According to the Institute of Family Studies, divorce rates have dropped drastically since the 1980s. Between 1980 and 2019, they fell from 22.6 to 14.9 per 1,000 married couples. (These are the states where people have been married the longest.)
Divorce rates vary widely from state to state, however. To determine the states with the most – and fewest – divorces, 24/7 Tempo consulted the 1-year estimates for 2021 from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, which helps local municipalities and officials track community change. The married, widowed, separated, and never married populations as well as median household income for each state also came from the ACS.
According to the Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts, money issues are one of the leading causes of divorce. The three states with the most divorces have among the 20 lowest median household incomes in the country. Conversely, the three states with the fewest divorces record a median household income that’s among the 15 highest in America. (The number of marital split-ups also varies on a more granular level, of course. These are the American cities with the highest and lowest divorce rates.)
While each geographic region is home to states with both the highest and lowest divorce rates, there are some regional trends. Three of the five states with the fewest divorces are located in the Northeast, while the South and Southwest are home to four of the five states with the most.
Click here to see the states where the most people are divorced
Four of the five most populous states have relatively low divorce rates, with three of these – California, New York, and Pennsylvania – among the 10 lowest. Florida is the outlier, ranking as the state with the ninth highest divorce rate.
50. New Jersey
> Divorced population: 8.5%
> Married, excluding separated 49.9% (17th highest)
> Separated population: 1.7% (21st highest)
> Widowed population: 5.5% (23rd highest)
> Never married: 34.4% (13th highest)
> Median household income: $89,296 (3rd highest)
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49. Utah
> Divorced population: 8.6%
> Married, excluding separated 55.3% (the highest)
> Separated population: 1.2% (14th lowest)
> Widowed population: 3.5% (the lowest)
> Never married: 31.5% (15th lowest)
> Median household income: $79,449 (11th highest)
48. California
> Divorced population: 8.9%
> Married, excluding separated 46.4% (7th lowest)
> Separated population: 1.9% (12th highest)
> Widowed population: 4.6% (5th lowest)
> Never married: 38.2% (2nd highest)
> Median household income: $84,907 (5th highest)
47. New York
> Divorced population: 9.1%
> Married, excluding separated 44.4% (2nd lowest)
> Separated population: 2.2% (5th highest)
> Widowed population: 5.6% (22nd highest)
> Never married: 38.7% (the highest)
> Median household income: $74,314 (14th highest)
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46. Massachusetts
> Divorced population: 9.2%
> Married, excluding separated 46.6% (9th lowest)
> Separated population: 1.5% (25th highest)
> Widowed population: 5.1% (12th lowest)
> Never married: 37.5% (3rd highest)
> Median household income: $89,645 (2nd highest)
45. Hawaii
> Divorced population: 9.4%
> Married, excluding separated 50.0% (15th highest)
> Separated population: 0.9% (3rd lowest)
> Widowed population: 5.7% (19th highest)
> Never married: 34.0% (16th highest)
> Median household income: $84,857 (6th highest)
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44. Illinois
> Divorced population: 9.6%
> Married, excluding separated 47.4% (13th lowest)
> Separated population: 1.5% (24th lowest)
> Widowed population: 5.5% (24th lowest)
> Never married: 36.1% (6th highest)
> Median household income: $72,205 (17th highest)
43. Pennsylvania
> Divorced population: 9.7%
> Married, excluding separated 48.1% (19th lowest)
> Separated population: 1.7% (20th highest)
> Widowed population: 6.1% (12th highest)
> Never married: 34.4% (14th highest)
> Median household income: $68,957 (21st highest)
42. North Dakota
> Divorced population: 9.8% (tie)
