Ideally, a marriage lasts a lifetime. With more than 1 million divorces filed every year in the United States, however, this ideal is far from the reality.
At the same time, the U.S. divorce rate has been on the decline in the 21st century. In 2000, 4.0 out of every 1,000 Americans got divorced. By 2017, the divorce rate had dropped to 2.9 per 1,000 people. The decline in divorce rate is no doubt tied to the decrease in the marriage rate. In 2000, 8.2 Americans were married for every 1,000 people. By 2017, only 6.9 Americans for every 1,000 people were married.
Nationwide, nearly half (48.2%) of all Americans age 15 and over are married. Less than a third of Americans 15 and up have never married, and nearly 13% are either divorced and have not remarried or separated.
In some states, a higher share of 15 and older residents are married. 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on the percentage of the population that is currently married from the Census Bureau’s 2017 American Community Survey to determine the states where the most people are married.
To determine the states where people stay married, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the Census Bureau’s 2017 American Community Survey to find the percentage of the 15-year-and-older population that is currently married. Population figures are five-year averages through 2017. The Census definition of those who are divorced includes only people who are legally divorced and who have not remarried. Those without a final divorce decree are classified as separated.
Click here to see the states where the most people are married.
50. Louisiana
> Married population: 43.6%
> 2017 divorce rate: 1.9 per 1,000 residents (the lowest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 5.6 per 1,000 residents (3rd lowest)
See all stories featuring: Louisiana
[in-text-ad]
49. New York
> Married population: 44.6%
> 2017 divorce rate: 2.7 per 1,000 residents (13th lowest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 7.3 per 1,000 residents (12th highest)
See all stories featuring: New York
48. Mississippi
> Married population: 44.8%
> 2017 divorce rate: 2.9 per 1,000 residents (16th lowest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 6.7 per 1,000 residents (24th lowest)
See all stories featuring: Mississippi
47. New Mexico
> Married population: 44.9%
> 2017 divorce rate: N/A
> 2017 marriage rate: 5.9 per 1,000 residents (13th lowest)
See all stories featuring: New Mexico
[in-text-ad-2]
46. Rhode Island
> Married population: 45.1%
> 2017 divorce rate: 2.9 per 1,000 residents (17th lowest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 6.8 per 1,000 residents (25th highest)
See all stories featuring: Rhode Island
45. Nevada
> Married population: 45.7%
> 2017 divorce rate: 4.5 per 1,000 residents (the highest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 28.6 per 1,000 residents (the highest)
See all stories featuring: Nevada
[in-text-ad]
44. Florida
> Married population: 46.4%
> 2017 divorce rate: 3.6 per 1,000 residents (9th highest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 7.8 per 1,000 residents (9th highest)
See all stories featuring: Florida
43. Massachusetts
> Married population: 46.6%
> 2017 divorce rate: 2.2 per 1,000 residents (4th lowest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 5.7 per 1,000 residents (7th lowest)
See all stories featuring: Massachusetts
42. California
> Married population: 46.7%
> 2017 divorce rate: N/A
> 2017 marriage rate: 6.3 per 1,000 residents (21st lowest)
See all stories featuring: California
[in-text-ad-2]
41. Maryland
> Married population: 47.0%
> 2017 divorce rate: 2.5 per 1,000 residents (8th lowest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 6.3 per 1,000 residents (18th lowest)
See all stories featuring: Maryland
40. Georgia
> Married population: 47.0%
> 2017 divorce rate: 3.5 per 1,000 residents (13th highest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 6.9 per 1,000 residents (21st highest)
See all stories featuring: Georgia
[in-text-ad]
39. South Carolina
> Married population: 47.3%
> 2017 divorce rate: 2.6 per 1,000 residents (10th lowest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 7.0 per 1,000 residents (18th highest)
See all stories featuring: South Carolina
38. Arizona
> Married population: 47.3%
> 2017 divorce rate: 3.5 per 1,000 residents (12th highest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 5.8 per 1,000 residents (11th lowest)
See all stories featuring: Arizona
37. Delaware
> Married population: 47.7%
> 2017 divorce rate: 3.0 per 1,000 residents (21st lowest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 5.5 per 1,000 residents (2nd lowest)
See all stories featuring: Delaware
[in-text-ad-2]
36. Illinois
> Married population: 47.8%
> 2017 divorce rate: 1.9 per 1,000 residents (2nd lowest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 6.0 per 1,000 residents (14th lowest)
See all stories featuring: Illinois
35. Alabama
> Married population: 47.8%
> 2017 divorce rate: 3.7 per 1,000 residents (7th highest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 7.0 per 1,000 residents (16th highest)
See all stories featuring: Alabama
[in-text-ad]
34. Connecticut
> Married population: 47.9%
> 2017 divorce rate: 2.9 per 1,000 residents (18th lowest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 5.6 per 1,000 residents (5th lowest)
See all stories featuring: Connecticut
24/7 Wall St.
