Marriage dissolution patterns among racial groups in America reveal unexpected trends. Black adults show higher divorce rates than other racial groups, while Asian adults maintain the lowest rates. Black men lead with the highest first-divorce rates but show remarkable consistency across age ranges.
The popular belief that "half of all marriages end in divorce" lacks verification and misrepresents reality. U.S. divorce rates have dropped steadily from 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2010 to 2.4 per 1,000 in 2022.
Education shapes marriage stability significantly. College graduates' marriages have a 30 percent divorce rate, while those without a high school diploma face rates above 50 percent.
This piece explores how race, age, gender, and education shape divorce outcomes. Black women's median age at first marriage stands roughly four years above white women's. These elements combine to create today's unique divorce patterns. Our analysis helps readers understand both the statistics and the underlying social and cultural forces that drive these numbers.
Divorce rate in America 2024: The big picture
The divorce rate in America keeps dropping in the last decade and has hit record lows recently. Many people think half of all marriages fail, but the real numbers tell a different story. Let me show you what's happening with American divorce rates and what they mean for relationships in 2024.
Overall trends in divorce in the last decade
American couples are staying together longer than before. Back in 1990, 19 out of every 1,000 married people got divorced. This number dropped by a lot to 13.7 per 1,000 in 2023. The numbers show a 21 percent drop from 2008 to 2017. This decline stays at 10 percent even after factoring in things like age, education, and race.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 2023 saw about 2.4 divorces per 1,000 people. This is nowhere near the rates we saw in the 1980s and 1990s when over 4% of marriages ended in divorce.
The story changes with second and third marriages. About 43% of first marriages end in divorce. The numbers jump to 60% for second marriages and climb to 73% for third marriages. U.S. Census data shows that marriages that don't work out usually last about eight years.
How common is divorce today?
Divorce still affects many American lives, but not as much as before. The numbers from 2023 show 672,502 divorces across 45 reporting states and D.C.. This is a big deal as it means that the number dropped from 955,000 divorces in 2002.
Marriage rates have stayed steady between 16.0 and 18.0 since 2008. The only exception came in 2021 when rates fell below 15.0, mostly because COVID-19 forced people to postpone weddings. The gap between people getting married and divorced keeps growing.
People getting divorced in 2022 were typically in their mid-40s – men averaged 46 years old and women 44. These ages reflect that people now marry later in life. Couples who tie the knot between 28 and 32 tend to stay together longer than those who marry much younger or older.
Common factors leading to divorce include:
- Lack of commitment
- Infidelity
- Domestic abuse
- Excessive arguing and conflict
- Financial problems
Recent changes in age-related divorce patterns
The biggest change in American divorce trends comes from different age groups going separate ways. Young adults divorce less often, while middle-aged and older Americans split up more frequently. This trend, known as "gray divorce," has revolutionized who gets divorced in America.
People 65 and older divorce three times more often than in the 1990s, reaching about 15% in 2022. The rate for married people 50 and older doubled from five divorces per 1,000 in 1990 to 10 per 1,000 in 2010. Adults 50 and older now make up 36% of all divorces, up from just 8% in 1990.
Education plays a role in gray divorce rates. People over 50 without a high school diploma have 11.51 divorces per 1,000 marriages. College graduates see lower rates at 7.84 per 1,000. Marriage length matters too – rates drop from 18.13 divorces per 1,000 for marriages under 10 years to 3.80 per 1,000 for those lasting 40+ years.
The picture looks different for people under 45, who divorce less often than in 1990. Young adults between 15-24 show the biggest change – their divorce rate fell from 47.2 per 1,000 in 1990 to 19.2 per 1,000 in 2023.
These patterns, especially the lower divorce risk in newer marriages, suggest divorce rates will likely keep falling in coming years.
Divorce rates by race: A 2025 snapshot
Divorce patterns among ethnic groups in the United States show striking differences. A newer study, published in 2025 by researchers reveals ongoing gaps that have shaped American marriages for decades. These statistics paint a picture of how culture, money, and social factors affect marriage stability.
Black Americans: Highest overall divorce rates
Black Americans face the highest divorce rates of any racial group in America. Census data reveals that Black women's first divorce rate stands at 24.5%, while Black men follow at 22.6%. Black women (38.9%) and Black men (38.7%) experience divorce more often than other racial groups.
