Divorce Statistics in the United States (2026)

Comprehensive data on divorce rates, child custody outcomes, support payments, costs, demographics, and remarriage trends — compiled from CDC, Census Bureau, and court records.

Last updated March 2026 · Sources cited below each table

2.4 per 1,000

National Divorce Rate (2023)

78% / 22%

Mother / Father Custodial Parent

$3,000–$28,500

Average Divorce Cost

$441/mo

Avg. Child Support Received

Based on CDC NVSS (2023), Census Bureau P60-285 (2022) & SIPP, and state court data. This page provides statistical information, not legal advice.

Divorce Rates by State

Divorce rates vary across states. Among the 45 states that report data to the CDC, Nevada leads at 3.8 per 1,000 population, while Illinois and Louisiana have the lowest rates. Five states (California, Hawaii, Indiana, Minnesota, and New Mexico) do not report divorce data to the NVSS.

Top 15 Reporting States by Divorce Rate (per 1,000 population, 2023)

NV
3.8
ID
3.4
WY
3.4
OK
3.3
AK
3.1
UT
3.1
AL
3
AR
3
FL
3
KY
2.9
MS
2.9
TN
2.9
WV
2.9
CO
2.8
OR
2.8

View All 50 States
State Divorce Rate Marriage Rate Year
Alabama 3 6.9 2023
Alaska 3.1 6.4 2023
Arizona 2 5.6 2023
Arkansas 3 7.8 2023
California N/A * 5.5 2023
Colorado 2.8 7.8 2023
Connecticut 2.6 6.2 2023
Delaware 2.6 4.7 2023
Florida 3 7 2023
Georgia 2.2 5.9 2023
Hawaii N/A * 12.5 2023
Idaho 3.4 7 2023
Illinois 1.2 5.1 2023
Indiana N/A * 5.9 2023
Iowa 1.9 5.2 2023
Kansas 1.7 5.3 2023
Kentucky 2.9 6.1 2023
Louisiana 0.9 3.7 2023
Maine 2.5 7 2023
Maryland 2.7 5.2 2023
Massachusetts 1.8 5.2 2023
Michigan 2.2 5 2023
Minnesota N/A * 4.8 2023
Mississippi 2.9 5.5 2023
Missouri 2.6 5.7 2023
Montana 2.3 9.2 2023
Nebraska 2.6 5.3 2023
Nevada 3.8 24.6 2023
New Hampshire 2.5 6.6 2023
New Jersey 2.2 5.4 2023
New Mexico N/A * 4.7 2023
New York 2.4 6.5 2023
North Carolina 2.7 6 2023
North Dakota 2.6 5.1 2023
Ohio 2.4 5.1 2023
Oklahoma 3.3 5.9 2023
Oregon 2.8 5.8 2023
Pennsylvania 2.2 5.3 2023
Rhode Island 2.3 5.9 2023
South Carolina 2.2 6.2 2023
South Dakota 2.3 5.9 2023
Tennessee 2.9 7.3 2023
Texas 2.1 5.8 2023
Utah 3.1 11.2 2023
Vermont 2.4 7.2 2023
Virginia 2.7 5.8 2023
Washington 2.7 5.6 2023
West Virginia 2.9 5.8 2023
Wisconsin 2.1 5 2023
Wyoming 3.4 7 2023

Source: CDC National Vital Statistics System (NVSS), provisional 2023 data.
* California, Hawaii, Indiana, Minnesota, New Mexico do not report divorce data to the NVSS.

International Divorce Rate Comparison

How the U.S. divorce rate compares to other countries. Russia has the highest crude divorce rate among major nations at 4.7 per 1,000, while India has the lowest at 0.1. Data covers 43 countries across 6 continents.

