Divorce Rate Statistics

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The U.S. divorce rate is falling, not rising. The CDC counted 2.4 divorces per 1,000 people in its most recent report, and the refined rate demographers prefer is 14.2 per 1,000 married women as of 2024, down 37% since 1980. In Florida, the rate was 3.1 per 1,000 residents as of the latest year the CDC has published for the state.

Reviewed by Travis R. Walker, Esq., Founder & Managing Attorney, The Law Offices of Travis R. Walker, P.A. Practicing family law in Florida since 2007. Admitted to the Florida Bar, the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Middle Districts of Florida, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.

Last updated: September 17, 2026

Based on the latest U.S. Census and national marriage studies, these divorce rate statistics highlight trends across age, income, and location.

Getting a divorce signifies the end of a marriage. It can have drastic impacts on you and your spouse, as well as any children you share. While divorce isn’t always preventable, understanding divorce statistics and potential risks can help you navigate marital challenges. Explore key divorce rate statistics, including prevalence and common reasons for divorce, in this guide from The Law Offices of Travis R. Walker, P.A.

Your wedding vows may have included a promise to stay together through thick and thin until the end of your lives. However, time can change many things, including your relationship with your spouse. Disagreements over money, parenting responsibilities, or simply growing apart can all lead to the dissolution of a marriage.

The Law Offices of Travis R. Walker, P.A. offers this exploration into divorce rate by age, divorce rate in America by age, divorce rates by income level, and divorce rate by gender to help you understand the factors that affect marital stability. Learn the top reasons for divorce, current divorce statistics, and a few tips for strengthening your marriage.

Current U.S. divorce rate

What Is the Current U.S. Divorce Rate?

There is no single “divorce rate.” The crude rate measures divorces against the whole population: 2.4 per 1,000 people, per the CDC’s most recent count of 672,502 divorces across 45 reporting states and D.C. The refined rate, which researchers consider more accurate, measures divorces against the number of married women: 14.2 per 1,000 married women in 2024, down from 22.6 in 1980 (National Center for Family & Marriage Research, Bowling Green State University).

The familiar claim that “half of all marriages end in divorce” is outdated. It traces to an early-1980s projection, not an actual count. The most reliable current measure is that about one in three ever-married Americans (33%) has had a first marriage end in divorce, and even the highest-divorcing generation on record topped out near 47%, not 50%.

Florida divorce data

Florida’s Divorce Rate

Florida’s divorce rate was 3.1 per 1,000 residents in the CDC’s most recent published state-level count, down from 3.4 the year before and from 4.0+ a decade earlier. That puts Florida above the national crude rate but well below the states with the steepest declines. For couples in Martin, St. Lucie, Palm Beach, and Leon counties weighing a divorce, that means Florida courts see a steady, not surging, volume of filings each year.

If you are considering divorce in Florida, our guides to Florida divorce law and the Florida divorce process explain what to expect.

Why Do Marriages End? (Top Reasons for Divorce)

What Are the Top Reasons for Divorce?

A 2013 peer-reviewed study of divorced individuals (Scott et al., Couple and Family Psychology) found these shares cited each factor as a major contributor:

Lack of commitment: 75.0%
Infidelity: 59.6% of individuals (at least one partner in 88.8% of couples)
Too much conflict and arguing: 57.7%
Marrying too young: 45.1%
Financial problems: 36.7%
Substance abuse: 34.6%
Domestic violence: 23.5%

Participants could cite more than one reason, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

Lack of Commitment

As time passes, couples may become overly comfortable with one another. The affection and commitment present at the beginning of the relationship may begin to fray. Traumatic experiences during the relationship may further increase the lack of commitment from both partners.

Domestic Violence

Sadly, not every marriage is from violence. Both partners may use physical or emotional abuse to control the other’s actions. Abuse typically occurs in cycles, and if the abuser doesn’t change their ways, it may lead to a divorce.

Infidelity

Inattention to a partner’s needs or temptation to stray from a marital relationship may instigate a divorce. According to the study, 31.3 percent of divorced couples agreed that infidelity was a cause of their divorce, while 59.6 percent of individual partners said it was a big reason for the separation.

Substance Abuse

Substance abuse issues, including alcohol, drug, and pharmaceutical abuse, can lead to divorce. The substance abuser may attempt to get hold of their issue, but the risk of divorce increases after several failed efforts to control drinking or drug use.

Financial Issues

Finances can cause lots of disagreements in a marriage. Partners may disagree on the household budget, spending, or significant purchases. In the study, 36.7 percent of divorced individuals cited financial problems as a major contributor to their divorce.

Divorce by state

Which States Have the Highest Divorce Rate?

When it comes to divorce, where you live can impact your marriage’s long-term success. On the crude rate, Nevada is highest at 4.2 per 1,000, and Massachusetts is lowest at 1.0. But the crude rate can be misleading state to state, because it does not account for how many people are actually married.

On the refined rate, which does, Oklahoma is highest at 20.7 per 1,000 married women (2024), followed by Nevada, Mississippi, Wyoming, and Alabama. Maine is lowest at 10.0. Florida’s crude rate of 3.1 places it in the upper third of states, not among the very highest.

Nevada’s high divorce rate is likely due to the state’s relaxed marriage laws, and it has run well above other states for several decades.

Occupations at risk

What Occupations Have the Highest Divorce Rates?

Your job may impact the longevity of your marital union. The latest analysis of 2024 Census data shows bus drivers with the highest share divorced or separated, with bartenders, licensed vocational nurses, and massage therapists close behind.

Actuaries remain the lowest, with physical scientists close behind. Higher-salary occupations generally track with lower divorce rates, though the analyst notes this reflects who tends to hold those jobs as much as anything about the job itself.

