States with the highest divorce rates
States with the highest divorce rates
In 1980, nearly 50% of all marriages ended in divorce. Though now an aged statistic, that astounding number is still cited as conventional wisdom regarding successful marriages today. Fortunately, new findings suggest that divorce is actually on a relatively steep decline; despite myths, the institution of marriage is indeed alive and well in America. But as with most things, the numbers vary greatly from place to place, and some states have divorce rates over four times higher than other regions in America!
The Center For Disease Control (CDC) and the National Center of Health Statistics report data from each state to find the number of people that both divorce and marry per capita each year. To help see regional differences, Stacker analyzed the 2015 CDC report to see which states had the highest and lowest rates for divorce (excluding California, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, and Minnesota), comparing that rate to the national average. Read on to see which Midwestern state has almost half as many divorces as any other place in America, and where your state stacks up against the rest.
#46. Iowa
Divorce rate per thousand: 1.2
Divorce rate compared to national average: 61% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 6.3
Marriage rate compared to national average: 9% lower
#45. Illinois
Divorce rate per thousand: 2.2
Divorce rate compared to national average: 29% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 5.9
Marriage rate compared to national average: 15% lower
#44. Massachusetts
Divorce rate per thousand: 2.6
Divorce rate compared to national average: 18% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 5.5
Marriage rate compared to national average: 20% lower
#43. Texas
Divorce rate per thousand: 2.6
Divorce rate compared to national average: 16% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 7.2
Marriage rate compared to national average: 5% higher
#42. Maryland
Divorce rate per thousand: 2.6
Divorce rate compared to national average: 16% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 6.2
Marriage rate compared to national average: 10% lower
#41. Wisconsin
Divorce rate per thousand: 2.6
Divorce rate compared to national average: 16% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 6.2
Marriage rate compared to national average: 10% lower
#40. South Dakota
Divorce rate per thousand: 2.6
Divorce rate compared to national average: 15% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 7.2
Marriage rate compared to national average: 5% higher
#39. Pennsylvania
Divorce rate per thousand: 2.6
Divorce rate compared to national average: 15% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 5.7
Marriage rate compared to national average: 18% lower
#38. New York
Divorce rate per thousand: 2.7
Divorce rate compared to national average: 13% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 7.1
Marriage rate compared to national average: 2% higher
#37. Louisiana
Divorce rate per thousand: 2.8
Divorce rate compared to national average: 11% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 6.8
Marriage rate compared to national average: 2% lower
#36. South Carolina
Divorce rate per thousand: 2.8
Divorce rate compared to national average: 11% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 7.5
Marriage rate compared to national average: 9% higher
#35. New Jersey
Divorce rate per thousand: 2.8
Divorce rate compared to national average: 9% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 5.6
Marriage rate compared to national average: 19% lower
#34. Kansas
Divorce rate per thousand: 2.8
Divorce rate compared to national average: 9% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 5.9
Marriage rate compared to national average: 14% lower
#33. District of Columbia
Divorce rate per thousand: 2.8
Divorce rate compared to national average: 9% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 8.2
Marriage rate compared to national average: 19% higher
#32. North Dakota
Divorce rate per thousand: 2.8
Divorce rate compared to national average: 8% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 6.2
Marriage rate compared to national average: 11% lower
#31. Rhode Island
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.0
Divorce rate compared to national average: 3% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 6.4
Marriage rate compared to national average: 8% lower
#30. Michigan
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.0
Divorce rate compared to national average: 2% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 6.0
Marriage rate compared to national average: 13% lower
#29. Ohio
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.1
Divorce rate compared to national average: 1% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 5.9
Marriage rate compared to national average: 14% lower
#28. Vermont
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.1
Divorce rate compared to national average: 1% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 8.1
Marriage rate compared to national average: 18% higher
#27. North Carolina
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.1
Divorce rate compared to national average: 1% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 7.0
Marriage rate compared to national average: 1% higher
#26. Delaware
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.1
Divorce rate compared to national average: 0% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 5.7
Marriage rate compared to national average: 17% lower
#25. Connecticut
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.1
Divorce rate compared to national average: 1% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 5.3
Marriage rate compared to national average: 23% lower
#24. Missouri
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.2
Divorce rate compared to national average: 2% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 6.2
Marriage rate compared to national average: 10% lower
#23. Nebraska
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.2
Divorce rate compared to national average: 3% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 6.4
Marriage rate compared to national average: 8% lower
#22. New Mexico
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.3
Divorce rate compared to national average: 6% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 6.2
Marriage rate compared to national average: 11% lower
#21. Virginia
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.3
Divorce rate compared to national average: 6% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 7.0
Marriage rate compared to national average: 1% higher
#20. New Hampshire
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.3
Divorce rate compared to national average: 7% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 6.9
Marriage rate compared to national average: 1% higher
#19. Mississippi
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.4
Divorce rate compared to national average: 9% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 7.0
Marriage rate compared to national average: 1% higher
#18. Washington
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.4
Divorce rate compared to national average: 9% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 6.2
Marriage rate compared to national average: 10% lower
#17. Oregon
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.4
Divorce rate compared to national average: 10% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 6.9
Marriage rate compared to national average: 0% lower
#16. Montana
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.4
Divorce rate compared to national average: 10% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 8.0
Marriage rate compared to national average: 15% higher
#15. Maine
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.4
Divorce rate compared to national average: 11% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 7.6
Marriage rate compared to national average: 10% higher
#14. Utah
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.6
Divorce rate compared to national average: 15% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 8.1
Marriage rate compared to national average: 17% higher
#13. Arizona
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.6
Divorce rate compared to national average: 15% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 5.9
Marriage rate compared to national average: 14% lower
#12. Tennessee
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.7
Divorce rate compared to national average: 19% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 8.5
Marriage rate compared to national average: 23% higher
#11. Kentucky
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.7
Divorce rate compared to national average: 19% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 7.2
Marriage rate compared to national average: 4% higher
#10. Colorado
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.7
Divorce rate compared to national average: 20% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 6.8
Marriage rate compared to national average: 2% lower
#9. Alabama
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.9
Divorce rate compared to national average: 24% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 7.4
Marriage rate compared to national average: 7% higher
#8. Florida
Divorce rate per thousand: 4.0
Divorce rate compared to national average: 28% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 8.2
Marriage rate compared to national average: 19% higher
#7. West Virginia
Divorce rate per thousand: 4.0
Divorce rate compared to national average: 28% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 6.6
Marriage rate compared to national average: 5% lower
#6. Idaho
Divorce rate per thousand: 4.1
Divorce rate compared to national average: 33% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 8.2
Marriage rate compared to national average: 18% higher
#5. Alaska
Divorce rate per thousand: 4.1
Divorce rate compared to national average: 33% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 7.4
Marriage rate compared to national average: 7% higher
#4. Wyoming
Divorce rate per thousand: 4.1
Divorce rate compared to national average: 34% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 7.3
Marriage rate compared to national average: 6% higher
#3. Oklahoma
Divorce rate per thousand: 4.4
Divorce rate compared to national average: 41% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 7.4
Marriage rate compared to national average: 8% higher
#2. Nevada
Divorce rate per thousand: 4.6
Divorce rate compared to national average: 50% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 31.0
Marriage rate compared to national average: 350% higher
#1. Arkansas
Divorce rate per thousand: 4.8
Divorce rate compared to national average: 56% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 10.0
Marriage rate compared to national average: 46% higher