33. Ohio
> Married population: 48.1%
> 2017 divorce rate: 2.9 per 1,000 residents (19th lowest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 5.8 per 1,000 residents (10th lowest)
See all stories featuring: Ohio
32. Michigan
> Married population: 48.1%
> 2017 divorce rate: 2.8 per 1,000 residents (15th lowest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 5.9 per 1,000 residents (12th lowest)
See all stories featuring: Michigan
[in-text-ad-2]
31. Pennsylvania
> Married population: 48.2%
> 2017 divorce rate: 2.6 per 1,000 residents (11th lowest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 5.7 per 1,000 residents (8th lowest)
See all stories featuring: Pennsylvania
30. Alaska
> Married population: 48.9%
> 2017 divorce rate: 3.6 per 1,000 residents (8th highest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 6.9 per 1,000 residents (20th highest)
See all stories featuring: Alaska
[in-text-ad]
29. North Carolina
> Married population: 49.0%
> 2017 divorce rate: 3.1 per 1,000 residents (22nd highest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 6.8 per 1,000 residents (23rd highest)
See all stories featuring: North Carolina
28. New Jersey
> Married population: 49.0%
> 2017 divorce rate: 2.6 per 1,000 residents (12th lowest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 5.5 per 1,000 residents (the lowest)
See all stories featuring: New Jersey
27. Texas
> Married population: 49.3%
> 2017 divorce rate: 2.2 per 1,000 residents (5th lowest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 7.1 per 1,000 residents (15th highest)
See all stories featuring: Texas
[in-text-ad-2]
26. Tennessee
> Married population: 49.3%
> 2017 divorce rate: 3.5 per 1,000 residents (11th highest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 8.2 per 1,000 residents (5th highest)
See all stories featuring: Tennessee
25. Indiana
> Married population: 49.3%
> 2017 divorce rate: N/A
> 2017 marriage rate: 6.9 per 1,000 residents (19th highest)
See all stories featuring: Indiana
[in-text-ad]
24. Missouri
> Married population: 49.5%
> 2017 divorce rate: 3.1 per 1,000 residents (21st highest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 6.6 per 1,000 residents (22nd lowest)
See all stories featuring: Missouri
23. Oregon
> Married population: 49.6%
> 2017 divorce rate: 3.4 per 1,000 residents (16th highest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 6.7 per 1,000 residents (25th lowest)
See all stories featuring: Oregon
22. Vermont
> Married population: 49.7%
> 2017 divorce rate: 2.9 per 1,000 residents (20th lowest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 7.9 per 1,000 residents (7th highest)
See all stories featuring: Vermont
[in-text-ad-2]
21. Kentucky
> Married population: 49.8%
> 2017 divorce rate: 3.7 per 1,000 residents (6th highest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 7.2 per 1,000 residents (13th highest)
See all stories featuring: Kentucky
20. Hawaii
> Married population: 49.8%
> 2017 divorce rate: N/A
> 2017 marriage rate: 15.3 per 1,000 residents (2nd highest)
See all stories featuring: Hawaii
[in-text-ad]
19. Oklahoma
> Married population: 49.9%
> 2017 divorce rate: 4.1 per 1,000 residents (2nd highest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 6.8 per 1,000 residents (22nd highest)
See all stories featuring: Oklahoma
18. Virginia
> Married population: 50.0%
> 2017 divorce rate: 3.0 per 1,000 residents (22nd lowest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 6.8 per 1,000 residents (24th highest)
See all stories featuring: Virginia
17. Arkansas
> Married population: 50.1%
> 2017 divorce rate: 3.7 per 1,000 residents (5th highest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 9.5 per 1,000 residents (3rd highest)
See all stories featuring: Arkansas
[in-text-ad-2]
16. West Virginia
> Married population: 50.2%
