Special Report

Divorce Capital of Every State

AndreyPopov / iStock

When a couple gets married, they typically expect the union to last forever. Yet this is not always the case. Among all Americans age 15 and older, 10.9% are divorced and have not remarried. An additional 2% of people in that age group are separated but not divorced from their spouse.

Couples get divorced any number of reasons, but there are several relatively common causes. A study published in the journal Couple Family Psychology found that lack of commitment was the most often cited reasons for divorce, listed by 75% of individual participants. This was followed by infidelity at 59.6%, too much arguing at 57.7%, and marrying too young at 45.1% as the most common causes of divorce. Money problems, substance abuse, and domestic violence were also cited as common reasons for divorce.

Divorces happen all across the country, but the percentage of the population that is divorced can vary from city to city. In some places, more than 20% of residents 15 and older are divorced. Every state has at least one city in which the share of the population that is divorced exceeds the U.S. divorce percentage. In one state’s divorce capital, just 13.3% of people 15 and over are divorced. Yet in another, the divorce rate is more than double that at 26.8%.

24/7 Wall St. reviewed the percentage of residents who are divorced in each major U.S. city using the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey to determine the divorce capital of each state.

We included the median household income for each state, as financial issues are among the most commonly cited causes of divorce. Those struggling with money are more likely to split up, while people in difficult relationships may be more reluctant to leave if they have a level of financial security that could be jeopardized by a divorce. In all but four state divorce capitals, the median household income is lower than the respective state value.

To identify the divorce capital of every state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the percentage of the 15-year-and-older population that is divorced from the Census Bureau’s 2017 American Community Survey. Population figures are five-year averages through 2017. Data on household income also comes from the ACS. The Census definition of those who are divorced includes only people who are legally divorced and have not remarried. Those without a final divorce decree are classified as separated.

Click here to see the divorce capital of every state.

Rtrota / Wikimedia Commons

1. Alabama: Pell City
> Divorced population: 17.7%
> Married population: 48.7%
> Never married: 24.6%
> Median household income: $45,647

See all stories featuring: Alabama

[in-text-ad]

ManOnTheGo / Getty Images

2. Alaska: Kenai
> Divorced population: 18.6%
> Married population: 48.4%
> Never married: 24.9%
> Median household income: $58,125

See all stories featuring: Alaska

BOB WESTON / Getty Images

3. Arizona: Florence
> Divorced population: 19.8%
> Married population: 31.2%
> Never married: 42.7%
> Median household income: $47,188

See all stories featuring: Arizona

BOB WESTON / Getty Images

4. Arkansas: Newport
> Divorced population: 24.1%
> Married population: 28.7%
> Never married: 32.9%
> Median household income: $28,872

See all stories featuring: Arkansas

[in-text-ad-2]

lovefishn / Getty Images

5. California: Clearlake
> Divorced population: 21.4%
> Married population: 33.1%
> Never married: 34.7%
> Median household income: $27,034

See all stories featuring: California

Ron_Thomas / Getty Images

6. Colorado: Aspen
> Divorced population: 22.9%
> Married population: 31.4%
> Never married: 43.3%
> Median household income: $64,594

See all stories featuring: Colorado

[in-text-ad]

Holcy / Getty Images

7. Connecticut: Rockville
> Divorced population: 19.3%
> Married population: 22.7%
> Never married: 48.0%
> Median household income: $37,229

See all stories featuring: Connecticut
Adam Moss / Wikimedia Commons

8. Delaware: Elsmere
> Divorced population: 18.0%
> Married population: 30.6%
> Never married: 44.3%
> Median household income: $45,660

See all stories featuring: Delaware

Courtesy of Katye M. via Yelp

9. Florida: Southgate
> Divorced population: 22.3%
> Married population: 43.8%
> Never married: 24.5%
> Median household income: $48,508

See all stories featuring: Florida

[in-text-ad-2]

trainor / Flickr

10. Georgia: Winder
> Divorced population: 18.4%
> Married population: 38.4%
> Never married: 31.7%
> Median household income: $46,310

See all stories featuring: Georgia

Courtesy of Joy N. via Yelp

11. Hawaii: Hawaiian Paradise Park
> Divorced population: 16.9%
> Married population: 48.2%
> Never married: 26.4%
> Median household income: $51,908

See all stories featuring: Hawaii

[in-text-ad]

