Tystik0013 // Pixabay
1 / 46#46. Iowa
Divorce rate per thousand: 1.2
Divorce rate compared to national average: 61% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 6.3
Marriage rate compared to national average: 9% lower
States with the highest divorce rates
In 1980, nearly 50% of all marriages ended in divorce. Though now an aged statistic, that astounding number is still cited as conventional wisdom regarding successful marriages today. Fortunately, new findings suggest that divorce is actually on a relatively steep decline; despite myths, the institution of marriage is indeed alive and well in America. But as with most things, the numbers vary greatly from place to place, and some states have divorce rates over four times higher than other regions in America!
The Center For Disease Control (CDC) and the National Center of Health Statistics report data from each state to find the number of people that both divorce and marry per capita each year. To help see regional differences, Stacker analyzed the 2015 CDC report to see which states had the highest and lowest rates for divorce (excluding California, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, and Minnesota), comparing that rate to the national average. Read on to see which Midwestern state has almost half as many divorces as any other place in America, and where your state stacks up against the rest.
Bronisław Dróżka // Pixabay
2 / 46#45. Illinois
Divorce rate per thousand: 2.2
Divorce rate compared to national average: 29% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 5.9
Marriage rate compared to national average: 15% lower
Pixabay
3 / 46#44. Massachusetts
Divorce rate per thousand: 2.6
Divorce rate compared to national average: 18% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 5.5
Marriage rate compared to national average: 20% lower
K Baucherel // Pixabay
4 / 46#43. Texas
Divorce rate per thousand: 2.6
Divorce rate compared to national average: 16% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 7.2
Marriage rate compared to national average: 5% higher
Bruce Emmerling // Pixabay
5 / 46#42. Maryland
Divorce rate per thousand: 2.6
Divorce rate compared to national average: 16% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 6.2
Marriage rate compared to national average: 10% lower
Pixabay
6 / 46#41. Wisconsin
Divorce rate per thousand: 2.6
Divorce rate compared to national average: 16% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 6.2
Marriage rate compared to national average: 10% lower
Pixabay
7 / 46#40. South Dakota
Divorce rate per thousand: 2.6
Divorce rate compared to national average: 15% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 7.2
Marriage rate compared to national average: 5% higher
Pixabay
8 / 46#39. Pennsylvania
Divorce rate per thousand: 2.6
Divorce rate compared to national average: 15% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 5.7
Marriage rate compared to national average: 18% lower
Pexels
9 / 46#38. New York
Divorce rate per thousand: 2.7
Divorce rate compared to national average: 13% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 7.1
Marriage rate compared to national average: 2% higher
Chris Litherland // Wikimedia Commons
10 / 46#37. Louisiana
Divorce rate per thousand: 2.8
Divorce rate compared to national average: 11% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 6.8
Marriage rate compared to national average: 2% lower
U.S. Air Force // Wikimedia Commons
11 / 46#36. South Carolina
Divorce rate per thousand: 2.8
Divorce rate compared to national average: 11% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 7.5
Marriage rate compared to national average: 9% higher
Pixabay
12 / 46#35. New Jersey
Divorce rate per thousand: 2.8
Divorce rate compared to national average: 9% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 5.6
Marriage rate compared to national average: 19% lower
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
13 / 46#34. Kansas
Divorce rate per thousand: 2.8
Divorce rate compared to national average: 9% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 5.9
Marriage rate compared to national average: 14% lower
AgnosticPreachersKid // Wikimedia Commons
14 / 46#33. District of Columbia
Divorce rate per thousand: 2.8
Divorce rate compared to national average: 9% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 8.2
Marriage rate compared to national average: 19% higher
Bryan Boyce // Wikimedia Commons
15 / 46#32. North Dakota
Divorce rate per thousand: 2.8
Divorce rate compared to national average: 8% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 6.2
Marriage rate compared to national average: 11% lower
Bestbudbrian // Wikimedia Commons
16 / 46#31. Rhode Island
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.0
Divorce rate compared to national average: 3% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 6.4
Marriage rate compared to national average: 8% lower
Robert Thompson // Wikimedia Commons
17 / 46#30. Michigan
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.0
Divorce rate compared to national average: 2% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 6.0
Marriage rate compared to national average: 13% lower
12019 // PIxabay
18 / 46#29. Ohio
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.1
Divorce rate compared to national average: 1% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 5.9
Marriage rate compared to national average: 14% lower
Maria Michelle // Pixabay
19 / 46#28. Vermont
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.1
Divorce rate compared to national average: 1% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 8.1
Marriage rate compared to national average: 18% higher
James Willamore // Wikimedia Commons
20 / 46#27. North Carolina
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.1
Divorce rate compared to national average: 1% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 7.0
Marriage rate compared to national average: 1% higher
Chuck Walsh // Wikimedia Commons
21 / 46#26. Delaware
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.1
Divorce rate compared to national average: 0% lower
Marriage rate per thousand: 5.7
Marriage rate compared to national average: 17% lower
The Last Cookie // Flickr
22 / 46#25. Connecticut
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.1