The Black community's overall divorce rate reaches 30.8%. This is a big deal as it means that divorces happen more often than marriages in this group. Black women aged 35-44 show peak divorce rates at 34.0%, with similar numbers across age ranges. Non-Hispanic Black men lead in first-time divorce rates, showing little change with age compared to other groups.
Marriage patterns look different too. By age 45, 33% of Blacks have never married, compared to just 10% of Whites and 16% of Hispanics.
Asian Americans: Lowest divorce rates across all ages
Asian Americans stand out with the lowest divorce rates among all races. Just 14% of Asian women and 11% of Asian men have divorced, while national figures sit at 34% and 33%. This pattern stays true whatever the age group.
Asian women divorce at less than half the national rate, with first-time divorces at only 8.3. Asian men's divorce rates peak at 21.0 for ages 15-24, then remain steady as they age.
Chinese couples maintain particularly low divorce rates at 10.4 per 1,000 married people. These numbers run lower than other Asian groups like Japanese, Vietnamese, Filipino, and Cambodian couples in the US.
Hispanic and White Americans: Middle of the spectrum
Hispanic and White Americans fall between the extremes, each with unique patterns. Hispanic men and women hold the second-highest divorce rates at 11.4 and 14.9. Native-born Hispanics (22.0) divorce more often than those born elsewhere (13.1).
Non-Hispanic White women's divorce rates peak early at 30.8 for ages 15-24, then drop steadily. Women 65 and older show one of the lowest rates at 4.6 per 1,000.
Hispanic women divorce less often than Black women, peaking at 20.8 between ages 25-34. About 46% of Hispanic marriages end in divorce, placing them between Black and White Americans.
American Indian/Alaska Native: High volatility in rates
American Indian/Alaska Native groups show the most unpredictable divorce patterns. Women aged 25-34 in this group lead all racial categories with a first divorce rate of 41.6 per 1,000. Men of the same age follow closely at 42.2, the second-highest rate overall.
Indian women on reservations match the general population's divorce rate, but Alaska Native Village areas show lower numbers. Oklahoma Tribal areas report higher rates than the general population.
Pine Ridge and Rosebud reservations top the list for divorced women. These places also rank third and fourth for women who never married. This mix of factors leads to fewer children living with both parents on these reservations.
Gender differences in divorce by race
Race and gender create unique divorce patterns in America's marriage landscape. Your racial background can significantly impact how you experience divorce, creating a mixture of marriage stability trends across the country.
Divorce statistics by gender: Who initiates more?
Women start divorce proceedings much more often than men across all racial groups. Research from the American Sociological Association shows women initiate 69% of all divorces, while men initiate only 31%.
This gap grows even wider among couples with college degrees. Non-marital relationships tell a different story, where both genders end relationships at similar rates.
Marriage satisfaction might explain this trend. Married women report they're less happy in their relationships than married men. This pattern hasn't changed much in American society, and women have led the way in starting divorces since the 1940s.
Black women: High divorce rates and low remarriage
Black women face unique challenges with marriage and divorce. They have high divorce rates at 24.5 divorces per 1,000 married women. Their chances of remarrying are the lowest among all racial and gender groups, with only 14.9 remarriages per 1,000 previously married Black women.
Divorce hits Black women's wallets especially hard. They face the highest economic hardship among all groups after marriage ends. About 35% of Black women end up living in poverty after divorce, compared to 23% of White women and 15% of Black men. This financial struggle makes it harder for them to save money or build wealth.
Asian men and women: Consistently low divorce rates
Asian Americans have the most stable marriages in America. Both Asian men and women rarely divorce—only 7.7 divorces per 1,000 married men and 8.3 per 1,000 married women. Just 14% of Asian women and 11% of Asian men have divorced, which is nowhere near the national averages of 34% for women and 33% for men.
Marriage stability remains strong at every age. Young Asian marriages (ages 15-24) show only 12.0 divorces per 1,000 marriages—the lowest among all groups. Asian men over 25 maintain steady marriages with divorce rates from 8.7 per 1,000 (ages 35-44) to 4.2 per 1,000 (ages 65+).
Asian-American families typically stay together more often than other U.S. families. This stability helps keep their poverty rates low.
Multiracial individuals: Unique patterns by gender
Multiracial people show interesting gender differences in divorce. Young multiracial men (ages 15-24) have the highest first-time divorce rate at 36.9 divorces per 1,000 marriages—higher than any other male group that age.
Multiracial women's divorce rates peak later at 31.8 divorces per 1,000 during ages 25-34, then drop steadily. This differs from other groups, like Black Americans, whose divorce rates stay more consistent across age ranges.
