D.E.I DAILY

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Interactive Map & Chart · Culture

MARRIAGE & DIVORCE RATES BY STATE, 1990–2023

Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics · Rates per 1,000 total population · Some states did not report divorce data to CDC in certain years
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1990
1990199520002005 2010201520202023
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Rates per 1,000 total population · Gray = data not reported to CDC
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Highest Marriage State
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Lowest State
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National Average
1990
Year
Trend Over Time
Click a state on the map or below to highlight · Gold = marriage · Red = divorce · Dashed = national average
Research Spotlight
Women Initiate 69% of All Divorces — But Not Non-Marital Breakups
69%
Divorces initiated by women
31%
Divorces initiated by men
50/50
Non-marital breakups

A landmark 2015 study by Michael Rosenfeld (Stanford University), presented at the American Sociological Association's Annual Meeting, analyzed 2,262 adults from the nationally representative How Couples Meet and Stay Together survey. The finding was striking: while women initiate nearly 70% of all divorces, breakups in non-marital relationships show no gender difference whatsoever.

Rosenfeld found that married women reported significantly lower relationship quality than married men — while unmarried women and men reported equal satisfaction. His conclusion: "Marriage as an institution has been a little bit slow to catch up with expectations for gender equality."

Among college-educated women, the figure rises to approximately 90% of divorces being initiated by women.

Source: Rosenfeld, M.J. (2015). "Who Wants the Breakup? Gender and Breakup in Heterosexual Couples." American Sociological Association Annual Meeting, Chicago. Data: How Couples Meet and Stay Together Survey, 2009–2015.