opposed to 8% of married couples. These statistics seem to suggest that young couples are less likely to get married until they have some financial stability in their lives. Overall, couples who are older, well-off, and highly educated are more likely to tie the knot. Divorce statistics confirm this as US adults getting married in their late 20s have less than a 50% chance of getting divorced.

9. 76% of Americans in a survey believe that getting a divorce is morally acceptable.

(Statista)

20%, on the other hand, think that it is morally wrong to get a divorce; another 3% of respondents said that it depends on the situation.

Statistics and Facts on Gray Divorce

10. Gray divorce is on the rise.

(McKinley Irvin)

The number of divorces among couples aged 54 to 64, also known as “gray divorce,” has spiked in the past three decades, stats on divorce show. In 2010, one in four divorces involved couples over the age of 50, whereas 20 years ago one in ten break-ups were, in fact, “gray divorces.”

11. Shorter marriages for boomers equal a higher risk of divorce, however….

(Pew Research Center)

The divorce rate for adults 50+ who had been married for less than 10 years was 21 people per 1,000 married men and women in 2015. On the other hand, among boomers who had been married for 20 or 30 years, the divorce rate was 13 people per 1,000 married persons, divorce rate statistics reveal.

12. …. 34% of gray divorces came after 30 years of marriage.

(Pew Research Center)

It’s not just short marriages that end in divorce. 12% of divorces among boomers marked the end of marriages spanning over 40 years.

13. The divorce rate for 65+ is 5 per 1,000 marriages.

(Wall Street Journal)

For people aged 55 to 64, the number of divorces increased from 5 per 1,000 marriages to 15 from 1990 to 2017. Experts on divorce statistics say that higher divorce rates among baby boomers are due to the fact that many of them married young, as well as that a lot of them have had second marriages, which have a higher chance of divorce.

Second Marriage Statistics

14. Second marriages don’t last as long.

(Gardner & Lewis, Wilkinson & Finkbeiner)

The average length of marriage before divorce is 8 years, while the average length of a second marriage is usually shorter. For men, the average marriage length (ending in divorce) is 7.8 years and 7.9 years for women. Divorce rates on second marriage show that the average duration of a second marriage is 7.3 years for men and 6.8 years for women.

15. The divorce rate for baby boomers who remarry is twice as high as the ones who have been married only once.

(Pew Research Center)

When second marriages of baby boomers are concerned, 16 per 1,000 marriages end in divorce, while only 8 first marriages (per 1,000 marriages) for adults aged 50+ dissolve. In fact, statistics on divorce indicate that from all the boomers who got a divorce in 2015, as many as 48% had been in their second or third marriage.

16. People usually wait for 3 years to remarry.

(McKinley Irvin, Hampton Roads Legal Services)

After a divorce, women wait around 3.1 years to remarry, while men wait an average of 3.3 years. Around 3 out of every 4 divorced people get remarried, whereas 6% of divorced couples remarry each other, divorce reconciliation statistics show.

Who Is Getting Divorced?

17. The average age for couples that get divorced for the first time is 30.

(Wilkinson & Finkbeiner)

More couples are opting to live together before tying the knot. Also, although 60% of couples who live together end up getting married, cohabiting before marriage increases the likelihood of divorce by as much as 40%. Seeing how young couples are the ones who move in together, it makes sense when divorce statistics by age show that the majority of people (60%) who get divorced in the US are between the ages of 25 and 39.

18. Baby boomers are 38% more likely to get divorced.

(Wilkinson & Finkbeiner)

Other groups with a higher likelihood of getting a divorce include US adults earning less than $20,000 a year (39%), African-Americans (36%), and people with liberal attitudes on social and political matters (37%).

19. People who have attended college are 13% less likely to get divorced, divorce statistics reveal.

(Wilkinson & Finkbeiner)

On the other hand, high school dropouts are 13% more likely to get divorced. Also, people with “below average” IQ are 50% more at risk of getting divorced than people with “above average” IQs.

20. What you do also impacts divorce rates.

(FactRetriever)

With a divorce rate of 43.1%, dancers and choreographers are the most likely candidates for divorce. They are followed by bartenders with a divorce rate of 38.4% and massage therapists with 38.2%. According to divorce statistics in the US, other jobs that have a high risk of divorce include casino workers, nurses, and home health aides.

21. Military personnel have higher divorce rates than civilians.

(FactRetriever)

The divorce rate for military couples increased from 2.6% in 2001 to 3.7% in 2011, the Defense Department says. Out of all the services, the Air Force has the highest divorce rate.

