New survey shows U.S. states with highest divorce rates

In the United States, couples separate.

A new study shows that while divorce rates are falling across the United States, marriages are still ending in large numbers in some states.

The divorce lawyers at DivorceLawyers.ca gathered data from the 2023 U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey to determine which states have the highest number of divorces per capita, and came up with some shocking results.

While many may think that more populous liberal states may have the highest divorce rates, in fact, rural states appear to be where more married couples give up on divorce.

Data show that Alaska was the state with the highest number of divorces per capita in 2023, with a combined divorce rate of 10, which means that 10 out of every 1,000 people in the state were divorced that year.

Lawyers speculated that “long, harsh winters and limited daylight hours may cause seasonal depression and put a strain on relationships” in the sparsely populated state.

“For couples in remote areas, seek support even if face-to-face resources are limited,” urges divorce lawyer Deepa Tailor of DivorceLawyers. “There are many online resources available, from virtual counseling and relationships workshops, to books and worksheets designed to help couples work through their problems.”

Wyoming, meanwhile, ranked second, with a 2023 divorce rate of 9.75 per 1,000 residents.

Nevada isn’t far behind, with 9.3 divorces per 1,000 residents in the past 12 months.

Delaware, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas and Kentucky round out the ten states with the highest divorce rates.

Lawyers for DivorceLawyers did not disclose New York state’s ranking, but the 2021 American Community Survey released by the U.S. Census Bureau shows that Massachusetts has the lowest per capita divorce rate in the country.

Almost half of all U.S. marriages end in divorce, according to separate data released by the National Institutes of Health.

A significant 41% of first marriages do not last a lifetime, while 60% of second marriages end in divorce.