Divorce rate compared to national average: 1% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 5.3
Marriage rate compared to national average: 23% lower
Daniel Schwen // Wikimedia
23 / 46#24. Missouri
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.2
Divorce rate compared to national average: 2% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 6.2
Marriage rate compared to national average: 10% lower
Ken L. // Flickr
24 / 46#23. Nebraska
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.2
Divorce rate compared to national average: 3% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 6.4
Marriage rate compared to national average: 8% lower
Thomas Shahan // Wikimedia Commons
25 / 46#22. New Mexico
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.3
Divorce rate compared to national average: 6% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 6.2
Marriage rate compared to national average: 11% lower
Albert Herring // Wikimedia Commons
26 / 46#21. Virginia
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.3
Divorce rate compared to national average: 6% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 7.0
Marriage rate compared to national average: 1% higher
Sven Kippel // Wikimedia Commons
27 / 46#20. New Hampshire
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.3
Divorce rate compared to national average: 7% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 6.9
Marriage rate compared to national average: 1% higher
12019 // Pixabay
28 / 46#19. Mississippi
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.4
Divorce rate compared to national average: 9% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 7.0
Marriage rate compared to national average: 1% higher
Bala // Wikimedia Commons
29 / 46#18. Washington
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.4
Divorce rate compared to national average: 9% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 6.2
Marriage rate compared to national average: 10% lower
Keith Skelton // Flickr
30 / 46#17. Oregon
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.4
Divorce rate compared to national average: 10% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 6.9
Marriage rate compared to national average: 0% lower
Randy // Wikimedia Commons
31 / 46#16. Montana
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.4
Divorce rate compared to national average: 10% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 8.0
Marriage rate compared to national average: 15% higher
Jubileejourney // Wikimedia Commons
32 / 46#15. Maine
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.4
Divorce rate compared to national average: 11% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 7.6
Marriage rate compared to national average: 10% higher
Garrett // Wikimedia Commons
33 / 46#14. Utah
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.6
Divorce rate compared to national average: 15% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 8.1
Marriage rate compared to national average: 17% higher
Brigitte Werner // Pixabay
34 / 46#13. Arizona
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.6
Divorce rate compared to national average: 15% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 5.9
Marriage rate compared to national average: 14% lower
Derrick Brutel // Flickr
35 / 46#12. Tennessee
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.7
Divorce rate compared to national average: 19% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 8.5
Marriage rate compared to national average: 23% higher
Bill Brine // Wikimedia Commons
36 / 46#11. Kentucky
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.7
Divorce rate compared to national average: 19% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 7.2
Marriage rate compared to national average: 4% higher
Daniel Mayer // Wikimedia Commons
37 / 46#10. Colorado
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.7
Divorce rate compared to national average: 20% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 6.8
Marriage rate compared to national average: 2% lower
Chris Pruitt // Wikimedia Commons
38 / 46#9. Alabama
Divorce rate per thousand: 3.9
Divorce rate compared to national average: 24% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 7.4
Marriage rate compared to national average: 7% higher
MiamiBoyz // Wikimedia Commons
39 / 46#8. Florida
Divorce rate per thousand: 4.0
Divorce rate compared to national average: 28% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 8.2
Marriage rate compared to national average: 19% higher
Richie Diesterheft // Wikimedia
40 / 46#7. West Virginia
Divorce rate per thousand: 4.0
Divorce rate compared to national average: 28% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 6.6
Marriage rate compared to national average: 5% lower
StephenM // Wikimedia
41 / 46#6. Idaho
Divorce rate per thousand: 4.1
Divorce rate compared to national average: 33% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 8.2
Marriage rate compared to national average: 18% higher
Frank K. // Wikimedia Commons
42 / 46#5. Alaska
Divorce rate per thousand: 4.1
Divorce rate compared to national average: 33% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 7.4
Marriage rate compared to national average: 7% higher
Michael Gabler // Wikimedia Commons
43 / 46#4. Wyoming
Divorce rate per thousand: 4.1
Divorce rate compared to national average: 34% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 7.3
Marriage rate compared to national average: 6% higher
Greater Oklahoma City Chamber and Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau // Wikimedia Commons
44 / 46#3. Oklahoma
Divorce rate per thousand: 4.4
Divorce rate compared to national average: 41% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 7.4
Marriage rate compared to national average: 8% higher
Moyan Brenn // Wikimedia
45 / 46#2. Nevada
Divorce rate per thousand: 4.6
Divorce rate compared to national average: 50% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 31.0
Marriage rate compared to national average: 350% higher
Cliff // Wikimedia Commons
46 / 46#1. Arkansas
Divorce rate per thousand: 4.8
Divorce rate compared to national average: 56% higher
Marriage rate per thousand: 10.0
Marriage rate compared to national average: 46% higher