22. Divorce rates are lowest among Asian women.

(Hampton Roads Legal Services)

70% of Asian women in the US have never been divorced, divorce statistics by gender and race show. The same is not true for other races: 54% of white women, 53% of Hispanic women, and 37% of African-American women have never been divorced.

23. Eating and health habits are a factor, too.

(Hampton Roads Legal Services, Fascinate)

Chances of getting divorced increase if one of the spouses gains more than 20% of their body weight. If one of the spouses smokes, then the likelihood of divorce jumps to 75%. Strangely enough, only 53% of marriages in which both spouses smoke end in divorce, reasons for divorce statistics tell us.

24. Men and women react differently to medical conditions.

(Hampton Roads Legal Services)

Women who have been diagnosed with cervical cancer are 40% more likely to witness the end of their marriage. On the other hand, the likelihood of getting divorced after a man has been diagnosed with testicular cancer is 20%.

25. Marriages in which the wife is older than the husband are 53% more likely to end in divorce.

(McKinley Irvin, Hampton Roads Legal Services)

According to divorce statistics from 2018, other factors that increase the likelihood of divorce are: spending too much on a wedding ring or reception, having family members and friends who are recently divorced, and living in an area with a high concentration of conservative or evangelical protestants. Interestingly, if you have more co-workers from the opposite sex, there is a higher chance of getting divorced.

Why Do People Get Divorced?

26. Lack of commitment is the most cited cause of divorce.

(Wilkinson & Finkbeiner)

What is the #1 cause of divorce? 73% of respondents in a national survey said that they got a divorce due to a lack of commitment. 56% said they argued too much and 55% cited infidelity as the reason for their divorce. 46% of couples got divorced because they married too young. Other reasons included: having unrealistic expectations (45%), lack of equality (45%), and domestic violence and abuse (25%).

27. 55% of divorcees blame their partner for the divorce.

(Statista)

34% of respondents in a survey said that they were both to blame, while only 11% said it was their own fault they were getting divorced, divorce statistics for 2017 show.

28. One in three divorces starts as an online affair.

(McKinley Irvin)

What’s more, one in seven married people has thought about divorce as a result of their partner’s activity on social media. A quarter of couples said that they argue about Facebook at least once a week, making it one of the most common causes of divorce, statistics reveal. In fact, Facebook is cited as the number one source for online evidence in divorce cases, with 81% of AAML divorce attorneys using evidence obtained from social media.

29. Women tend to be the ones who file for divorce.

(Wilkinson & Finkbeiner, Psychology Today)

Who initiates divorce according to statistics? Around 66% of all divorce petitions were filed by women. 90% of these are college-educated women. One of the reasons why women initiate proceedings could be financial independence, although no one really knows why this is so.

Children and Divorce

30. Half of the kids in the US see their parents get divorced.

(Owenby Law)

Another 50% of kids who go through the break up of their parents’ marriage, will witness the end of a parent’s second marriage as well.

31. Children who come from broken homes are 50% more likely to become seriously ill after their parents’ divorce.

(Freebackgroundchecks.com)

How does divorce affect children? Statistics indicate teenagers whose parents are divorced are 300% more likely to suffer from mental health issues, whereas children whose parents are no longer married are twice as likely to commit suicide than kids whose parents are still together. There are consequences on academic results, as well. Children of divorced parents are twice as likely to drop out of school, whereas kids who’ve gone through multiple divorces have lower grades.

32. Kids whose parents get a divorce are 35% more likely to get divorced themselves.

(Owenby Law)

Divorce stats show that a breakup of a marriage affects almost every aspect of a child’s life. Case in point: kids who come from broken homes have a 50% chance of marrying another child of divorce.

33. After spouses split up, children typically live with their mother.

(Owenby Law)

A whopping 90% of divorced mothers get custody over their children. Also, 79% of them get child support compared to less than 30% of custodial fathers who get the same.

Divorce Rates Across the World

34. The average divorce rate in the world is estimated to be 4.08 divorces per 1,000 married persons.

(Psychology Today)

What is the divorce rate in the world? The number of divorces has been increasing worldwide from 1970 to 2008. In 1970, there were 2.6 divorces per 1,000 married people, while in 2008 the rate jumped to 5.5 divorces.

According to a 2018 study, divorce rates are high in Northern and Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Rates for Southern Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean, as well as Eastern Asia and the Pacific, are fairly low, whereas rates for the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Northern African nations vary from country to country.

