The numbers tell a remarkable story about divorce in America – a marriage ends every 42 seconds. The good news? Divorce rates have actually dropped over the last several years. The CDC reports 630,505 divorces in 2020, with a rate of 2.3 per 1,000 people. This represents the biggest drop (almost 16%) since 2000.
A deeper look at American divorce statistics reveals that about half of all marriages will end in divorce or separation. The divorce rate stood at 2.5 per 1,000 population in 2021, while marriages occurred at a rate of 6.0 per 1,000 population.
The numbers become more striking for people who marry again. Second marriages fail 60 percent of the time, and third marriages end in divorce 73 percent of the time.
The sort of thing I love about these statistics is how they tell the complete story of modern relationships. We'll get into the latest divorce trends and learn about who's getting divorced. We'll also explore why marriages end and what factors affect divorce risk.
This informed overview will help you understand marriage in America today, whether you're studying relationship patterns or just curious about modern marriage trends.
Divorce Statistics 2025: What the Numbers Say
The national divorce rate in the United States reaches 3 divorces per 1,000 people in 2025, showing a 1.2% uptick from 2024. These numbers tell a story about American marriages that goes deeper than mere statistics.
Latest U.S. divorce rate per 1,000 population
Recent CDC data reveals a slight increase in the U.S. divorce rate from previous years. The current rate of 3 divorces per 1,000 population signals a shift from the downward trend seen in the last two decades.
Wyoming and Idaho lead the nation with 3.4 divorces per 1,000 people. Louisiana records the lowest numbers at 0.9 divorces per 1,000 people, while Illinois comes second-lowest with 1.2 divorces per 1,000 people.
Divorce rates grew at a compound annual rate of 2.1% between 2020 and 2025. Several factors drove this change, including pandemic disruptions and demographic shifts. The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a 14.8% drop in divorce rates during 2020. Many couples put off both marriages and divorces due to health and economic uncertainties.
Marriage vs. divorce rate comparison
Marriage and divorce statistics paint an intriguing picture. U.S. states reported 673,989 divorces and annulments across 45 states in 2022, while marriages totaled 2,065,905. These numbers translated to 6.2 marriages and 2.4 divorces per 1,000 people nationwide.
American marriage rates dropped steadily from 8.2 per 1,000 in 2000 to 6.2 in 2022. Divorce rates followed a similar pattern, falling from 4.0 per 1,000 in 2000 to 2.4 in 2022.
APA's research suggests 41% of first marriages might end in divorce. The odds increase significantly for second marriages, with 60% ending in divorce. These numbers highlight the higher risks that come with remarriage.
How 2025 compares to previous years
Recent years show significant changes in divorce patterns. Rates bounced back by 8.7% in 2021 as the economy improved and social activities resumed. The following years brought more changes – a 4.0% drop in 2022, followed by a 4.0% rise in 2023, and a 1.7% increase in 2024.
"Gray divorce" stands out as a notable trend among couples aged 50 and older. This group's divorce rate doubled since 1990, while tripling for those over 60 during the same period.
Experts project divorce rates will dip by 0.8% to 2.6 divorces per 1,000 people in 2026. This forecast matches the long-term downward trend seen before recent fluctuations.
The refined divorce rate measures divorces per 1,000 married women and currently stands at 14.9. Many experts prefer this metric to understand marital dissolution patterns better than the crude divorce rate.
How Often Divorce Happens in the U.S.
Americans get divorced every 42 seconds, which adds up to 746,971 divorces each year. These numbers show how common divorce has become in our society, even as the overall rates continue to drop.
Divorces per day, hour, and minute
The numbers paint a clear picture of divorce frequency in the United States. About 86 couples end their marriages every hour.
This adds up to 2,046 divorces each day and 14,364 every week. Marriages happen more often – one every 16 seconds, which means 230 new marriages each hour and over 2 million yearly. So despite high divorce numbers, new marriages still outnumber divorces by quite a bit.
The CDC tracked 673,989 divorces and annulments in 2022 across 45 states and DC. This number has dropped substantially from 2002 when courts granted about 955,000 divorces. This downward trend reflects how society has changed, with people marrying later and choosing partners more carefully.
Average duration of first and second marriages
Most first marriages that break up last about 8 years. Men's marriages typically last 7.8 years while women's last 7.9 years – barely any difference.
Second marriages tend to end sooner. Men's second marriages last about 7.3 years, while women's second marriages end after 6.8 years. Some research tells a different story, with one study showing first marriages lasting 21 years, second marriages 17 years, and third marriages 13 years.
