Divorce Statistics [2024]: Percentage of Marriages End in Divorce?

The approach towards marriage and divorce has completely transformed in the last few decades. Especially, today most people already assume half that 50% of the marriages are going to end up being divorced. But is it really the case? 

Well, you might be surprised to know the divorce rate has actually decreased since 2008 despite witnessing a slight rise in 2021 and 2022.

In this article, we will examine Divorce Statistics in 2024 to understand the dynamics of marriage and issues leading to divorce in the modern world. 

Key Divorce Statistics 

• 20% of marriages are likely to end in divorce within the first five years. 
• 69% of women are likely to initiate divorce, while the share of men initiating divorce is 31%. 
• The divorce rate in the United States hit 2.4 per 1,000 total population. 
• Couples who marry at 25 are 50% less likely to get a divorce. 
• Maldives is the leading country with the highest number of divorce rate of 5.52 per 1000 people.
• Lack of commitment is the most popular reason among married couples to get a divorce.
• Gaming Managers have the highest percentage of divorce rate at 52.9%. 
• Actuaries have the lowest percentage of divorce rate. 
• College-educated women are less likely to get a divorce compared to high school graduates. 

Divorce statistics by year in the U.S. (2000 to 2022)

There has been a significant decrease in the number of divorces that took place in the United States from 2000 to 2022. In 2002, a total of 944,000 divorces and annulments took place in a population of 233,550,143 resulting in a 4 divorce rate per 1,000 total population. 

In 2022, a total of 673,989 divorces and annulments took place in the U.S. of a population of 278,154,454 resulting in a 2.4 divorce rate per 1,000 total population. 

Below we have mentioned a complete table showcasing the divorce rate in the U.S. over the years:

Year	Divorce Rate
2000	4
2001	4
2002	3.9
2003	3.8
2004	3.7
2005	3.6
2006	3.7
2007	3.6
2008	3.5
2009	3.5
2010	3.6
2011	3.6
2012	3.4
2013	3.3
2014	3.2
2015	3.1
2016	3
2017	2.9
2018	2.9
2019	2.7
2020	2.3
2021	2.5
2022	2.4

Source: CDC

Highest Divorce Rate Worldwide by Country 

According to reports by the United Nations and other sources, the country with the highest divorce rate globally in 2020 was the Maldives. It recorded around 2984 divorces against a population of 540,544, recording a divorce rate of 5.52 per 1000 people. Kazakhstan was in second place with a divorce rate of 4.6, and Russia was in third place with a divorce rate of 4.4. 

Below we have mentioned a table showcasing the highest divorce rate worldwide by country:

Countries	Divorce Rate
Maldives	5.52
Kazakhstan	4.6
Russia	4.4
Belarus	3.7
China	3.2
Cuba	2.9
Finland	2.4
Sweden	2.5
Denmark	2.7
Ukraine	3.1
Canada	2.8

Source: Worldpopulationreview

Countries with the lowest divorce rates worldwide 

According to reports by Statista, Sri Lanka has the lowest divorce rate worldwide with only 0.15 divorces per 1,000 population as of 2020. Vietnam and Guatemala are ranked second and third in this list both countries with 0.2 divorces per 1,000 population. 

Here is a breakdown of countries with the lowest divorce rates worldwide: 

Countries	Number of divorces
Sri Lanka	0.15
Vietnam (2020)	0.2
Guatemala (2020)	0.2
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (2017)	0.4
Peru (2019)	0.5
South Africa (2009)	0.6
Colombia (2007)	0.7
Venezuela (2017)	0.7
Chile (2009)	0.7
United Arab Emirates (2005)	0.7
Ireland (2017)	0.7
Panama (2020)	0.7
Qatar (2019)	0.7
Malta (2019)	0.7
Saint Lucia (2004)	0.7

Sources: Statista

Two countries have banned divorce 

This might surprise some people, but two countries—the Philippines and Vatican City—have prohibited divorce even today. 