Silvrshootr / Getty Images

12. Idaho: Sandpoint
> Divorced population: 17.8%
> Married population: 46.4%
> Never married: 24.7%
> Median household income: $36,706

See all stories featuring: Idaho

tylerwarren / Flickr

13. Illinois: East Alton
> Divorced population: 21.5%
> Married population: 41.6%
> Never married: 27.0%
> Median household income: $46,161

See all stories featuring: Illinois

kevin1024 / Flickr

14. Indiana: Rochester
> Divorced population: 24.3%
> Married population: 42.1%
> Never married: 24.8%
> Median household income: $40,451

See all stories featuring: Indiana

[in-text-ad-2]

kenlund / Flickr

15. Iowa: Knoxville
> Divorced population: 16.5%
> Married population: 46.7%
> Never married: 26.5%
> Median household income: $43,986

See all stories featuring: Iowa

Ichabod / Wikimedia Commons

16. Kansas: Chanute
> Divorced population: 18.8%
> Married population: 48.0%
> Never married: 22.0%
> Median household income: $37,118

See all stories featuring: Kansas

[in-text-ad]

BOB WESTON / Getty Images

17. Kentucky: Leitchfield
> Divorced population: 21.9%
> Married population: 44.9%
> Never married: 19.0%
> Median household income: $29,553

See all stories featuring: Kentucky

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

18. Louisiana: Denham Springs
> Divorced population: 19.5%
> Married population: 38.0%
> Never married: 32.6%
> Median household income: $52,649

See all stories featuring: Louisiana

SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images

19. Maine: Augusta
> Divorced population: 21.3%
> Married population: 39.2%
> Never married: 31.9%
> Median household income: $40,181

See all stories featuring: Maine

[in-text-ad-2]

Scott F Smith / Getty Images

20. Maryland: Edgewater
> Divorced population: 15.7%
> Married population: 47.8%
> Never married: 29.6%
> Median household income: $89,159

See all stories featuring: Maryland

dougtone / Flickr

21. Massachusetts: Whitinsville
> Divorced population: 16.9%
> Married population: 51.4%
> Never married: 24.6%
> Median household income: $67,083

See all stories featuring: Massachusetts

[in-text-ad]

Andrew Jameson / Wikimedia Commons

22. Michigan: Ishpeming
> Divorced population: 20.3%
> Married population: 40.8%
> Never married: 28.5%
> Median household income: $42,075

See all stories featuring: Michigan

Willard / Getty Images

23. Minnesota: Brainerd
> Divorced population: 19.0%
> Married population: 31.9%
> Never married: 38.8%
> Median household income: $34,358

See all stories featuring: Minnesota

CynthiaAnnF / Getty Images

24. Mississippi: Waveland
> Divorced population: 19.8%
> Married population: 36.5%
> Never married: 27.8%
> Median household income: $46,453

See all stories featuring: Mississippi

[in-text-ad-2]

Skye Marthaler / Wikimedia Commons

25. Missouri: Dexter
> Divorced population: 21.0%
> Married population: 43.5%
> Never married: 19.8%
> Median household income: $33,813

See all stories featuring: Missouri

RTC / Wikimedia Commons

26. Montana: Helena Valley Southeast
> Divorced population: 17.4%
> Married population: 48.3%
> Never married: 29.4%
> Median household income: $48,864

See all stories featuring: Montana

[in-text-ad]

Skinzfan23 / Wikimedia Commons

27. Nebraska: Ralston
> Divorced population: 16.1%
> Married population: 45.8%
> Never married: 29.7%
> Median household income: $55,837

See all stories featuring: Nebraska

4kodiak / Getty Images

28. Nevada: Laughlin
> Divorced population: 21.8%
> Married population: 40.1%
> Never married: 22.1%
> Median household income: $32,610

See all stories featuring: Nevada

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images

29. New Hampshire: Exeter
> Divorced population: 18.5%
> Married population: 47.5%
> Never married: 27.5%
> Median household income: $66,412

See all stories featuring: New Hampshire

[in-text-ad-2]

Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page or my English Wikipedia talk page; I'll know about it a lot faster) / Wikimedia Commons

30. New Jersey: Crestwood Village
> Divorced population: 16.9%
> Married population: 43.5%
> Never married: 9.7%
> Median household income: $28,081

See all stories featuring: New Jersey

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

31. New Mexico: Truth or Consequences
> Divorced population: 26.8%
> Married population: 37.9%
> Never married: 23.7%
> Median household income: $27,350