Both multiracial men and women's divorce rates drop more quickly with age compared to other groups. Education plays a big role in marriage success whatever your race. College graduates stay married more often, as more than half of marriages end in divorce for those without a high school diploma, compared to about 30% for college graduates.
Age and divorce: How timing affects racial outcomes
Marriage age plays a big role in divorce patterns among racial groups in America. When people get married remains one of the strongest indicators of whether their marriage will last. Different racial communities show distinct patterns that help explain why divorce rates vary across the country.
Younger marriages and higher divorce risk
The age when people marry affects their chances of getting divorced. Couples who marry before turning 18 have a 48% chance of divorcing within 10 years. This number drops to 25% for those who wait until after 25.
Marriages between ages 20-25 don't fare well either, with a 60% divorce rate. First-time divorce rates peak among younger people, especially in the 15-24 and 25-34 age groups. This pattern holds true for all racial groups.
Race makes these age effects even more complex. Multiracial men aged 15-24 show the highest divorce rates at 36.9 per 1,000 married people. American Indian/Alaska Native men between 25-34 follow closely with 42.2 per 1,000 – the second-highest first divorce rate overall.
Older adults and the rise of 'gray divorce'
"Gray divorce" – divorces among people over 50 – has shot up over the last several years. The rate doubled between 1990 and 2010, jumping from 4.9 to 10.1 per 1,000 married people. Today's numbers show that 38% of all divorces involve older couples.
Different racial groups show unique patterns in gray divorce. Black Americans lead with rates of 19.32 per 1,000, while Hispanic couples follow at 11.78. Other/multiracial individuals come next at 11.43, then Whites at 7.69, and Asians at 6.56.
Some factors make gray divorce more likely. Second marriages face 2.5 times higher risk than first marriages. Education matters too. Older adults without high school diplomas see higher rates (11.51 per 1,000) compared to college graduates (7.84).
Which racial groups marry younger or older?
Marriage age varies among racial groups, which affects divorce rates. Asian Americans tend to marry later – men at 31 and women at 28.8. Black Americans also wait longer, with men marrying at 33 and women at 32. These ages run about four years higher than White Americans' numbers.
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Americans marry earliest, with men at 29.8 and women at 27.2. White Americans also tend to marry young – men at 30 and women at 27.9.
These timing differences help explain divorce patterns among races. Black women's later marriage age (around 30) means fewer get married by 40. Only about two-thirds of Black women marry by then, while nearly nine out of ten White and Asian women do.
Education and income: Hidden drivers of racial divorce gaps
Education level strongly predicts how long a marriage will last, and this creates big differences in divorce rates among racial groups. Learning about these educational gaps helps us understand America's complex divorce situation in 2025.
College-educated couples: More stable marriages
Education protects marriages from breaking up whatever your racial background might be. People with college degrees have divorce rates that are 20 percentage points lower than those who only finished high school.
This protection has grown stronger over time. About 78% of women with college degrees who got married between 2006-2010 expected their marriages to last at least 20 years.
The gap between education levels and stable marriages has grown bigger. The original 12% difference in 5-year divorce rates between the most and least educated in 2000-2004 jumped to 23% by 2014. Today, you have a 25.9% chance of divorce if you have a bachelor's degree or higher, compared to 45.3% if you didn't finish high school.
Economic stress and divorce among low-income groups
Money problems hit marriage stability hard, especially in lower-income areas where divorce happens twice as often as in wealthy neighborhoods. Growing income gaps and economic uncertainty have put more pressure on marriages.
Lower-income couples face different relationship challenges than middle-class pairs. Middle-class couples often point to communication and intimacy issues. However, lower-income partners say money, drug use, cheating, and friend circles cause more serious problems.
They also blame their divorces on abuse, money troubles, job issues, and crime more often. Higher-income couples usually split up because of personality conflicts and poor communication.
How education levels vary by race and affect outcomes
Education's protective effect on marriage works differently across racial groups. White Americans see consistent benefits from higher education across generations. However, African-American women don't get the same level of protection.
Education levels show clear racial differences. White people are twice as likely to have bachelor's degrees as Black and Hispanic people. A good education doesn't always mean equal financial rewards either. Even highly educated African Americans face major economic challenges. They often lack the family wealth that gives white families financial security.
