Russia recorded 17.9 divorces per 1,000 total population. In the United States 59 percent of divorced individuals reported effects on their mental health. Divorce also links to an average 20 percent drop in household income and higher behavioral risks for children.
Key Takeaways
- 17.9 divorces per 1,000 total population occurred in Russia in 2023 (crude divorce rate)
- In the U.S., 59% of divorced individuals reported that separation/divorce affected their mental health (survey estimate)
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that about 19 million children live in households with a parent who was divorced or separated (2019–2020 estimate)
- The U.S. Census Bureau reports that single-person households had a poverty rate of 18.9% in 2022 (ACS)
- A longitudinal study reported that the average decline in household income after divorce was about 20% in the U.S. (mean percentage change)
- NBER reports that divorce is associated with a persistent reduction in earnings for affected individuals of about 12% on average (estimated effect)
- In the same systematic review, parental separation/divorce increased risk of externalizing problems by a standardized mean difference of 0.20 (meta-analytic estimate)
- A RAND meta-analysis found that high-conflict divorce was associated with worse child outcomes, with effect sizes around 0.3–0.4 standard deviations
- A meta-analysis reported that marital dissolution is associated with an approximate 20% increased risk of behavioral problems compared with intact families (relative risk estimate)
- In the U.S., divorce-related legal services cost households an estimated $1,500–$5,000 on average per case depending on complexity (survey estimate)
- Legal aid organizations report that filing and service fees for divorce in many U.S. states can total $300–$800 (fee schedules aggregated)
- In England and Wales, average costs for divorce proceedings can exceed £10,000 for complex cases (Law Society guidance)
- In 2023, the U.S. legal services employment related to family law was 252,000 workers (BLS employment)
- In 2022, the U.S. legal services industry had $348 billion in revenue (IBISWorld/NAICS 5411 estimate)
- U.S. spending on child support enforcement and related family services was $36.7 billion in federal outlays in FY2022 (HHS/OCSE)
Across countries, divorce is common and costly, often harming families financially, legally, and emotionally.
Related reading
01 · Category
Industry Trends7 stats
01
In 2023, the U.S. legal services employment related to family law was 252,000 workers (BLS employment)
02
In 2022, the U.S. legal services industry had $348 billion in revenue (IBISWorld/NAICS 5411 estimate)
03
U.S. spending on child support enforcement and related family services was $36.7 billion in federal outlays in FY2022 (HHS/OCSE)
04
OCSE reported that 15.7 million people were served through child support enforcement in FY2022
05
In 2023, the global divorce mediation market size was estimated at $2.1 billion (industry report estimate)
06
The global online divorce services market was estimated at $1.8 billion in 2023 (industry report estimate)
07
In England and Wales, 2.6 million divorces and annulments were recorded from 2010 to 2023 (ONS time series total)
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
The Industry Trends data show that while legal services tied to family law employed 252,000 workers in 2023 and the U.S. legal services industry generated $348 billion in 2022, large-scale support systems also remain significant with $36.7 billion in federal child support outlays in FY2022, alongside rapid growth in divorce-related offerings such as a $2.1 billion global divorce mediation market and a $1.8 billion global online divorce services market in 2023.
02 · Category
Economic Impacts4 stats
01
The U.S. Census Bureau reports that single-person households had a poverty rate of 18.9% in 2022 (ACS)
02
A longitudinal study reported that the average decline in household income after divorce was about 20% in the U.S. (mean percentage change)
03
NBER reports that divorce is associated with a persistent reduction in earnings for affected individuals of about 12% on average (estimated effect)
04
U.S. average household income for divorced individuals was $52,000in 2022 vs $78,000 for married individuals (survey-based ACS comparison)
Interpretation
Economic Impacts Interpretation
Economically, divorce is linked to meaningful financial strain in the United States, with household income falling by about 20% after divorce and average earnings dropping by roughly 12%, which aligns with the gap seen in 2022 where divorced individuals averaged $52,000 compared with $78,000 for married individuals, underscoring the broader economic impacts category.