Each additional marriage faces a higher chance of ending. About 41% of first marriages end in divorce. The numbers jump to 60-67% for second marriages. Third marriages face the toughest odds with 70-73% ending in divorce.
First marriages have critical periods where divorce risk peaks. One in five ends within five years, and about a third break up by year ten. After 20 years, almost half of first marriages (48-50%) have ended.
Time of year when divorces peak
People call January "divorce month" because so many couples file for divorce then. Lawyers see the most new cases during January's second week (12-16), right after the holidays end. Many couples wait until the holidays finish to make a fresh start in the new year.
Divorce filings follow clear patterns throughout the year. March and August see the second-highest number of filings. The University of Washington looked at divorce data from 2001 to 2015 and found this pattern stayed consistent, with filings peaking twice yearly in March and August.
Summer has become a popular time for divorces. Between 2020-2025, searches for "divorce lawyer" rose by 4,950% during summer months. June 2024 saw 30,600 people searching for divorce lawyers – 13% more than January that year. Parents often choose summer to establish new routines before school starts, and flexible summer schedules make the transition easier.
Who Is Getting Divorced: Age, Gender, and Occupation
The divorce statistics of 2025 show clear patterns about couples ending their marriages. Adults aged 25-39 make up 60% of all divorces. A deeper look at the data reveals unexpected trends based on age, gender roles and jobs.
Most common age groups for divorce
Young couples used to lead divorce statistics, but older Americans now show a surprising change. Divorce rates have dropped overall, but more adults aged 45 and older are splitting up. This trend called "gray divorce" affects seniors the most. Divorce rates among women aged 65 and older jumped from 1.4 per 1,000 in 1990 to 5.6 in 2021.
Baby Boomers now top the divorce charts by age. Americans over 50 get divorced twice as much as they did in the 1990s. The numbers are even higher for those over 65 – rates have tripled in the last three decades. Many of these couples split after spending decades together.
Gender differences in filing for divorce
A big gender gap exists in who starts divorce proceedings. Women file 70% of all divorces in heterosexual marriages. This trend hasn't changed in American divorce records since the 1940s.
The American Sociological Association found that both men and women end non-marital relationships equally, but women lead in filing for divorces. Women's growing financial independence plays a key role. Many women earn as much or more than their spouses now, giving them the freedom to leave unhappy marriages.
Jobs with the highest and lowest divorce rates
Your job can affect your marriage stability. These careers see the highest divorce rates due to odd hours, stress, or lots of travel:
- Gaming managers: 52.9%
- Bartenders: 52.7%
- Flight attendants: 50.5%
Some jobs show better marriage success rates. These professions have the lowest divorce rates:
- Petroleum engineers: 3.2%
- Clergy: 6.0%
- Scientists and physicians: 7-8%
Money relates closely to divorce chances. People earning under $10,000 yearly face 45% divorce rates, while those making $100,000+ see rates around 30%. Education helps too – college graduates stay married longer than high school graduates.
Different industries show varying divorce patterns. Protective services (40%), transportation (40.5%), and office support (40.6%) lead in divorces. Architecture/engineering (27.5%) and computers/mathematics (27.6%) show the lowest rates.
Why People Are Divorcing in 2025
The reasons why couples divorce in 2025 show how emotions, behavior, and money problems work together. Research shows that couples split up mainly because they stop being committed to each other. Cheating and money fights come right after that.
Top reasons cited by couples
Women point to several main problems that end their marriages. These include poor communication (70%), partners who won't work on fixing things (70%), trust breaking down (61%), and dealing with jealousy or cheating (56%).
Men see things differently. They say bad moods and tempers (65%), communication problems (59%), trust issues (53%), and not spending enough quality time together (47%) are the biggest issues. This shows how husbands and wives often experience marriage problems in completely different ways.
The numbers tell an interesting story. Wives list more reasons for wanting a divorce – about 10.7 problems on average compared to husbands' 7.8. This helps explain why women start about 70% of divorces in straight marriages, a trend that hasn't changed in the US for many years.
Impact of infidelity and communication issues
Cheating remains a marriage killer. About 15% of married women and 25% of married men have affairs. Add emotional cheating to the mix, and these numbers jump up by 20%. The damage is real – 40-40% of marriages end after someone cheats.
Bad communication breaks marriages apart too. About 53% of divorcing couples say they just couldn't talk to each other properly. Dr. John Gottman and his team found they could tell which couples would divorce with 94% accuracy just by watching how they talked to each other. Couples who stayed married responded positively to their partners 86% of the time. Those who divorced only did this 33% of the time.