Russia
4.7
Chile
3.6
Cuba
2.9
Latvia
2.8
China
2.6
Lithuania
2.5
United States
2.4
Denmark
2.2
Australia
2.1
Finland
2.1
Sweden
2
Turkey
2
Canada
1.9
Czechia
1.9
Estonia
1.9

View All 43 Countries
Country Divorce Rate Year Trend Source
Russia 4.7 2023 stable Rosstat
Chile 3.6 2022 rising OECD Family Database
Cuba 2.9 2022 stable UN Demographic Yearbook
Latvia 2.8 2023 stable Eurostat
China 2.6 2023 rising Ministry of Civil Affairs
Lithuania 2.5 2023 falling Eurostat
United States 2.4 2023 falling CDC NVSS (45 reporting states + D.C.)
Denmark 2.2 2023 falling Eurostat
Australia 2.1 2024 falling ABS
Finland 2.1 2023 rising Eurostat
Sweden 2 2023 falling Eurostat
Turkey 2 2023 falling TURKSTAT
Canada 1.9 2023 falling Statistics Canada
Czechia 1.9 2024 stable Eurostat
Estonia 1.9 2023 stable Eurostat
France 1.9 2022 stable INSEE
Hungary 1.9 2024 rising Eurostat
Mexico 1.9 2022 rising INEGI
South Korea 1.8 2023 falling Statistics Korea (KOSTAT)
Switzerland 1.8 2023 stable Swiss Federal Statistical Office
Belgium 1.7 2023 stable Eurostat
Spain 1.7 2023 falling INE Spain
United Kingdom 1.7 2022 falling ONS
Austria 1.6 2023 rising Eurostat
Norway 1.6 2023 falling Eurostat
Poland 1.6 2024 stable Eurostat
Portugal 1.6 2023 stable Eurostat
Germany 1.5 2023 falling Eurostat
Greece 1.5 2023 stable Eurostat
Japan 1.5 2022 falling MHLW Japan
New Zealand 1.5 2023 falling Stats NZ
Serbia 1.5 2023 stable Eurostat
Slovakia 1.5 2023 stable Eurostat
Brazil 1.4 2022 stable IBGE
Bulgaria 1.4 2023 stable Eurostat
Netherlands 1.4 2023 rising Eurostat
Croatia 1.3 2024 stable Eurostat
Italy 1.3 2024 falling Eurostat
Romania 1.2 2023 stable Eurostat
Slovenia 1 2024 stable Eurostat
Ireland 0.7 2017 stable Eurostat (latest available)
Colombia 0.6 2022 low OECD Family Database
India 0.1 2022 very low UN Demographic Yearbook (estimate)

Rates per 1,000 population. Sources: Rosstat, Eurostat, UN Demographic Yearbook, OECD, and national statistics offices (2022–2024)

Child Custody Outcomes

According to the Census Bureau (P60-285, 2022 data), approximately 78% of custodial parents are mothers and 22% are fathers. The share of custodial fathers has been rising — up from 16% in 1994 to 21.8% in 2022. About 30.5% of noncustodial parents have some form of joint custody arrangement.

78.2%
21.8%
Mother as Custodial Parent (78.2%) Father as Custodial Parent (21.8%)

78.2%

Mother as custodial parent

Approximately 10.9 million custodial mothers out of 13.9 million custodial parents total

21.8%

Father as custodial parent

Up from 16% in 1994 and 20.1% in 2017; trend toward more father custody continues

30.5%

Joint custody arrangements

Share of noncustodial parents with some form of joint custody

Source: Census Bureau CPS Child Support Supplement (P60-285, 2022 data, published August 2025). "Custodial parent" = the parent with whom the child primarily resides.

Divorce Rates by Race and Sex

First divorce rates vary significantly by race, ethnicity, and sex. Women consistently have higher first divorce rates than men across all groups. Black non-Hispanic adults have the highest rates, while Asian non-Hispanic adults have the lowest.

Group Male Rate Female Rate
Total 11.5 13.4
White non-Hispanic 10.3 12.2
Black non-Hispanic 21.3 25.7
Hispanic 11.7 13.1
Asian non-Hispanic 6.4 7.9

First divorce rates per 1,000 married persons (2023). Source: BGSU National Center for Family & Marriage Research (FP-25-02), using ACS 1-year estimates.

Child Support in the United States

Child support amounts vary significantly based on income, custody arrangements, and state guidelines. Not all custodial parents owed support actually receive it — compliance remains a persistent issue.

Avg. Received

$441/mo

$5,292 per year

Received Any Payment

75.5%

Of parents owed support

Received Nothing

24.5%

Of parents owed support

Total Collected

$20.2 billion

Nationally (FY 2023)

Actual payment amounts depend on parental income, number of children, custody time split, and your state's guideline formula. Use our calculator for a personalized estimate.

Source: Census Bureau P60-285 (2022 data, published August 2025) for compliance rates; SIPP (2021 data, published 2023) for average payments; OCSE FY 2023 for total collections.

