Divorce evokes many emotions among those going through it.
Besides the emotions that come with divorce, there is more data surrounding the breakup of marriages in the United States and across the globe.
The COVID-19 crisis put divorce on hold, which will be shown by the most recent divorce rate statistics we’ve gathered for this article.
The divorce rate in America has been pretty stable in recent years, and has overall been on the decline, which is good news.
The following divorce facts and figures will paint a picture that shows more successful marriages, relationships, separations, and the breakdown of the same.
We will include the United States and the global divorce statistics for your consideration.
Key Divorce Rate Statistics
- The most recent statistics show that divorce is on the decline.
- In 2020, the divorce rate was 2.3 out of 1,000 marriages.
- In 2021, Nevada was home to the highest divorce rate at 4.2 per 1,000 marriages.
- Statistics reveal that remarriages increase divorce risk.
- The highest rate of divorce per age group falls among those ages 15 to 24.
- According to United Nations data reported by the World Population Review, the United States is tied with a 2.7 per 1,000 divorce rate.
- Studies show that children of divorce experience higher divorce rates than those with parents who stayed married.
- In 2017, statistics revealed that just over half of single parents were once married.
- Russia has the highest divorce rate in 2022 over all other countries.
- Norway is the country with the easiest divorce process.
United States Divorce Rate Statistics 2025
The following divorce rate statistics will show how these rates have declined in the United States over the past decade or two.
It will also show that marriages are more successful and the marriage rate is up in the United States.
1. The Most Recent Statistics Show that Divorce Is on The Decline.
Data shows that between 2011 and 2019 the national divorce rate in the United States started declining.
Divorce rates went down from 17.4 per 1,000 marriages in 2011 to 13.5 per 1,000 in 2019.
Furthermore, the decline in divorce rates in 2020 went down to 11 per 1,000 married women. Moreover, marriage rates went up and with much success.
(Bowling Green State University)
2. In 2020, the Divorce Rate Was 2.3 out Of 1,000 Marriages.
This figure is the lowest it’s been for over two decades. In 2000, the divorce rate was 4.0 per 1,000 marriages.
While some data from the CDC was revised due to revised numbers in Texas and Illinois (2016), the rates are still at an all-time low.
Some of the CDC’s data also excludes information from California, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Minnesota, Louisiana, and Oklahoma, respectively.
(cdc.org)
3. In 2021, Nevada Was Home to The Highest Divorce Rate at 4.2 per 1,000 Marriages.
Las Vegas, Nevada is more than a popular wedding destination. It’s also the state where the most divorces occur. In 2021, 4.2 marriages out of 1,000 ended in divorce in this state.
This is higher than the national average of 2.3 out of 1,000 in 2020. This shows that statistics vary from state-to-state.
For instance, in Louisiana and Illinois, divorce rates are 1.9 per 1,000 marriages. Oklahoma is close to Nevada’s figures with 4.1 out of 1,000.
(Review42)
4. Statistics Reveal that Remarriages Increase Divorce Risk.
Essentially, with each marriage, the risk of getting divorce increases. The divorce rate in America statistics show that 60% of second marriages end in divorce.
This is 10% or more compared to 40% to 50% of all marriages in the United States.
Likewise, 73% of third marriages end in divorce. The pattern for remarrying shows that the risk gets higher with multiple marriages.
While most people think that the divorce rate in America is 50%, it’s really closer to 40% since the decline.
(The Gottman Institute, The Citizen)
5. The Highest Rate of Divorce per Age Group Falls Among Those Ages 15 to 24.
While married couples between 15 and 24 account for 27 per 1,000 divorces, this figure is down from 1990 when it was 47.2 per 1,000 married couples.
The age group with the lowest divorce rate falls among the 65-and-over crowd with 5 per 1,000 divorces Consequently, this rate is significantly higher than the 1990 numbers of 1.8 per 1,000.
(Memphis Divorce)
6. According to United Nations Data Reported by The World Population Review, in 2022, the United States Is Tied with A 2.7 per 1,000 Divorce Rate.
The overall crude divorce rate for the United States is 2.7 per 1,000. The United States shares this figure with Denmark, Latvia, and Lithuania.
These countries fall in the range of 10 to 13, respectively.
In 2022, the United States is still experiencing a decrease in divorces after the pandemic. One reason for this is because of the lockdowns that prevented marriages.