> Married, excluding separated 50.2% (13th highest)
> Separated population: 1.0% (7th lowest)
> Widowed population: 5.2% (17th lowest)
> Never married: 33.8% (18th highest)
> Median household income: $66,519 (25th lowest)
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41. Maryland
> Divorced population: 9.8% (tie)
> Married, excluding separated 47.5% (15th lowest)
> Separated population: 1.8% (16th highest)
> Widowed population: 5.4% (20th lowest)
> Never married: 35.6% (8th highest)
> Median household income: $90,203 (the highest)
40. Delaware
> Divorced population: 9.9% (tie)
> Married, excluding separated 48.1% (18th lowest)
> Separated population: 1.6% (23rd highest)
> Widowed population: 6.3% (8th highest)
> Never married: 34.1% (15th highest)
> Median household income: $71,091 (19th highest)
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39. South Dakota
> Divorced population: 9.9% (tie)
> Married, excluding separated 51.4% (6th highest)
> Separated population: 1.2% (11th lowest)
> Widowed population: 5.5% (24th highest)
> Never married: 32.0% (19th lowest)
> Median household income: $66,143 (22nd lowest)
38. Texas
> Divorced population: 9.9% (tie)
> Married, excluding separated 49.7% (18th highest)
> Separated population: 2.1% (6th highest)
> Widowed population: 4.8% (7th lowest)
> Never married: 33.4% (20th highest)
> Median household income: $66,963 (23rd highest)
37. Virginia
> Divorced population: 10.0%
> Married, excluding separated 49.5% (19th highest)
> Separated population: 1.9% (11th highest)
> Widowed population: 5.3% (18th lowest)
> Never married: 33.3% (22nd highest)
> Median household income: $80,963 (10th highest)
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36. Minnesota
> Divorced population: 10.1%
> Married, excluding separated 50.8% (11th highest)
> Separated population: 0.9% (2nd lowest)
> Widowed population: 4.8% (8th lowest)
> Never married: 33.3% (23rd highest)
> Median household income: $77,720 (13th highest)
35. Connecticut
> Divorced population: 10.4% (tie)
> Married, excluding separated 46.9% (10th lowest)
> Separated population: 1.4% (22nd lowest)
> Widowed population: 5.4% (21st lowest)
> Never married: 35.9% (7th highest)
> Median household income: $83,771 (8th highest)
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34. Nebraska
> Divorced population: 10.4% (tie)
> Married, excluding separated 52.3% (4th highest)
> Separated population: 1.0% (6th lowest)
> Widowed population: 5.2% (15th lowest)
> Never married: 31.2% (13th lowest)
> Median household income: $66,817 (24th highest)
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33. South Carolina
> Divorced population: 10.5% (tie)
> Married, excluding separated 47.9% (17th lowest)
> Separated population: 2.2% (4th highest)
> Widowed population: 6.6% (4th highest)
> Never married: 32.8% (22nd lowest)
> Median household income: $59,318 (9th lowest)
32. Iowa
> Divorced population: 10.5% (tie)
> Married, excluding separated 51.2% (9th highest)
> Separated population: 1.1% (9th lowest)
> Widowed population: 5.5% (25th lowest)
> Never married: 31.7% (17th lowest)
> Median household income: $65,600 (21st lowest)
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31. North Carolina
> Divorced population: 10.7%
> Married, excluding separated 48.5% (20th lowest)
> Separated population: 2.2% (2nd highest)
> Widowed population: 5.7% (16th highest)
> Never married: 32.9% (23rd lowest)
> Median household income: $61,972 (12th lowest)
30. Rhode Island
> Divorced population: 10.8% (tie)
> Married, excluding separated 44.9% (5th lowest)
> Separated population: 1.5% (25th lowest)
> Widowed population: 5.5% (25th highest)
> Never married: 37.4% (4th highest)
> Median household income: $74,008 (15th highest)
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29. Wisconsin
> Divorced population: 10.8% (tie)
> Married, excluding separated 49.9% (16th highest)
> Separated population: 0.9% (4th lowest)
> Widowed population: 5.2% (14th lowest)
> Never married: 33.2% (25th highest)
> Median household income: $67,125 (22nd highest)