Estimate Your Child Support →

Remarriage Rates

Men remarry at nearly twice the rate of women overall (34.4 vs. 18.5 per 1,000 previously married). The exception is the 18–29 age group, where women remarry at significantly higher rates. Both remarriage rates have declined since 2008.

Age Group Male Rate Female Rate
Total (all ages) 34.4 18.5
Age 18–29 68.7 100.4
Age 30–44 73.2 42.3
Age 45–54 36.9 17.6
Age 55–64 21.9 9.9
Age 65+ 11.5 3.3

Remarriage rates per 1,000 previously married persons (2023). Source: BGSU National Center for Family & Marriage Research (FP-25-03), using ACS 1-year estimates.

Average Divorce Costs by State

The cost of divorce depends heavily on whether it is contested or uncontested, and on attorney fees in your area. Filing fees alone range from $50 (Mississippi) to $450 (California). The overall average ranges from $6,170 (Montana) to $14,435 (California). For an interactive visual breakdown, see our divorce cost map.

Uncontested (with lawyer)

~$4,100

National average (Nolo 2019 survey)

Contested (trial)

$15,000–$28,500

National average range

All 50 States — Filing Fees & Costs
State Filing Fee Uncontested Contested Avg. Overall
Alabama $200–$350 $3,800 $22,400 $10,400
Alaska $250 $3,800 $22,100 $10,288
Arizona $320–$380 $3,800 $22,100 $10,280
Arkansas $100–$165 $3,000 $17,600 $8,165
California $435–$450 $4,500 $26,300 $14,435
Colorado $230–$350 $3,600 $21,000 $11,230
Connecticut $350–$360 $4,500 $26,600 $12,360
Delaware $165 $4,400 $26,200 $12,165
Florida $380–$430 $4,100 $24,100 $10,409
Georgia $200–$400 $3,500 $20,500 $11,400
Hawaii $250 $3,400 $19,900 $9,240
Idaho $154 $3,000 $17,600 $8,181
Illinois $289–$388 $4,200 $25,000 $10,334
Indiana $157 $3,400 $19,700 $9,157
Iowa $185 $3,400 $19,800 $9,184
Kansas $195 $3,100 $18,100 $8,400
Kentucky $148–$153 $3,000 $17,500 $8,151
Louisiana $150–$350 $3,700 $22,000 $10,200
Maine $120 $3,000 $17,500 $8,120
Maryland $165–$195 $4,100 $24,000 $11,165
Massachusetts $200–$215 $4,700 $27,800 $12,200
Michigan $175–$255 $3,300 $19,500 $10,215
Minnesota $400–$420 $3,400 $20,200 $9,365
Mississippi $50 $3,100 $18,100 $8,400
Missouri $100–$300 $3,700 $21,900 $10,184
Montana $85–$170 $2,300 $13,300 $6,170
Nebraska $158–$164 $3,000 $17,600 $8,158
Nevada $217–$299 $3,800 $22,100 $10,258
New Hampshire $251 $3,400 $20,200 $9,400
New Jersey $300–$325 $4,600 $27,200 $12,300
New Mexico $137 $2,400 $14,300 $6,637
New York $210–$335 $4,800 $28,500 $13,835
North Carolina $225 $3,400 $20,200 $10,113
North Dakota $80 $3,000 $17,400 $8,080
Ohio $200–$350 $3,200 $19,800 $9,350
Oklahoma $180–$280 $3,400 $19,800 $9,183
Oregon $287 $3,800 $22,200 $10,301
Pennsylvania $300–$350 $3,700 $21,500 $11,202
Rhode Island $160 $3,800 $22,400 $10,400
South Carolina $150 $3,700 $21,800 $10,150
South Dakota $95 $3,100 $18,500 $8,595
Tennessee $184–$400 $3,600 $20,900 $9,722
Texas $250–$400 $3,900 $22,000 $12,792
Utah $333–$360 $3,900 $23,100 $10,725
Vermont $79–$295 $3,300 $19,600 $9,090
Virginia $86–$100 $3,100 $19,000 $11,584
Washington $280–$314 $4,000 $23,500 $10,314
West Virginia $135 $3,000 $17,500 $8,134
Wisconsin $184 $3,200 $18,700 $8,690
Wyoming $70–$85 $3,300 $19,500 $9,085

Filing fees: state court fee schedules (2025). Cost estimates: Martindale-Nolo consumer survey (2019) and Self.inc 2025 analysis. Attorney rates: Clio/LawPay (2023).