35. Stats on divorce show that Russia has the highest divorce rate in the world.

(World in Figures)

Although it is difficult to estimate the accurate divorce rate without relevant Census data, analysis places Russia at the top of the list with 4.7 divorces per 1,000 of the population. Guam takes second place with 4.2, and Moldova is third with 3.7 divorces per 1,000 population.

36. Guatemala has the lowest divorce rate in the world.

(World in Figures)

With 0.4 divorces per 1,000 population, Guatemala is tied with Qatar as the country with the lowest number of divorces. Peru and Bosnia and Herzegovina round off the top three with divorce rates of 0.5 and 0.6, respectively.

37. There were 90,871 divorces in England and Wales in 2018.

(Office for National Statistics)

This rate of 7.5 divorces per 1,000 married men and women declined from 8.4 in 2017 and is the lowest rate recorded since 1971, divorce statistics in the UK show. The average duration of marriage in the UK was 12.5 years.

38. The number of divorces among same-sex couples increased in the UK.

(Office for National Statistics)

There were 428 divorces among same-sex couples in the UK in 2018, up from 338 from the previous year. Three-quarters of these were lesbian couples. Unreasonable behavior was cited as the most common reason for divorce among both opposite and same-sex couples.

39. The Philippines and the Vatican are the only two countries where divorce is illegal.

(Worthy.com)

According to divorce facts, only Muslims can get divorced in the Philippines. Other marriages may end through a civil annulment, an expensive and complicated process. Vatican City, being a Catholic-run state does not allow divorces, although in some cases it permits annulments to take place.

40. The longest marriage on record is 77 years long and is recorded in Italy.

(Fascinate)

A husband and wife in Italy became the oldest couple to get divorced in 2011 when the 99-year old husband found out his 96-year old wife had had an affair in the 1940s.

Bonus Divorces Stats

41. The average cost of a divorce in the US is $15,000 per person.

(TheStreet.com)

This covers lawyer fees, court costs, and the cost of hiring experts in the area of taxes, child custody, and/or real estate appraiser. The time it takes to finalize the divorce also affects the cost. The average divorce in the US takes somewhere between 4–11 months. Sometimes it can take over a year.

42. 80% of people who divorce because of an affair regret their decision.

(Katie Crow Law, MyDomaine)

According to a UK survey on regretting divorce statistics, 54% of respondents said that they had second thoughts after their divorce, and 42% thought about giving their marriage another try.

43. Currently, in the US, there is one divorce occurring every 13 seconds.

(Wilkinson & Finkbeiner)

This translates to about 277 divorces per hour or 6,646 divorces a day. In other words, around 1,385 divorces take place during an average wedding reception of 5 hours.

44. Men suffer more after a divorce.

(Hampton Roads Legal Services, Metro.co.uk)

Divorced men are eight times more likely to commit suicide and twice as likely to suffer from depression and heart attacks. Happiness after divorce statistics, on the other hand, indicate that 53% of women are much happier after a divorce as opposed to 32% of male respondents saying the same.

45. The highest divorce settlement is worth $38 billion.

(The Guardian)

Resulting in a transfer of a 4% stake in Amazon, the divorce settlement between Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos is officially the most expensive in the world. It tops previous record-owners: art dealer Alec Wildenstein, who paid his ex-wife Jocelyn Wildenstein $2.5 billion in 1999.

46. According to interracial divorce statistics, 41% of interracial married couples are more likely to get divorced as opposed to 31% of same-race marriages.

(DivorceSource)

Divorce rates for interracial marriages may be higher, however, stats indicate that marriage rates for interracial marriages are also on the rise in the US. A record of 1 in 12 marriages (or 4.8 million) is between spouses of different races.

47. Only two US Presidents have ever been divorced.

(Hampton Roads Legal Services, Elite Daily)

Divorce statistics up to 2019 show that Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump are the only 2 US Presidents who are divorced (Trump being the only US President who has been divorced more than once). Both are Republicans, although in all fairness Reagan was a Democrat at the time of his divorce. Speaking of political parties, spouses who live in Republican states have a 27% higher chance of getting divorced than couples who live in Democratic states.

Conclusion

What do divorce statistics tell us? Fewer divorces might not be a cause for celebration as it means fewer marriages, but no divorces are also not the best news. That would mean that people are stuck in loveless, unhappy, and even violent marriages. In certain cases, divorce can be a necessary evil. It is an outcome no one predicts or wants when they say “I do,” but which can sometimes be the best possible solution for everyone involved.