Here's something unexpected: African-American and Hispanic women without high school diplomas actually have lower divorce rates than those with college degrees—exactly opposite to what happens in white communities. This shows how education's link to divorce varies greatly among racial groups, revealing complex connections between education, income, race, and marriage stability.
Cultural and social factors shaping divorce trends
Cultural traditions shape divorce rates among different races in America more than most people realize. Each racial group experiences marriage differently because of unique social factors. These differences explain why divorce statistics vary so much across the country.
Changing norms around marriage and cohabitation
American attitudes about marriage have changed completely. Today, 39% of Americans think marriage is becoming outdated—up from 28% in 1978. Births outside marriage have jumped from 5% in 1960 to 41% in 2008. People with college degrees (64%) are more likely to get married than those without higher education (48%).
Religious and community influences by race
Religious participation helps keep marriages stable for all racial groups. Research shows that religious people are less likely to abuse substances, with 90% of studies confirming this trend. Same-faith marriages work best when both partners go to services regularly. Black families' organization goes beyond just parents and children. About three-quarters of Black teens live in families that attend religious services monthly, while only half of White teens do the same.
The role of stigma and support systems
Each racial group has its own support networks, but surprisingly, having less support doesn't lead to more divorces. Low-income communities struggle with trust between partners. Almost 40% of unmarried mothers worry their child's father cheated on them. This lack of trust makes it harder for parents to get married after having children together.
Conclusion
Our detailed analysis shows divorce rates differ substantially by race in America. Black adults have the highest rates while Asian Americans have the lowest. These patterns show how racial background, money, and culture work together to affect marriage outcomes.
American divorce rates keep falling. The numbers dropped from 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2010 to 2.4 per 1,000 in 2022. But this decline hasn't helped all groups equally. Young Americans are getting divorced less often. Older adults are splitting up more than ever before. Gray divorce has tripled since the 1990s.
Education protects against divorce, but its effects vary among racial groups. Couples with college degrees have more stable marriages. About 30 percent of their marriages end in divorce compared to over 50 percent for those without high school diplomas. But African Americans don't get the same benefits from education as other groups.
Marriage age is a vital factor in keeping marriages together. People who marry before 18 have a 48% chance of divorce within ten years. Those who wait until after 25 cut this risk by half. Each racial group has different marriage timing. Asian and Black Americans typically marry several years later than White Americans.
Gender adds another layer to divorce patterns. Women start 69% of divorces across all racial groups. The after-divorce experience looks very different based on race. Black women face especially tough situations. They deal with both high divorce rates and the lowest chances of remarrying among all groups.
The old saying that "half of all marriages end in divorce" doesn't tell the whole story. Divorce is complex and depends on education, age, gender, money, and each racial community's traditions. These factors explain why some groups have such different divorce outcomes than others.
Marriage patterns keep changing. We need to understand these different experiences to help various racial communities with their specific challenges. Even though divorce rates have gone down overall, the gaps between racial groups show ongoing problems with relationships, money, and social support that shape America's marriage landscape today.
FAQs
Q1. Which racial group has the highest divorce rate in the United States?
Black Americans consistently experience the highest divorce rates among all racial groups in the U.S. The overall Black divorce rate is approximately 30.8%, making it the only ethnic group where the divorce rate exceeds the marriage rate.
Q2. How does education level affect divorce rates across different races?
Education generally acts as a protective factor against divorce for all races. College graduates experience divorce rates nearly 20 percentage points lower than those with only high school diplomas. However, this educational advantage doesn't translate equally across all racial groups, particularly for African Americans.
Q3. What is "gray divorce" and how does it affect different racial groups?
"Gray divorce" refers to divorces among adults aged 50 and older. This phenomenon has increased dramatically in recent decades, with rates doubling from 1990 to 2010. Among older adults, Black Americans experience the highest gray divorce rates, followed by Hispanics, other/multiracial individuals, Whites, and Asians.
Q4. How do gender differences in divorce vary by race?
Women initiate about 69% of divorces across all racial categories. However, post-divorce experiences vary significantly by race. For instance, Black women face particularly challenging circumstances, experiencing both high divorce rates and the lowest remarriage prospects among all demographic groups.
Q5. What role does age at marriage play in divorce rates for different racial groups?
Age at first marriage significantly influences divorce probability across all races. Those who marry before age 18 face a 48% chance of divorce within 10 years, compared to just 25% for those marrying after age 25. Different racial groups tend to marry at different ages, with Asian Americans marrying latest and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Americans marrying earliest, which contributes to variations in divorce rates.