Estimate Your Divorce Costs →

Divorce Timelines and Waiting Periods

How long divorce takes depends on your state's mandatory waiting period and whether the case is contested. Eleven states have no waiting period, while North Carolina and Virginia require a full year of separation. Florida's 20-day wait is among the shortest.

All 50 States + D.C. — Waiting Periods & Timelines
State Waiting Period Uncontested Contested Statute
Alabama 30 days 4–8 weeks 8–14 months Ala. Code § 30-2-8.1
Alaska 30 days 4–8 weeks 6–12 months AS 25.24.220
Arizona 60 days 8–12 weeks 8–16 months A.R.S. § 25-329
Arkansas 30 days 4–8 weeks 8–14 months A.C.A. § 9-12-307
California 180 days 8–12 weeks 12–18 months Cal. Fam. Code § 2339
Colorado 91 days 12–16 weeks 10–16 months C.R.S. § 14-10-106(1)(a)(III)
Connecticut 90 days 12–16 weeks 10–18 months Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-67
Delaware None 8–12 weeks 10–18 months Del. Code tit. 13 § 1505
District of Columbia 30 days 4–8 weeks 6–12 months D.C. Code § 16-920
Florida 20 days 4–8 weeks 8–14 months Fla. Stat. § 61.19
Georgia 30 days 4–8 weeks 8–12 months O.C.G.A. § 19-5-3
Hawaii None 6–10 weeks 6–12 months HRS § 580-41
Idaho 21 days 4–6 weeks 6–12 months Idaho Code § 32-716
Illinois None 4–8 weeks 10–18 months 750 ILCS 5/401
Indiana 60 days 8–12 weeks 8–16 months IC § 31-15-2-10
Iowa 90 days 12–16 weeks 10–18 months Iowa Code § 598.19
Kansas 60 days 8–12 weeks 8–14 months K.S.A. § 23-2708
Kentucky 60 days 8–12 weeks 6–12 months KRS § 403.044; KRS § 403.170
Louisiana 180 days 26–30 weeks 12–24 months La. Civ. Code art. 103
Maine 60 days 8–12 weeks 8–14 months Me. R. Civ. P. 113
Maryland None 4–8 weeks 8–14 months Md. Code Fam. Law § 7-103
Massachusetts 120 days 14–20 weeks 14–24 months Mass.gov (30-day delay + 90-day nisi)
Michigan 60 days 8–12 weeks 10–18 months MCL 552.9f
Minnesota None 2–6 weeks 6–18 months Minn. Stat. § 518.13
Mississippi 60 days 8–12 weeks 8–16 months Miss. Code § 93-5-2
Missouri 30 days 4–8 weeks 8–14 months Mo. Rev. Stat. § 452.305
Montana 21 days 4–6 weeks 6–12 months Mont. Code § 40-4-104
Nebraska 60 days 8–12 weeks 8–14 months Neb. Rev. Stat. § 42-363
Nevada None 4–6 weeks 6–12 months NRS § 125.010
New Hampshire None 4–8 weeks 6–14 months RSA § 458:5
New Jersey None 8–12 weeks 12–24 months N.J.S.A. 2A:34-2
New Mexico 30 days 4–8 weeks 6–12 months NMSA § 40-4-5
New York None 6–12 weeks 12–24 months NY Dom. Rel. Law § 170
North Carolina 365 days 54–58 weeks 14–20 months N.C.G.S. § 50-6
North Dakota None 4–8 weeks 6–12 months N.D.C.C. § 14-05-17
Ohio 30 days 6–10 weeks 8–14 months Ohio Rev. Code § 3105.64
Oklahoma 10 days 4–8 weeks 8–14 months 43 O.S. § 107.1
Oregon 90 days 12–16 weeks 10–18 months ORS § 107.065
Pennsylvania 90 days 12–16 weeks 12–24 months 23 Pa.C.S. § 3301(c)
Rhode Island 90 days 12–16 weeks 10–18 months R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-5-12
South Carolina 90 days 12–16 weeks 10–18 months S.C. Code § 20-3-80
South Dakota 60 days 8–12 weeks 6–12 months SDCL § 25-4-34
Tennessee 60 days 8–12 weeks 8–16 months Tenn. Code § 36-4-103
Texas 60 days 8–10 weeks 10–18 months Tex. Fam. Code § 6.702
Utah 30 days 4–8 weeks 6–14 months Utah Code § 30-3-18
Vermont 90 days 12–16 weeks 10–18 months 15 V.S.A. § 592
Virginia 365 days 54–58 weeks 14–20 months Va. Code § 20-91
Washington 90 days 12–16 weeks 10–18 months RCW 26.09.030
West Virginia None 4–8 weeks 8–14 months W. Va. Code § 48-5-201
Wisconsin 120 days 16–20 weeks 10–18 months Wis. Stat. § 767.335
Wyoming 20 days 4–6 weeks 6–12 months Wyo. Stat. § 20-2-108