(World Population Review)
7. Studies Show that Children of Divorce Experience Higher Divorce Rates than Those with Parents Who Stayed Married.
Certain studies have revealed that sons of divorced parents are 35% more likely to get divorced.
For daughters, that figure is 60% higher among those with parents who haven’t been divorced.
Also, some research shows that children with divorced parents are more apt to marry another child of divorced parents.
About half of children of divorced parents will also experience the breakup of their parent’s second marriage.
(Wilkinson & Finkbeiner)
8. In 2017, Statistics Revealed that Just Over Half of Single Parents Were Once Married.
In 2017, it was found that 52% of all single parents were once married. Another 35% of cohabiting parents were once married.
According to this data, the idea of “fluid” families is a real thing in the United States.
More statistics show that by the time a child turns 9 years old, over 20% of children born to married parents will experience the breakup of their parents.
Also, 50% of children born to parents who cohabitate will experience parental breakups.
(Pew Research)
9. Nearly 1% of Same-Sex Marriages End in Divorce, Though the Statistics Are Still Unsure.
In 2015, same-sex marriage was legalized across the United States. This means that lesbian couples and gay male couples can also get divorced.
The most recent data suggests that approximately 1% of same-sex marriages end in divorce.
It may be too soon to determine solid divorce rate number among the same-sex marriage realm.
After all, marriages among the lesbian and gay communities are just under 7 years old. When calcuating divorce among heterosexual marriages, there are 20-plus years to examine.
(Wilkinson & Finkbeiner)
10. The Most Common Reason Cited for Divorce in The United States Is Incompatibility.
It’s uncommon for a couple to go into marriage with the thought of divorce. Most couples are looking forward to a bright, positive, and long-term future.
Irreconcilable differences, leading to incompatibility tend to be the top reason for divorce in the United States.
Infidelity comes in second to incompatibility, and money problems come in third.
Other reasons cited for divorce include abuse (emotional or physical), parenting issues, and substance or alcohol abuse.
(Regain)
Global Divorce Rate Statistics 2025
In this section, we will address the world’s divorce rates, and the issues that come with divorce all over the globe.
11. Japan Experiences the Most Searches for The Term “divorce” than Any Other Country.
In 2021, Japan had 538 per 100,000 people searching for the term “divorce”. In 2019, Japan’s population experienced 1.7 divorces per 1,000 married couples.
While this figure is lower than in the United States, it still affects the 125.8 million people in the country.
Though there are no solid divorce statistics connected to reasons for divorce in Japan, the reasons are similar to those in the United States.
(Advokatsmart, Trading Economics, Owlcation)
12. Norway Is the Country with The Easiest Divorce Process.
In Norway, they use the no-fault concept in their divorce system. No-fault means that couples don’t need a reason to get divorced.
The only known requirement is that the couple must be separated for one year before going through with a divorce.
Other countries that make it easy to get divorced include Slovenia, Spain, Mexico, Argentina, and Sweden.
Most of these use the no-fault system for this process. Also, they have some rules that couples must abide by before getting divorced.
(Advokatsmart)
13. Russia Has the Highest Divorce Rate in 2022 Over All Other Countries.
Russia is number one in the top 10 highest divorce rates by country. In Russia, 4.7 per 1,000 divorces occur among married couples.
Russia is a large country with a huge population of around 145,912,025 people.
Poverty is a problem in this country with at least one-third of its population getting divorced due to money issues.
Other countries with high divorce rates include Guam (4.2 per 1,000), Moldova (3.7 per 1,000) , Belarus (3.4 per 1,000), and Latvia (3.1 per 1,000)
(Unified Lawyers)
14. Pakistan Uses the Most Complicated Divorce Process in The World.
We discussed the easiest countries to get divorced, so now we have the hardest ones.
The talaq divorce is the only way to end a marriage in Pakistan for men. Yes. It’s different for men and women.
Women are not allowed to ask for a divorce in Pakistan without a reason. If they have a valid reason, they can move forward with the court process.
The talaq method for men simply allows them to say they want to get divorced three times, which must also be registered with the Union Council.
(Advokatsmart)
15. Guatemala Has the Lowest Divorce Rate in The World.
Guatemala experiences 0.4 divorces per 1,000 married couples in the country. In this county, girls of at least 14 and boys between 16 and 18 can legally get married.
Even with the low age allowance for marriage, forced marriages are illegal in Guatemala.