Role of financial stress and unrealistic expectations
Money problems push many couples apart, with 24% saying it caused their split. Research shows couples fight more about money during tough times but usually don't divorce until things get better. This happens because money stress reveals deeper problems that couples ignore while they're just trying to survive.
People's unrealistic ideas about marriage create problems too. Social media and pop culture paint an impossible picture of relationships, which leads to letdowns in real life. Expecting your spouse to meet all your emotional needs will always end in disappointment.
These expectations often start in childhood and can ruin relationships if couples don't talk about them.
What Increases or Decreases Divorce Risk
Life circumstances and specific factors can predict if a marriage will last or end in divorce.
Effect of age at marriage
Marriage timing affects divorce chances a lot. Marriages before age 25 face a high divorce risk, and about 48% end within 10 years. Each year of waiting until age 32 reduces divorce probability by 11%. The risk starts to climb again after 32, with a 5% yearly increase. Couples who wait until after 25 reduce their divorce chances by 24%.
Cohabitation before marriage
Living together before marriage raises divorce risk by 40%. Couples who live together before getting engaged have much higher divorce rates (34%) compared to those who wait until after engagement or marriage (23%). The risk grows even more with multiple live-in partners before marriage, making people 60% more likely to divorce.
Religious beliefs and education level
People who attend church regularly have 14% lower divorce rates. Different religions show varied divorce patterns: Protestants (51%), Catholics (19%), Jews (9%), Mormons (7%), Muslims (8%), Hindus (5%). Education is a vital factor—college graduates have a 25% divorce rate while those with only high school education face a 45% rate.
Parental divorce history
People whose parents divorced are 40% more likely to end their own marriages. This chance doubles to 50% when one partner's parents divorced and jumps to 200% when both sets of parents split up. Parents who remarry after divorce make their children 91% more likely to divorce themselves.
Income and financial habits
Money is associated with marriage stability. Couples who earn over $50,000 yearly have 30% lower divorce risk than those making under $25,000. Weekly money arguments increase divorce chances by 30%. Couples without savings are 70% more likely to split compared to those with just $10,000 in assets.
Conclusion
Modern marriage in America tells an interesting story through its divorce statistics. The divorce rate has gone down over the last several years, though we now see a small uptick to 3 divorces per 1,000 people in 2025. This means someone gets divorced every 42 seconds in our country.
Most first marriages that end last about 8 years. Second and third marriages have an even harder time staying together. People thinking about getting married again should keep these numbers in mind. Most divorces happen to adults between 25-39 years old. "Gray divorce" rates among older Americans keep climbing fast, especially for those who've passed 65.
Here's something that might surprise you – women start the divorce process in about 70% of heterosexual marriages. Your job can affect your marriage's chances by a lot too. Some careers like gaming management and bartending see divorce rates over 50%. Engineers and clergy members' marriages tend to last longer.
Couples split up for the same reasons today as they always have: they stop being committed, cheat on each other, fight about money, and don't talk well with each other. Couples who work on these issues early might save their marriages.
Many things can make divorce more likely – when you get married, if you lived together first, your religious beliefs, education, your parents' divorce history, and money situation all play a role.
These numbers tell us about divorce trends, but they represent real people going through big life changes. Each divorce comes with its own story and personal choices. Looking at these patterns helps anyone who wants to understand relationships or social trends in 2025 and beyond.
FAQs
Q1. What is the current divorce rate in the United States?
As of 2025, the divorce rate in the United States stands at 3 divorces per 1,000 people. This represents a slight increase from previous years, though divorce rates have generally been declining over the past two decades.
Q2. How long do most marriages last before ending in divorce?
First marriages that end in divorce typically last about 8 years. However, the duration can vary based on factors such as age at marriage and individual circumstances. Second and third marriages tend to have shorter durations before ending in divorce.
Q3. Which age group has the highest divorce rate?
Adults aged 25-39 account for approximately 60% of all divorces. However, there's a notable increase in "gray divorce" among older Americans, with divorce rates tripling for those over 65 in the past three decades.
Q4. What are the most common reasons for divorce?
The primary reasons for divorce include lack of commitment, infidelity, financial disagreements, and poor communication. Other factors like unrealistic expectations and inability to adapt to changes in the relationship also contribute significantly.
Q5. How does occupation affect divorce rates?
Certain professions have higher divorce rates than others. For example, gaming managers and bartenders have divorce rates exceeding 50%, while occupations like petroleum engineering and clergy have much lower rates. Income levels and work stress can significantly influence marital stability.