See all stories featuring: New Mexico

[in-text-ad]

Joegrimes / Wikimedia Commons

32. New York: Mattydale
> Divorced population: 18.3%
> Married population: 33.3%
> Never married: 40.3%
> Median household income: $45,902

See all stories featuring: New York

Darwin Brandis / Getty Images

33. North Carolina: Hendersonville
> Divorced population: 18.5%
> Married population: 40.1%
> Never married: 25.1%
> Median household income: $35,894

See all stories featuring: North Carolina

afiler / Flickr

34. North Dakota: Devils Lake
> Divorced population: 13.3%
> Married population: 40.2%
> Never married: 37.1%
> Median household income: $43,791

See all stories featuring: North Dakota

[in-text-ad-2]

dougtone / Flickr

35. Ohio: Cambridge
> Divorced population: 20.7%
> Married population: 36.5%
> Never married: 29.0%
> Median household income: $30,856

See all stories featuring: Ohio

shan213 / Flickr

36. Oklahoma: Sallisaw
> Divorced population: 19.0%
> Married population: 46.1%
> Never married: 24.1%
> Median household income: $30,000

See all stories featuring: Oklahoma

[in-text-ad]

sbeebe / Flickr

37. Oregon: Umatilla
> Divorced population: 20.1%
> Married population: 30.0%
> Never married: 43.8%
> Median household income: $38,796

See all stories featuring: Oregon

dougtone / Flickr

38. Pennsylvania: Butler
> Divorced population: 18.9%
> Married population: 33.0%
> Never married: 37.9%
> Median household income: $30,266

See all stories featuring: Pennsylvania

lizardmonkey / Getty Images

39. Rhode Island: Westerly
> Divorced population: 14.8%
> Married population: 49.9%
> Never married: 25.9%
> Median household income: $60,192

See all stories featuring: Rhode Island

[in-text-ad-2]

DavidByronKeener / Getty Images

40. South Carolina: Little River
> Divorced population: 19.4%
> Married population: 50.9%
> Never married: 21.3%
> Median household income: $47,866

See all stories featuring: South Carolina

60063848@N04 / Flickr

41. South Dakota: Yankton
> Divorced population: 14.1%
> Married population: 47.4%
> Never married: 30.5%
> Median household income: $41,727

See all stories featuring: South Dakota

[in-text-ad]

Brian Stansberry / Wikimedia Commons

42. Tennessee: McMinnville
> Divorced population: 23.7%
> Married population: 38.9%
> Never married: 25.4%
> Median household income: $32,460

See all stories featuring: Tennessee

BOB WESTON / Getty Images

43. Texas: Bonham
> Divorced population: 18.5%
> Married population: 35.3%
> Never married: 32.0%
> Median household income: $36,473

See all stories featuring: Texas

GeorgePeters / Getty Images

44. Utah: Vernal
> Divorced population: 19.3%
> Married population: 45.8%
> Never married: 28.1%
> Median household income: $47,150

See all stories featuring: Utah

[in-text-ad-2]

stockphoto52 / Getty Images

45. Vermont: Brattleboro
> Divorced population: 24.8%
> Married population: 31.7%
> Never married: 34.6%
> Median household income: $39,402

See all stories featuring: Vermont

andrewbain / Flickr

46. Virginia: Sandston
> Divorced population: 18.9%
> Married population: 38.1%
> Never married: 31.8%
> Median household income: $45,083

See all stories featuring: Virginia

[in-text-ad]

JosephZahnlePhotography / Getty Images

47. Washington: Clarkston
> Divorced population: 22.7%
> Married population: 37.8%
> Never married: 30.6%
> Median household income: $35,000

See all stories featuring: Washington

wissanu01 / Getty Images

48. West Virginia: South Charleston
> Divorced population: 19.8%
> Married population: 46.4%
> Never married: 26.6%
> Median household income: $50,885

See all stories featuring: West Virginia

roadgeek / Flickr

49. Wisconsin: Tomah
> Divorced population: 18.5%
> Married population: 39.4%
> Never married: 31.8%
> Median household income: $45,876

See all stories featuring: Wisconsin

[in-text-ad-2]

Chevsapher / Wikimedia Commons

50. Wyoming: Riverton
> Divorced population: 16.5%
> Married population: 47.4%
> Never married: 27.9%
> Median household income: $51,102

See all stories featuring: Wyoming

 

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.