Most Common Reasons for Divorce 

Lack of commitment is reportedly the top reason behind couples getting a divorce. According to reports, 75% of couples get divorced due to commitment issues. Infidelity or extramarital affairs is ranked as the second most common reason behind people getting a divorce by 60%, and too much conflict or arguing in the third position by 58%. 

Below we have mentioned a table showcasing the most common reasons for Divorce:

Common Reasons	Divorce Rate
Lack of commitment	75%
Infidelity or extramarital affair	60%
Too much conflict and arguing	58%
Getting married too young	45%
Financial problems	37%
Substance abuse	35%
Domestic violence	24%
Lack of support from family	18%
Health problems	17%
Religious Differences	13%
Little or no premarital education	13%

Money Issues and Lack of compatibility are among the most common reasons behind couples getting a divorce 

Although there are many other reasons as well for couples opting out for a divorce. Here are the top three causes for people getting a divorce: 

• 58% of the couples reveal arguing and excessive conflict as major causes for divorce. 
• 45% of couples claim getting married too soon or too young is the main reason behind divorce. 
• 38% of the individuals reported financial issues as a major divorce cause.

Divorce Rate by Occupation 

The profession of an individual can often play a crucial role in a person getting a divorce. Some occupations often require employees to work long hours outside of normal business hours, which can result in conflicts or issues in a person’s relationship. Gaming Manager is reportedly the top occupation with the highest percentage of divorce rate of 52.9%. Followed by Bartenders in the second position with a 52.7% divorce rate. 

Here is a breakdown of divorce rates based on occupation:

Occupation	Divorce Rate
Gaming Manager	52.9%
Bartender	52.7%
Flight Attendant	50.5%
Gaming service workers	50.3%
Rolling machine setters	50.1%
Switchboard operators	49.7%
Extruding and drawing machine setters	49.6%
Telemarketers	49.2%
Textile machine operators	48.9%
Compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders	48.8%

Actuaries Have the Lowest Percentage of Divorce Rate

The divorce rates are surprisingly quite low in certain occupations. According to reports, Actuaries have the lowest percentage of divorce rate among individuals. Actuaries have a divorce rate of 17.0% which is the lowest. Followed by physical scientists in the second position with 18.9% and Medical scientists in the third position with 19.6%. 

Below we have mentioned a table showcasing occupations with the lowest divorce rates:

Occupation	Divorce Rate
Actuaries	17.0%
Physical scientists	18.9%
Medical scientists	19.6%
Clergy	19.8%
Software developers	20.3%
Physical therapists	20.7%
Optometrists	20.8%
Chemical engineers	21.1%
Religious and education directors	21.3%
Physicians and surgeons	21.8%

Industries with the Highest Divorce Rate

Certain industries tend to have a higher edge when it comes to divorce rates. For example, the office and administrative support industry has the highest percentage of divorce rate at 41%. Followed by transportation in the second position with 41% and protective services in the third position with 40%. 

Here is a breakdown of industries with the highest percentage of divorce rates:

Industry	Divorce Rate
Office and administrative support	41%
Transportation	41%
Protective services	40%
Personal care and service	40%
Installation, maintenance, and repair workers	39%
Health care support	39%
Production	39%
Sales	38%
Building and grounds cleaning	38%
Food preparation and serving	37%

Industries with the Lowest Divorce Rate

When discussing the divorce rate among individuals based on industries, it was revealed that Architecture and engineering have the lowest divorce rate of 27.5%. Computers and mathematics are the second industry with the lowest divorce rate at 27.6%, and the Military is in third place at 28.3%. 

