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)
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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)
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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)
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47. New Mexico
> Married population: 44.9%
> 2017 divorce rate: N/A
> 2017 marriage rate: 5.9 per 1,000 residents (13th lowest)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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42. California
> Married population: 46.7%
> 2017 divorce rate: N/A
> 2017 marriage rate: 6.3 per 1,000 residents (21st lowest)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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25. Indiana
> Married population: 49.3%
> 2017 divorce rate: N/A
> 2017 marriage rate: 6.9 per 1,000 residents (19th highest)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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20. Hawaii
> Married population: 49.8%
> 2017 divorce rate: N/A
> 2017 marriage rate: 15.3 per 1,000 residents (2nd highest)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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9. Minnesota
> Married population: 52.2%
> 2017 divorce rate: N/A
> 2017 marriage rate: 5.6 per 1,000 residents (6th lowest)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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
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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
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