Marriage and Divorce Rates and Statistics in the USA
Understanding the marriage and divorce rates and statistics in the USA is important for grasping how family formation, stability, and dissolution are evolving in American society.
The key takeaways are: marriage rates have been relatively stable (though at much lower levels than mid-20th century), while divorce rates have been declining for decades.
Demographic factors (age at marriage, education, marital history, race/ethnicity), as well as geography (state differences), play major roles in shaping outcomes.
Rather than relying on simplified or outdated figures (e.g., 50 % divorce rate), it’s more useful to examine refined rates, consider what risk factors apply, and interpret what the trends mean for couples, families, and policymakers.
Marriage and Divorce Rates and Statistics
Marriage and divorce rates and statistics in the USA reveal important insights into how Americans form, maintain, and dissolve marital relationships.
1. Key Figures: Marriage and Divorce Rates and Statistics in the USA
1.1 Latest national marriage and divorce figures
- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were 2,041,926 marriages in the USA in 2023 with a crude marriage rate of 6.1 per 1,000 total population.
- In the same period (45 states + D.C.), there were 672,502 divorces and the crude divorce rate was 2.4 per 1,000 total population.
1.2 Trends over time: marriage rate stability, divorce rate decline
- The national marriage rate for women aged 15 + in 2012 was 16.6 per 1,000, and in 2022 it was 16.7 per 1,000—indicating relative stability in marriage rates.
- The divorce rate for women aged 15 + declined from 9.8 per 1,000 in 2012 to 7.1 per 1,000 in 2022.
- The “refined divorce rate” (divorces per 1,000 married women) in 2023 was ~14.4, down from ~20.5 in 2008.
1.3 Percentage of marriages ending in divorce
- A widely-cited figure indicates that one-third (≈ 33 %) of Americans who have ever been married report that their first marriage ended in divorce (as of 2023).
- It is important to note this does not equal “one-third of all marriages will end in divorce” because many are still ongoing.
1.4 Duration and timing of divorces
- Among divorces in 2023: ~16 % occurred within the first five years of marriage; another ~24 % occurred during years five to nine.
- About 22 % of divorces occurred in marriages that had lasted 25 years or more.
- The median length of marriages that ended in divorce has ticked up slightly from 10 years in 2008 to 12 years in 2023.
2. Understanding the Marriage Rate: What the Numbers Mean
2.1 Crude marriage rate vs refined rates
The crude marriage rate (e.g., 6.1 per 1,000 total population) counts all people in the denominator. The refined marriage rate (e.g., marriages per 1,000 women age 15 +) adjusts for who is eligible for marriage. This difference matters when comparing over time or across populations.
2.2 Why marriage rate has been stable/declining
Several factors influence marriage rates and statistics:
- Age at first marriage has increased, which tends to reduce annual marriage rates.
- Some demographic groups (e.g., higher-educated adults) are more likely to marry than others, changing the composition of those getting married.
- Cultural and economic changes (e.g., delaying marriage, cohabitation before marriage) shift patterns of union formation.
2.3 State and regional variation in marriage rates
Marriage rates differ quite a bit by state and by population group. For example, some states in the Mountain West or the South historically show higher marriage rates per 1,000 population.
3. Understanding the Divorce Rate: What the Numbers Mean
3.1 Crude divorce rate vs refined divorce rate
- The crude divorce rate (e.g., 2.4 per 1,000 total population) is a broad measure.
- The refined divorce rate (e.g., 14.4 per 1,000 married women) gives a clearer picture of the risk among those married.
3.2 Long-term trend: decline in divorce rates
- Divorce rates peaked around 1980 and have since trended downward.
- The decline is attributed in part to delays in marriage, more selective marriages (e.g., higher education), and a composition shift among the married population.
3.3 Factors correlated with higher divorce rates
- Younger age at marriage is associated with higher divorce risk.
- Lower educational attainment correlates with higher divorce rates; adults with more education are less likely to divorce.
- First marriages have lower divorce risk than subsequent marriages. (For example, many sources suggest second marriages have ~60 % risk of divorce).
3.4 State and demographic variation
- Divorce rates vary significantly by state and by demographic group (education, race/ethnicity, age).
- The so-called “gray divorce” (divorce among those ages 50+) increased from 1990 to ~2008 and then leveled off.
4. Marriage and Divorce Trends Over Recent Decades in the USA
4.1 20th-century high-points and shifts
- Historically, the U.S. marriage rate was much higher mid-20th century; for example, in 1946 it was ~16.4 marriages per 1,000 people.
- Divorce rates rose sharply through the 1970s and 1980s, peaking around 22.6 divorces per 1,000 married women in 1980.
4.2 2000s to 2020s: stability in marriage, decline in divorce
- From 2008 to 2022, marriage rates remained in the ~16–18 per 1,000 women aged 15+, while divorce rates dropped from just over 10 to about 7 per 1,000 women aged 15+.
- More recently, the crude population marriage rate at ~6.1 per 1,000 as of 2023.
4.3 Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- The pandemic disrupted weddings and divorces: in 2020 the number of marriages fell and then rebounded.
- In 2022 the U.S. recorded over 2.06 million marriages (first time exceeding 2 million since 2019) with a rate of 6.2 per 1,000.
5. Demographic Factors in Marriage and Divorce Rates and Statistics in the USA
5.1 Age at marriage and divorce risk
- Marrying younger is correlated with higher divorce risk; delaying marriage tends to reduce risk.
- Divorce among older adults (50+) increased in recent decades (“gray divorce”), but has recently stabilized.