Below we have mentioned a table showcasing the top industry with the lowest number of divorce rates:

Industry	Divorce Rate
Architecture and engineering	27.5%
Computers and mathematics	27.6%
Military	28.3%
Life, physical, and social sciences	28.5%
Education and library	30.1%
Healthcare	31.6%
Community and social services	32.5%
Farming, fishing, and forestry	33.0%
Finance	33.9%
Legal	35.0%

Divorce Statistics by Gender in the U.S

In the United States, women are more likely to initiate the divorce process on average compared to men. Reports revealed that 69% of women are likely to file for a divorce in the U.S., while the share of men filing for divorce is 31%.

Gender	Likely to file Divorce
Men	31%
Women	69%

Divorce Rates by Age 

Statistics show that the age of a person can usually play a significant role in the divorce. Both older and younger couples are likely to face higher divorce rates globally. So, let’s take an in-depth look at the divorce rates based on Age: 

Couples who get married at 25 are 50% less likely to be divorced compared to people who get married at 20 

25 is often considered an appropriate age for an individual to get married and surprisingly statistics show the same. According to reports, couples who marry at the age of 25 are less likely to get divorced by 50% in comparison to those couples who marry young at 20. However, couples who get married late have also shown higher signs of getting divorced. Couples who marry after the age of 32, have showcased an increase in divorce rates by 5% each year.

The average age of men getting divorced is 46 and 44 for women in 2022

In 2022, a report revealed that men and women are more likely to get divorced after reaching the age of 40. In fact, 42% of the people aged between 45 and 54 are divorced. In addition, it was also revealed that the average age of a man to get a divorce is 46, while for women it’s 44. 

The Average Age of individuals for a first marriage is increasing

In 2012, the average age of a man to get married was 28 and the average age for women was 26. But with time, most couples are delaying marriage for multiple reasons such as finance or change in cultural norms, etc. In 2022, the average age of marriage witnessed a significant rise where 32 is considered a median age for men and 30 for women to get married. In the coming years, there is a potential that the average marriage age for both men and women might witness a rise. Older marriages can often have difficulties in married life due to difficulty in learning to cohabitate or merging into each other’s life, etc which can result in higher divorce risk.

Divorce Rates by Ethnicity

There can be differences in Divorce rates globally based on the ethnicity of the couple. There can be various factors that can cause such differences or variations, such as cultural norms based on marriage, along with various systemic biases that undermine the family structure in different communities. 

Below we have mentioned a table showcasing the divorce rates by Ethnicity among couples:

Ethnicity	Divorce Rate
White Couples	15.1%
Black Couples	30.8%
Hispanic Couples	18.5%

• White couples have a divorce rate of 15.1%. The marriage rate of white couples is 32.1%.
• Black couples have a divorce rate of 30.8% and their marriage rate is around 17.3%.
• Hispanic couples have a divorce rate of 18.5% and their marriage rate is 33.2%.

Divorce Rates by Education Level

There are various aspects that can affect a marriage and apparently, the education level is one of them. Reports show that individuals who have gained more education are less likely to get a divorce. 

Here is a breakdown of Divorce rates by Education level:

Education Level	Divorce rate for men	Divorce rate for women
High school or less	39%	37%
Bachelor’s Degree or higher	29%	32%
Advanced Education	26%	30%

• The percentage of divorce rates is 39% for men and 37% for women for individuals with a high school education or less. 
• Individuals with a bachelor’s degree or higher education have a slightly lower chance of getting a divorce. The percentage of divorce rate for men is 29%, while for women it’s 32%. 
• Individuals with advanced education, which is basically having a master’s degree or more than just a bachelor’s degree are less likely to get a divorce compared to other education levels. The divorce rate for men with advanced education is 26% and for women, it’s 30%.

College Educated women are less likely to get a divorce 

Reports suggest that women with bachelor’s degrees are less likely to get a divorce compared to those women who have some level of college degree but don’t graduate or have a high-school education.

78% of the females who have a bachelor’s degree are likely to have a marriage that will last 20 years, along just 49% of females with some college-level education are likely to reach this milestone. Also, the statistics show that women with only a high-school education or less only have a 40% of likelihood of having a marriage that lasts 20 years or more. 