> 2017 divorce rate: 3.5 per 1,000 residents (10th highest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 6.3 per 1,000 residents (20th lowest)
See all stories featuring: West Virginia
15. Wisconsin
> Married population: 50.8%
> 2017 divorce rate: 2.4 per 1,000 residents (6th lowest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 5.6 per 1,000 residents (4th lowest)
See all stories featuring: Wisconsin
[in-text-ad]
14. Colorado
> Married population: 50.8%
> 2017 divorce rate: 3.2 per 1,000 residents (18th highest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 7.3 per 1,000 residents (11th highest)
See all stories featuring: Colorado
13. Washington
> Married population: 51.0%
> 2017 divorce rate: 3.4 per 1,000 residents (15th highest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 6.2 per 1,000 residents (17th lowest)
See all stories featuring: Washington
12. Maine
> Married population: 51.0%
> 2017 divorce rate: 3.2 per 1,000 residents (17th highest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 7.6 per 1,000 residents (10th highest)
See all stories featuring: Maine
[in-text-ad-2]
11. South Dakota
> Married population: 52.2%
> 2017 divorce rate: 2.7 per 1,000 residents (14th lowest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 6.7 per 1,000 residents (23rd lowest)
See all stories featuring: South Dakota
10. Montana
> Married population: 52.2%
> 2017 divorce rate: 3.1 per 1,000 residents (20th highest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 8.0 per 1,000 residents (6th highest)
See all stories featuring: Montana
[in-text-ad]
9. Minnesota
> Married population: 52.2%
> 2017 divorce rate: N/A
> 2017 marriage rate: 5.6 per 1,000 residents (6th lowest)
See all stories featuring: Minnesota
8. North Dakota
> Married population: 52.3%
> 2017 divorce rate: 2.5 per 1,000 residents (9th lowest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 5.8 per 1,000 residents (9th lowest)
See all stories featuring: North Dakota
7. New Hampshire
> Married population: 52.4%
> 2017 divorce rate: 3.1 per 1,000 residents (19th highest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 7.0 per 1,000 residents (17th highest)
See all stories featuring: New Hampshire
[in-text-ad-2]
6. Kansas
> Married population: 52.5%
> 2017 divorce rate: 2.4 per 1,000 residents (7th lowest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 6.0 per 1,000 residents (15th lowest)
See all stories featuring: Kansas
5. Iowa
> Married population: 52.8%
> 2017 divorce rate: 2.0 per 1,000 residents (3rd lowest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 6.2 per 1,000 residents (16th lowest)
See all stories featuring: Iowa
[in-text-ad]
4. Nebraska
> Married population: 53.1%
> 2017 divorce rate: 3.0 per 1,000 residents (23rd lowest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 6.3 per 1,000 residents (19th lowest)
See all stories featuring: Nebraska
3. Wyoming
> Married population: 53.6%
> 2017 divorce rate: 4.0 per 1,000 residents (3rd highest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 7.1 per 1,000 residents (14th highest)
See all stories featuring: Wyoming
2. Idaho
> Married population: 54.9%
> 2017 divorce rate: 3.9 per 1,000 residents (4th highest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 7.8 per 1,000 residents (8th highest)
See all stories featuring: Idaho
[in-text-ad-2]
1. Utah
> Married population: 56.1%
> 2017 divorce rate: 3.4 per 1,000 residents (14th highest)
> 2017 marriage rate: 8.7 per 1,000 residents (4th highest)
See all stories featuring: Utah
Find a Qualified Financial Advisor (Sponsor)
Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to 3 fiduciary financial advisors in your area in 5 minutes. Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests. If you’re ready to be matched with local advisors that can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Latest from 24/7