After Guatemala, Qatar (0.4 per 1,000), Peru (0.5 per 1,000), Ireland (0.6 per 1,000), and Malta (0.8 per 1,000) have the lowest divorce rates per country.
(Unified Lawyers)
United States Divorce Rate Demographics
In this section, we will back up a little and discuss the divorce rate by state in the United States. Find out where your state stands.
16. as Of 2019, the Data Shows that Arkansas Has the Highest Divorce Rate in America.
At 10.70%, Arkansas has the highest divorce rate in the United States. In Arkansas, 3.6 per 1,000 couples get divorced.
This figure is significantly lower compared to 1990 when it was 6.9 per 1,000.
(Statista)
17. Maine’s Divorce Rates in 2020 Were 2.4 per 1,000 Among Married Couples.
Just like the overall divorce rate in the United States, Maine’s 2.4 per 1,000 is much lower than the 4.3 per 1,000 in 1990.
Maine’s divorce rate comes to 4.8%. Other states with lower rates include South Dakota, New York, and Pennsylvania.
(Statista 2)
18. Roughly Two-Thirds of Divorces in The United States Are Started by Unhappy Homemakers.
It’s also worth noting that these same women are commonly much happier for years after a divorce than their spouses.
Two-thirds is a significant figure when it comes to divorce rates.
(Wise|Lieberman)
19. Among Americans 20 Years Old and Over, 33% of Men and 34% of Women Have Been Divorced.
The percentage of adult Americans that have ever been divorced amounts to 43%. Among those 20 years and older, male-to-female percentages are similar.
(United States Census Bureau)
20. Asian Men and Women Have the Lowest Divorce Rates in America.
In the United States, the Asian population (11%), along with the Hispanic community (14%) get divorced the least.
In contrast, African-American/Black women account for 31 divorces per 1,000 married women.
(United States Census Bureau, Bowling Green State University)
FAQs
Why Do Women Initiate Divorce More than Men Do?
Here are the three primary reasons women tend to initiate divorce proceedings in America.
1. Women often feel they are being held back by their marriage.
2. Women tend to take on the highest level of emotional burdens in marriage.
3. Women have stopped tolerating consistent and constant unacceptable behavior.
Women who have husbands who are supportive, add to their emotional distress or fail to be present, or those who interact poorly with them, are common reasons women start the divorce process.
You would think it was more about infidelity, but things are different these days.
Why Is the Divorce Rate in America so High?
Even though divorce rates have seen a significant decrease in the United States, the overall 40% to 50% percentage is still high.
So, why is it so high?
• Incompatibility/Irreconcilable differences
• Lack of communication
• Infidelity
• Money struggles
These are the top four reasons that the American divorce rate is still high.
What Are Some Negative Effects of Divorce on Children?
There are several negative effects on children of divorce. We will briefly mention some here.
• They are more likely to live in poverty and to engage in high-risk sex.
• Girls who live with their fathers are more likely to attempt suicide than those who • live with their mothers.
• Children of divorce are at higher risk of depression, being a high school dropout, and using alcohol or drugs.
How Does Divorce Hurt Women?
There are some divorce statistics that show how this process hurts women.
Did you know that 50% of women lose their pre-divorce income?
Only 52% of custodial mothers have child support agreements. Also, 29% of mothers with children who live in poverty after divorce.
These issues can also apply to custodial fathers. Without a solid plan, everyone loses in a divorce. It takes months to years to recover.
Conclusion
More than 750,000 divorces are processed in the United States each year. Even though this number seems high, divorce rates are on the decline, according to divorce statistics.
Divorce rates are even higher with additional marriages, which only adds to the risk of divorce.
There are adverse side effects on the children, not to mention the parents before, during, and after divorce.
It’s hard to tell if it’s better to stay together for the kids, or get divorced and risk the negative impact of divorce. It’s difficult to know which is worse.
Now that you have read this article, you may have a different perspective on divorce. If you’re considering divorce, make sure you consult with a qualified attorney.
You may want to consider couples or family counseling before taking the final step to divorce.
Do you think divorce should be a last resort?
Should parents stay together to prevent negative side effects on their kids?
Do you know about co-parenting?
Could co-parenting done right reduce the negative impact on children of divorce?
There are a lot of things to consider before moving forward with a divorce.
The divorce rate statistics above should provide you with enough data to realize how important it is to make wise decisions about divorce and remarriage.