Divorce Rates by Religion

For many people, their religious beliefs often discourage them from getting a divorce despite being in an unhappy marriage as most religions look at marriage as a sacred union. Therefore, in some cases, religion can play a significant role in a person getting a divorce or not. Here are statistics related to divorce rates by religion:   

The Religion with the lowest divorce population is Hinduism

The population of Hindu people married is 60%, while 5% of the people of this demographic group are reported to be divorced which is the lowest compared to any other religion.

Evangelical Protestant is the religion with the highest number of divorced population

55% of Evangelical Protestants are married, while the divorce rate in this religion is reported to be 14%, which is the highest percentage of divorced couples compared to any other religion. The divorced percentage of Evangelical Protestants is more than double the number of divorced Hindus. 

11% of the divorced population doesn’t follow a religion/unaffiliated 

Individuals who don’t follow any religion are usually less likely to get married and more likely to get a divorce compared to those people who follow a religion or have religious beliefs. According to reports, around 37% of the unaffiliated population is married, while the percentage of divorced rate is 11%. 

Divorce Trends Over Time

Third Marriages Have the Highest Divorce Rate—73%

Third marriages have recorded the highest divorce rate 

People often mention that half the marriages are likely to end in divorce, however, that’s usually the case for only first marriages. In terms of second or third marriages, the divorce rate is much higher. Apparently, 67% of second marriages are likely to end in divorce, while 73% of third marriages have the potential of getting a divorce.

6% of Divorced couples remarry each other 

Usually, divorce is the end of the road for most relationships. However, in some cases, couples who get legally divorced sometimes remarry. Around 6% of the divorced couples have remarried. In this kind of scenario, the success rate of marriage is higher. 72% of the remarried couples have remained married after reconciliation. 

Couples who have lived together before getting married have a higher chance of getting a divorce

Around 57% of the couples who haven’t lived together before marriage have a higher chance of having a marriage for 20 years and more compared to 46% of those couples who have lived together before getting married. It often includes various other factors as well since many religious people don’t consider living together prior to marriage because of strong religious beliefs. 

Divorce rate in India

Only 1 out of 100 Indian marriages end up to a divorce which is quite low in comparison to America’s 50% of marriages turning into breakups.

FAQs

Where is the highest divorce rate in the world in 2024?

The Maldives has the highest divorce rate in the world, at 5.52 per 1000 people. It is followed by Kazakhstan, with a divorce rate of 4.6 per 1000 people. 

How many first marriages end in divorce in 2024?

35% to 50% of first marriages end in divorce in the United States, along with the second marriage witnessing an increase in divorce to 60% and over 70% for marriages after that. 

What is the #1 cause of divorce?

Lack of commitment is considered the most common cause of divorce among married couples based on a survey. 

Which marriage has the highest divorce rate?

Third marriages have the highest divorce rate at 73%. Followed by 67% of second marriages ending in divorce, which is the second-highest divorce rate. 

Which country has the lowest divorce?

Sri Lanka has the lowest divorce rate, with only 0.15 divorces per 1,000 population, followed by Vietnam in second place. 

Who initiates divorce more?

Women are more likely to initiate divorce compared to men. According to reports, 69% of women are likely to file for a divorce in the U.S. while the share of men is only 31%. 

What age is divorce most common?

The average age of an individual entering their first divorce is around 30 years old. 60% of divorces usually involve spouses between the ages of 25 to 39 years old.

How many marriages last 5 years?

20% of marriages end within the first 5 years. Therefore, 80% of marriages are likely to last 5 years.

Wrapping Up 

The above statistics showcase how the divorce rate has decreased since 2008, although a slight increase did occur in 2021 and 2022. We have mentioned various insights and figures above, providing a clear picture of the challenges and evolving dynamics of relationships and divorce in today’s world, including a couple’s occupation, education level, religious belief, and more.