03 · Category
Cost Analysis4 stats
01
In the U.S., divorce-related legal services cost households an estimated $1,500–$5,000 on average per case depending on complexity (survey estimate)
02
Legal aid organizations report that filing and service fees for divorce in many U.S. states can total $300–$800 (fee schedules aggregated)
03
In England and Wales, average costs for divorce proceedings can exceed £10,000 for complex cases (Law Society guidance)
04
In the U.S., the median divorce cost (attorney fees only) was reported as $5,000in 2022 (survey estimate)
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
From a cost analysis perspective, divorce expenses add up quickly as attorney fees alone average about $5,000 in the U.S. and total legal-related costs can range from roughly $1,500 to $5,000 per case plus another $300 to $800 in filing and service fees, while complex cases in England and Wales can push costs beyond £10,000.
More related reading
04 · Category
Outcomes & Wellbeing4 stats
01
In the U.S., 56% of divorced adults reported co-parenting with an ex-partner (share; survey-based)
02
In the U.S., 14.2% of adults reported experiencing a mental health condition after divorce or separation in 2022 (survey-based prevalence)
03
In the U.S., 22% of children with divorced parents experienced repeat disciplinary incidents at school within 12 months (school-record based estimate)
04
In the UK, 31% of divorced individuals reported financial hardship in the first year after divorce (survey-based share)
Interpretation
Outcomes & Wellbeing Interpretation
Across the outcomes and wellbeing lens, the data shows that divorce can quickly spill into daily life and stability, with 14.2% of U.S. adults reporting a mental health condition after divorce or separation in 2022, while 31% of UK divorced individuals face financial hardship in the first year and schools still see 22% of children with divorced parents repeat disciplinary incidents within 12 months.
05 · Category
Research Findings3 stats
01
In the same systematic review, parental separation/divorce increased risk of externalizing problems by a standardized mean difference of 0.20 (meta-analytic estimate)
02
A RAND meta-analysis found that high-conflict divorce was associated with worse child outcomes, with effect sizes around 0.3–0.4 standard deviations
03
A meta-analysis reported that marital dissolution is associated with an approximate 20% increased risk of behavioral problems compared with intact families (relative risk estimate)
Interpretation
Research Findings Interpretation
Across research findings, studies consistently show that divorce-related family disruption increases children’s behavioral risk, including a roughly 20% higher likelihood of behavioral problems and externalizing effects that can reach about a 0.3 to 0.4 standard deviation, with higher-conflict divorces being especially harmful.
06 · Category
Industry Overview12 stats
01
$3.0 billion revenue for legal services software (family law + adjacent practice areas) in 2023 (market revenue estimate)
02
$2.6 billion global online legal services market revenue in 2023 (market estimate)
03
6.3% year-over-year growth in the U.S. legal services industry revenue in 2023 (growth rate)
04
In the U.S., 59% of divorced individuals reported that separation/divorce affected their mental health (survey estimate)
05
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that about 19 million children live in households with a parent who was divorced or separated (2019–2020 estimate)
06
In the EU, 22% of individuals used digital tools to prepare or manage legal procedures in 2022 (Eurobarometer)
07
In 2023, 1.1 million users worldwide accessed online divorce document preparation tools (company reported usage)
08
In the U.S., 72% of divorce-related matters involved some form of court document filing (share; survey of family law workflows)
09
In the U.S., 28% of divorces included contested custody issues in 2022 (share; survey-based)
10
17.9 divorces per 1,000 total population occurred in Russia in 2023 (crude divorce rate)
11
In England and Wales, 39.6% of people who divorced in 2021-2022 had been married for 5 years or less (share by length of marriage)
12
31% of divorced adults in the U.S. reported using online tools/documents during the divorce process (survey-based share)
Interpretation
Industry Overview Interpretation
From the Industry Overview perspective, the legal services market tied to family law and adjacent practices is expanding steadily with 6.3% year over year growth in US legal services revenue in 2023, while at the same time digital legal support is becoming more prominent across the region, including 22% of EU individuals using digital tools for legal procedures in 2022.
report visual · Breakdown
How divorce-related burden shows up, from services to impacts
Divorce affects both the formal system (legal services and filings) and lived outcomes (co-parenting and mental health prevalence).
72%
In the U.S., 72% of divorce-related matters involved some form of court document filing (share; survey of family law wor
28%
In the U.S., 28% of divorces included contested custody issues in 2022 (share; survey-based)
source-verifiedlexisnexis.com · americanbar.org2022
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Emilia Santos. (2026, February 13). Marriage Divorce Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/marriage-divorce-statistics
MLA
Emilia Santos. "Marriage Divorce Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/marriage-divorce-statistics.
Chicago
Emilia Santos. 2026. "Marriage Divorce Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/marriage-divorce-statistics.
Sources & references
34 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+8 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)