5.2 Education level and marriage/divorce outcomes
- Adults with higher educational attainment are more likely to marry and less likely to divorce compared to those with lower education.
5.3 Race, ethnicity, immigrant status
- Among Americans who have ever been married: Black Americans show higher divorce incidence (41 %), Asian Americans lowest (16 %) in one study.
- Those born in the U.S. are more likely to have ever divorced than those born abroad (36 % vs ?) in the cited study.
5.4 Marital history: first vs subsequent marriages
- First marriages have lower divorce risk compared to second or later marriages. For example, one source notes ~33 % of first marriages end in divorce; ~60 % of second marriages.
5.5 Duration of marriage before divorce
- Many divorces occur within the first decade. ~16 % in first five years; ~24 % in five to nine years; ~22 % after 25+ years.
6. Geographic Variation: How Marriage and Divorce Rates Vary by State
6.1 State-level variation in marriage rates
- Some states display notably higher marriage rates (e.g., in past data Alaska and Utah had among the highest rates).
6.2 State-level variation in divorce rates
- States also vary significantly in divorce rates; differences reflect economic, cultural, religious, demographic, and policy factors.
6.3 Implications of state variation
- When interpreting marriage and divorce rates and statistics in the USA, it is crucial to consider state/regional context rather than rely solely on national averages.
7. Implications of Marriage and Divorce Rates and Statistics in the USA
7.1 Social and economic implications
- Declining divorce rates may reflect stronger selection into marriage (i.e., those who do marry are more stable) and may reduce the social and economic costs associated with marital dissolution (e.g., multiple households, child impacts).
- Stable marriage rates but lower divorce rates may signal more intentional partnerships or changing social norms around marriage.
7.2 For policy, family planning, and practitioners
- Practitioners – counselors, family-law attorneys, social workers – can use these statistics to inform risk assessment, resources, and preventative interventions (e.g., pre-marital education, targeted support for higher-risk couples).
- Policy makers may track these trends as they relate to child welfare, economic mobility, and demographic shifts.
7.3 Caveats in interpreting the data
- Marriage and divorce rates and statistics in the USA often capture formal legal marriages and divorces; they may not capture cohabitation, separation, or informal partnerships.
- Changes in composition (who marries) matter: as fewer people marry, those who do may differ in risk profile than earlier cohorts.
- The “50 % of marriages end in divorce” figure is widely misinterpreted; recent data suggest lower risk given modern trends.
8. Forecasts and Emerging Patterns: What to Watch for Marriage and Divorce Rates and Statistics in the USA
8.1 Continued decline in divorce rates?
- Given current trends, the divorce rate may continue downward or stabilise at lower levels.
- The refined divorce rate in recent years (~14.4 divorces per 1,000 married women) suggests ongoing declines.
8.2 Marriage patterns shifting
- Delayed marriage, increasing age at first marriage, greater cohabitation may continue to reshape how and when people marry.
- The rebound in marriages post-pandemic (e.g., 2.06 million in 2022) suggests pent-up demand, but whether that leads to higher stability remains to be seen.
8.3 Demographic and cultural drivers
- Differences by education, race/ethnicity, immigration status are likely to persist and may even widen the gap in marriage/divorce outcomes.
- Policy, economic stress (housing, cost of living), and social norms will continue to influence marriage and divorce rates and statistics in the USA.
9. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Marriage and Divorce Rates and Statistics in the USA
Q1: What is the current divorce rate in the USA?
A1: The current crude divorce rate is approximately 2.4 divorces per 1,000 total population (based on 2023 data for 45 states + D.C.).
If you look at the refined divorce rate (divorces per 1,000 married women), it is around 14.4 in recent estimates.
Q2: What is the current marriage rate in the USA?
A2: The most recent figure is about 6.1 marriages per 1,000 total population (2023 data).
For women aged 15 and older, the rate of marrying in a year was ~16.7 per 1,000 in 2022.
Q3: Does half of marriages end in divorce in the USA?
A3: The idea that “50% of marriages end in divorce” is a myth or at least a misinterpretation of data.
- It stems from older data when divorce rates peaked and from simplistic calculations.
- Recent data show fewer divorces, and when you account for those still married, the risk for many is lower.
- For example, one study found ~33 % of Americans who had ever been married reported their first marriage ended in divorce (but this is not equivalent to “one-third of all marriages eventually divorce”).
Q4: What factors increase the risk of divorce in the USA?
A4: Some key risk factors include:
- Marrying at a younger age
- Lower educational attainment
- Lower socioeconomic status
- Marriages that are not the first marriage (i.e., remarriages)
- Shorter duration of marriage before divorce (many divorces happen in the early years)
These factors have been demonstrated in studies of marriage and divorce rates and statistics in the USA.
Q5: Are marriage and divorce rates the same in all states?
A5: No. There is substantial variation across states in both marriage and divorce rates.
- For example, marriage and divorce rates differ by state and region, driven by demographic, economic, cultural, and policy differences.
- When interpreting national numbers, it’s important to note state-specific context.
Q6: How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected marriage and divorce rates in the USA?
A6: The pandemic caused a temporary dip in marriages (due to lockdowns, gathering restrictions, delayed weddings) and also likely affected divorces (delays, court backlogs).
- In 2022 the number of marriages rebounded to over 2 million, with a marriage rate of 6.2 per 1,000.
- The full impact on long-term marriage and divorce rates remains to be seen, but early evidence suggests a recovery in union formation and continuation of existing downward divorce trend.
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