28. Kansas
> Divorced population: 11.0%
> Married, excluding separated 51.4% (7th highest)
> Separated population: 1.2% (16th lowest)
> Widowed population: 5.7% (21st highest)
> Never married: 30.7% (10th lowest)
> Median household income: $64,124 (18th lowest)
27. Colorado
> Divorced population: 11.1%
> Married, excluding separated 50.2% (14th highest)
> Separated population: 1.2% (17th lowest)
> Widowed population: 4.1% (2nd lowest)
> Never married: 33.3% (24th highest)
> Median household income: $82,254 (9th highest)
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26. Georgia
> Divorced population: 11.3% (tie)
> Married, excluding separated 46.5% (8th lowest)
> Separated population: 1.8% (17th highest)
> Widowed population: 5.2% (16th lowest)
> Never married: 35.2% (9th highest)
> Median household income: $66,559 (25th highest)
25. Alaska
> Divorced population: 11.3% (tie)
> Married, excluding separated 49.0% (25th highest)
> Separated population: 1.8% (15th highest)
> Widowed population: 4.2% (3rd lowest)
> Never married: 33.6% (19th highest)
> Median household income: $77,845 (12th highest)
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24. Washington
> Divorced population: 11.4% (tie)
> Married, excluding separated 50.7% (12th highest)
> Separated population: 1.3% (20th lowest)
> Widowed population: 4.4% (4th lowest)
> Never married: 32.2% (20th lowest)
> Median household income: $84,247 (7th highest)
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23. Vermont
> Divorced population: 11.4% (tie)
> Married, excluding separated 49.4% (20th highest)
> Separated population: 0.9% (5th lowest)
> Widowed population: 5.3% (19th lowest)
> Never married: 32.9% (24th lowest)
> Median household income: $72,431 (16th highest)
22. Michigan
> Divorced population: 11.5% (tie)
> Married, excluding separated 47.7% (16th lowest)
> Separated population: 1.2% (13th lowest)
> Widowed population: 5.7% (18th highest)
> Never married: 33.9% (17th highest)
> Median household income: $63,498 (17th lowest)
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21. Mississippi
> Divorced population: 11.5% (tie)
> Married, excluding separated 44.5% (3rd lowest)
> Separated population: 2.5% (the highest)
> Widowed population: 6.9% (3rd highest)
> Never married: 34.6% (12th highest)
> Median household income: $48,716 (the lowest)
20. Arizona
> Divorced population: 11.6%
> Married, excluding separated 48.7% (21st lowest)
> Separated population: 1.5% (23rd lowest)
> Widowed population: 5.1% (11th lowest)
> Never married: 33.1% (25th lowest)
> Median household income: $69,056 (20th highest)
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19. New Hampshire
> Divorced population: 11.7% (tie)
> Married, excluding separated 51.4% (8th highest)
> Separated population: 1.2% (12th lowest)
> Widowed population: 5.2% (13th lowest)
> Never married: 30.6% (9th lowest)
> Median household income: $88,465 (4th highest)
18. Louisiana
> Divorced population: 11.7% (tie)
> Married, excluding separated 43.5% (the lowest)
> Separated population: 2.2% (3rd highest)
> Widowed population: 6.3% (10th highest)
> Never married: 36.4% (5th highest)
> Median household income: $52,087 (3rd lowest)
17. Missouri
> Divorced population: 11.8%
> Married, excluding separated 49.4% (21st highest)
> Separated population: 1.7% (19th highest)
> Widowed population: 6.0% (14th highest)
> Never married: 31.1% (11th lowest)
> Median household income: $61,847 (11th lowest)
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16. Tennessee
> Divorced population: 11.9% (tie)
> Married, excluding separated 48.8% (23rd lowest)
> Separated population: 1.9% (10th highest)
> Widowed population: 6.3% (9th highest)
> Never married: 31.1% (12th lowest)
> Median household income: $59,695 (10th lowest)
15. Ohio
> Divorced population: 11.9% (tie)
> Married, excluding separated 47.2% (12th lowest)
> Separated population: 1.5% (24th highest)
> Widowed population: 6.0% (13th highest)
> Never married: 33.4% (21st highest)
> Median household income: $62,262 (13th lowest)
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14. Montana