The shares divorced or separated by occupation include:

Bus drivers: 48 percent
Bartenders, licensed vocational nurses, and massage therapists: close behind
Actuaries: 14 percent

How Income Level Affects Divorce

What Income Levels Have the Highest Divorce Rates?

Divorce rates by income level show that individuals earning less than $10,000 annually have the highest divorce rate—close to 45%. Divorce rates decrease as income increases, leveling off at 30% among individuals earning $200,000.

For those earning more than $200,000, the risk declines further, though high-income earners may face different relationship challenges that contribute to divorce. These figures are key when analyzing divorce rate by income trends.

The higher your income, the less risk of divorce in general. However, couples in the top earning brackets may experience different relationship complications that can result in divorce.

Children and divorce

Does Having Children Impact the Divorce Rate?

The overwhelming majority of children live with both of their parents. As of the Census Bureau’s most recent report, 71 percent of children under 18 lived with two parents, rising to 75 percent for children under 6 and dropping to 68 percent for ages 12 to 17.

Children who live only with their mothers account for 21 percent of households, up from 11 percent in 1968. Approximately 4.5 percent of children live with only their fathers, an increase from 1 percent in the late 1960s.

Just 4 percent of children live without either parent. In those cases, 55 percent live in a household with a grandparent.

Age-related divorce insights

How Does Age Affect Divorce Rates in the U.S.?

Marrying before 25 comes with a greater risk of divorce. Couples marrying between ages 25 and 32 experience higher marriage success rates. After 32, divorce risk increases incrementally every year. First-time marriages in the 40s or 50s are also at higher risk. Most common age for divorce tends to be before 25, according to statistics.

People who marry between the ages of 25 and 32 have higher marriage success rates. They may be more financially secure by that point and have developed the maturity necessary to deal with common marital issues.

However, after 32, the risk of divorce increases incrementally every year. Interestingly, first-time marriages that occur in an individual’s 40s or 50s are at higher risk of divorce. That may be because partners are quite used to the single life and struggle to deal with issues that may arise in a partnership.

Insights on marital differences

What Are the Divorce Rates by Gender?

Women initiate about 69 percent of divorces, compared with 31 percent for men, according to a Stanford University study published through the American Sociological Association. The same study found no meaningful gender gap in who ends unmarried relationships, which suggests the pattern is specific to marriage rather than a general trait.

Legal insights by ethnicity

Divorce Trends Across Ethnicities

Among ever-married women, the share who were separated or divorced as of the most recent Census Bureau data analyzed by the National Center for Family & Marriage Research breaks down as follows:

Black women: 32 percent
Women of other or multiracial backgrounds: 23 percent
Hispanic women: 21 percent
White women: 17 percent
Asian women: 10 percent

Legal perspective on education

How Does Education Level Affect Divorce Rates?

Education impacts divorce likelihood. Among people who ever married, 52.8% of those with less than a high school diploma had divorced by age 46, compared with 46.7% of high school graduates and 29.6% of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics research using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth.

Guidance for healthy marriages

Tips for Having a Successful Marriage

Divorce rate statistics help shed some light on risk factors that can increase the chances of divorce, but every couple is different. You can mitigate your risk of divorce by following a few tips.

Build Good Communication Skills

Couples can argue about all kinds of things, leading to fractures in their marital relationship. Work on understanding each other’s communication styles and working toward favorable resolutions.

Put in the Effort for a Strong Relationship

Over time, your and your partner’s interests will likely change. Work on exploring new things together and be willing to expand your horizons. Shared values are the glue of a relationship. Even if your partner’s taste in music or TV shows changes over time, a commitment to each other can help you maintain a long-lasting relationship.

Consider Marital Counseling

If you notice increased fights and disagreements that you can’t seem to resolve, seek help from a professional. A marriage counselor can help you address marital issues before they overtake your relationship.

Last updated: September 17, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions About Divorce Rate Statistics

What is the current divorce rate in the United States?

According to the most recent U.S. Census data and national marriage studies, the divorce rate in the United States is approximately 2.4 divorces per 1,000 people. However, divorce rates vary significantly based on factors such as age, income, education, and location.

At what age is divorce most common?

Divorce is most common among individuals who marry before the age of 25. Studies show that couples who marry between ages 25 and 32 have higher marriage success rates, while divorce risk increases gradually for marriages occurring after age 32 and for first-time marriages later in life.

Which income group has the highest divorce rate?

Individuals earning less than $10,000 per year have the highest divorce rate—nearly 45 percent. Divorce rates generally decline as income increases, leveling off at around 30 percent for individuals earning $200,000 annually or more.

Which states have the highest divorce rates?

States with the highest divorce rates include Nevada, Oklahoma, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, and Wyoming. Nevada consistently ranks highest, largely due to its relaxed marriage laws and workforce characteristics.

What is Florida’s divorce rate?

Florida’s divorce rate was 3.1 per 1,000 residents in the CDC’s most recent published count, placing it above the national crude rate but below the states with the highest rates.

Do half of all marriages really end in divorce?

No. That figure comes from an early-1980s projection, not an actual count. About one in three ever-married Americans has had a first marriage end in divorce.

What is the difference between the crude divorce rate and the refined divorce rate?

The crude rate divides divorces by the total population; the refined rate divides them by the number of married women, which most researchers consider the more accurate measure.

Talk to a Florida divorce lawyer

Speak With The Law Offices of Travis R. Walker, P.A.

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This page is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reviewing this page does not create an attorney-client relationship with The Law Offices of Travis R. Walker, P.A.