Waiting periods verified against state statutes (2025). Notable: Michigan 60/180 days (without/with children); Louisiana 180/365 days; Oklahoma 10/90 days. D.C. eliminated separation requirements Jan 2024; Maryland Oct 2023.

Download the Dataset

All the data on this page is available as free, open CSV files on GitHub — 8 datasets covering rates, trends, custody, costs, timelines, demographics, and remarriage. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.

View on GitHub

Free to use with attribution · CC BY 4.0 License

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the current U.S. divorce rate?
The national divorce rate is approximately 2.4 per 1,000 population (provisional 2023 data from the CDC's National Vital Statistics System, based on 45 reporting states and D.C.). This has declined 40% from 4.0 per 1,000 in 2000. The rate varies by state, from 0.9 in Louisiana to 3.8 in Nevada among reporting states.
What percentage of marriages end in divorce?
The commonly cited "50% of marriages end in divorce" figure is outdated. Current research from the National Center for Family & Marriage Research suggests the first divorce rate is approximately 11.5 per 1,000 married men and 13.4 per 1,000 married women (2023 ACS data), and has been declining since the 1980s. Marriages that began in the 2000s have lower divorce rates than those from the 1970s and 1980s.
Which state has the highest divorce rate?
Among states that report divorce data to the CDC, Nevada has the highest divorce rate at 3.8 per 1,000 population (2023), followed by Idaho and Wyoming (both 3.4). Note that five states — California, Hawaii, Indiana, Minnesota, and New Mexico — do not report divorce data to the CDC. Southern and western states generally have higher divorce rates than northeastern states.
How much does the average divorce cost?
The average divorce cost varies significantly by state: from $6,170 in Montana to $14,435 in California. Nationally, an uncontested divorce with a lawyer costs about $4,100, while contested divorces average $15,000 to $28,500 depending on the state and complexity. Filing fees alone range from $50 (Mississippi) to $450 (California). Use our divorce cost estimator for a personalized breakdown.
What is the average child support payment?
According to the Census Bureau (2021 SIPP data, published 2023), custodial parents who received child support payments received an average of $441 per month ($5,292 annually). Updated 2022 data from the CPS (P60-285, published August 2025) shows a mean annual payment of $3,114 and that 75.5% of custodial parents owed support received at least some payment, while 24.5% received nothing. Use our child support calculator to estimate payments for your situation.
Who gets custody of children in a divorce?
According to the Census Bureau (CPS Child Support Supplement, P60-285, 2022 data published August 2025), approximately 78% of custodial parents are mothers and 22% are fathers. The share of custodial fathers has been increasing — up from 16% in 1994 to 20.1% in 2017 to 21.8% in 2022. About 30% of noncustodial parents have some form of joint custody arrangement. Many states have moved toward shared parenting presumptions.
How long does a divorce take?
An uncontested divorce typically takes 4 to 20 weeks depending on the state, while contested divorces can take 6 to 24 months. Many states require mandatory waiting periods: 11 states have no waiting period, while North Carolina and Virginia require a full year of separation. Florida's 20-day wait is among the shortest. The timeline depends on case complexity, court backlogs, and whether issues like custody and property division are resolved.
Where does this data come from?
The statistics on this page are compiled from official government and research sources including the CDC's National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) for divorce and marriage rates, the U.S. Census Bureau (P60-285, CPS-CSS and SIPP) for custody and child support data, BGSU National Center for Family & Marriage Research for demographic and remarriage data, state court administrative offices for waiting periods and timelines, and Martindale-Nolo/Self.inc for cost estimates. The full dataset is available on GitHub under CC BY 4.0.

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