> Divorced population: 11.9% (tie)
> Married, excluding separated 50.9% (10th highest)
> Separated population: 1.2% (15th lowest)
> Widowed population: 5.4% (23rd lowest)
> Never married: 30.6% (8th lowest)
> Median household income: $63,249 (16th lowest)
13. Idaho
> Divorced population: 11.9% (tie)
> Married, excluding separated 54.8% (2nd highest)
> Separated population: 1.1% (8th lowest)
> Widowed population: 4.8% (6th lowest)
> Never married: 27.4% (the lowest)
> Median household income: $66,474 (24th lowest)
12. Alabama
> Divorced population: 12.2%
> Married, excluding separated 47.1% (11th lowest)
> Separated population: 1.9% (8th highest)
> Widowed population: 7.1% (2nd highest)
> Never married: 31.7% (18th lowest)
> Median household income: $53,913 (5th lowest)
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11. Wyoming
> Divorced population: 12.3%
> Married, excluding separated 53.8% (3rd highest)
> Separated population: 1.4% (21st lowest)
> Widowed population: 5.0% (10th lowest)
> Never married: 27.5% (2nd lowest)
> Median household income: $65,204 (20th lowest)
10. Indiana
> Divorced population: 12.5% (tie)
> Married, excluding separated 49.2% (23rd highest)
> Separated population: 1.1% (10th lowest)
> Widowed population: 5.7% (20th highest)
> Never married: 31.4% (14th lowest)
> Median household income: $62,743 (14th lowest)
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9. Florida
> Divorced population: 12.5% (tie)
> Married, excluding separated 47.4% (14th lowest)
> Separated population: 1.9% (9th highest)
> Widowed population: 6.4% (7th highest)
> Never married: 31.7% (16th lowest)
> Median household income: $63,062 (15th lowest)
8. Kentucky
> Divorced population: 12.6% (tie)
> Married, excluding separated 49.0% (24th highest)
> Separated population: 1.8% (14th highest)
> Widowed population: 6.6% (5th highest)
> Never married: 29.9% (6th lowest)
> Median household income: $55,573 (7th lowest)
7. Oklahoma
> Divorced population: 12.6% (tie)
> Married, excluding separated 48.9% (25th lowest)
> Separated population: 1.8% (13th highest)
> Widowed population: 6.3% (11th highest)
> Never married: 30.4% (7th lowest)
> Median household income: $55,826 (8th lowest)
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6. Oregon
> Divorced population: 12.7%
> Married, excluding separated 48.8% (22nd lowest)
> Separated population: 1.3% (18th lowest)
> Widowed population: 4.9% (9th lowest)
> Never married: 32.5% (21st lowest)
> Median household income: $71,562 (18th highest)
5. Nevada
> Divorced population: 12.8% (tie)
> Married, excluding separated 45.1% (6th lowest)
> Separated population: 1.8% (18th highest)
> Widowed population: 5.4% (22nd lowest)
> Never married: 35.0% (11th highest)
> Median household income: $66,274 (23rd lowest)
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4. New Mexico
> Divorced population: 12.8% (tie)
> Married, excluding separated 44.7% (4th lowest)
> Separated population: 1.6% (22nd highest)
> Widowed population: 5.7% (17th highest)
> Never married: 35.1% (10th highest)
> Median household income: $53,992 (6th lowest)
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3. Maine
> Divorced population: 13.2%
> Married, excluding separated 51.6% (5th highest)
> Separated population: 0.8% (the lowest)
> Widowed population: 5.8% (15th highest)
> Never married: 28.6% (3rd lowest)
> Median household income: $64,767 (19th lowest)
2. Arkansas
> Divorced population: 13.3% (tie)
> Married, excluding separated 48.9% (24th lowest)
> Separated population: 2.1% (7th highest)
> Widowed population: 6.6% (6th highest)
> Never married: 29.2% (5th lowest)
> Median household income: $52,528 (4th lowest)
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1. West Virginia
> Divorced population: 13.3% (tie)
> Married, excluding separated 49.3% (22nd highest)
> Separated population: 1.3% (19th lowest)
> Widowed population: 7.3% (the highest)
> Never married: 28.7% (4th lowest)
> Median household income: $51,248 (2nd lowest)
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