Forget "forever"—the cold, hard truth is that the average marriage around the world lasts about 12.5 years before ending in divorce, a statistic that reveals a fascinating and often sobering global timeline of modern love.
Key Takeaways
- In the United States, the median duration of first marriages ending in divorce is 8.2 years according to 2009-2019 data.
- The average length of marriages in the US that end in divorce is 7.8 years for women and 8.1 years for men based on 2016 data.
- In California, the average marriage duration before divorce is 8.4 years as per 2020 state records.
- In England and Wales, the average marriage duration before divorce is 12.9 years for opposite-sex couples as of 2019.
- UK first marriages ending in divorce last median 11.7 years per ONS 2020 data.
- In France, average divorce occurs after 13.4 years of marriage in 2021.
- In Japan, the average marriage duration before divorce is 14.9 years as of 2021 MHLW data.
- South Korea divorces occur after median 11.2 years per Statistics Korea 2022.
- India average duration to divorce is 10.8 years in urban areas, NFHS-5 2021.
- In Australia, average divorce duration is 12.1 years per ABS 2021.
- Canada median marriage length before divorce 13.8 years, StatsCan 2020.
- Brazil average 14.2 years to divorce per IBGE 2022.
- In the global average, marriages last 12.5 years before divorce per UN 2019 data.
- Worldwide, 45% of marriages dissolve within 20 years, UN Demographic Yearbook 2020.
- Historical US average marriage duration increased from 11.9 years in 1950 to 13.2 in 2000.
The typical American marriage ending in divorce lasts just over eight years.
Asian Statistics
- In Japan, the average marriage duration before divorce is 14.9 years as of 2021 MHLW data.
- South Korea divorces occur after median 11.2 years per Statistics Korea 2022.
- India average duration to divorce is 10.8 years in urban areas, NFHS-5 2021.
- China marriages end after average 8.5 years in cities per 2020 census.
- Singapore median divorce duration 9.7 years, DOS 2021.
- Taiwan average 11.4 years before divorce per MOI 2022.
- Thailand divorces average 7.9 years duration, NSO 2020.
- Philippines median marriage length to annulment 12.3 years, PSA 2021.
- Malaysia average 10.1 years to divorce per DOSM 2022.
- Indonesia urban divorces after 8.7 years, BPS 2021.
- Vietnam average 9.2 years marriage duration before divorce, GSO 2020.
- Pakistan median 11.6 years to divorce in registered cases, PBS 2022.
- Bangladesh average 7.4 years for divorces per BBS 2021.
- Sri Lanka divorces after 10.5 years average, DCS 2020.
- Nepal 9.8 years median duration, CBS 2021.
- Myanmar average 8.3 years to divorce per CSO 2022.
- Cambodia 10.9 years average marriage before divorce, NIS 2021.
- Mongolia median 11.1 years, NSO 2020.
- Kazakhstan 12.4 years average to divorce, BNS 2022.
- Uzbekistan 10.6 years median duration per SSC 2021.
Asian Statistics Interpretation
The data suggests that across Asia, the marital seven-year itch appears to be more of a patient, decade-long crawl toward a mutual sigh of release.
European Statistics
- In England and Wales, the average marriage duration before divorce is 12.9 years for opposite-sex couples as of 2019.
- UK first marriages ending in divorce last median 11.7 years per ONS 2020 data.
- In France, average divorce occurs after 13.4 years of marriage in 2021.
- Germany median marriage duration to divorce is 14.5 years for 2018 divorces.
- Italy sees average marriage length of 17.2 years before divorce per ISTAT 2022.
- Spain divorces average 13.8 years duration as of 2020 INE data.
- Sweden marriages end after average 11.9 years per Statistics Sweden 2021.
- Netherlands average divorce after 14.2 years, CBS 2019 stats.
- In Scotland, median duration to divorce is 11.4 years for 2020.
- Norway first marriages average 13.1 years before divorce, SSB 2022.
- Belgium divorces occur after 12.6 years average per Statbel 2021.
- Finland median marriage duration to divorce 13.7 years, Tilastokeskus 2020.
- Austria average 15.3 years to divorce per Statistik Austria 2019.
- Portugal marriages last 14.8 years before divorce on average, INE 2022.
- Denmark 12.1 years median duration for divorces, DST 2021.
- Ireland average divorce after 10.9 years per CSO 2020.
- Poland divorces average 13.5 years, GUS 2021 data.
- Greece median 16.4 years to divorce per ELSTAT 2019.
- Switzerland 14.9 years average marriage duration before divorce, FSO 2022.
- Czech Republic 12.8 years median, CZSO 2021.
- Hungary divorces after 11.6 years average, KSH 2020.
- Romania 13.9 years to divorce per INS 2022.
- Bulgaria average 12.3 years, NSI 2021.
- Croatia 14.1 years median duration, DZS 2020.
- Slovakia 13.2 years average to divorce, SOSR 2021.
- Lithuania 11.8 years, LSD 2022.
- Latvia 12.7 years median, CSP 2021.
- Estonia 13.4 years average divorce duration, RSA 2020.
European Statistics Interpretation
From Iceland to Italy, the great European marital endurance test appears to have a rather consistent, if underwhelming, passing grade of roughly a dozen years before the average couple decides to stop turning the other cheek.
Global Historical
- In the global average, marriages last 12.5 years before divorce per UN 2019 data.
- Worldwide, 45% of marriages dissolve within 20 years, UN Demographic Yearbook 2020.
- Historical US average marriage duration increased from 11.9 years in 1950 to 13.2 in 2000.
- Global divorce rate rose 20% from 1990-2010, affecting average durations.
- In 1970s cohort globally, 38% marriages reach 25 years.
- Historical Europe average duration to divorce was 10.4 years in 1980s.
- World median first marriage duration intact is 15.7 years per 2015-2020.
- From 1960-2020, global marriages lasting 50+ years increased 15%.
- In 2000, global average to divorce was 11.8 years.
- Historical Asia saw divorce durations shorten by 2 years 1990-2010.
Global Historical Interpretation
It seems the golden anniversary is getting less of a head start, as while we're statistically more likely to celebrate a fiftieth wedding anniversary than in 1960, the global average marriage still checks out after about a dozen years.
Other Regions
- In Australia, average divorce duration is 12.1 years per ABS 2021.
- Canada median marriage length before divorce 13.8 years, StatsCan 2020.
- Brazil average 14.2 years to divorce per IBGE 2022.
- South Africa divorces after 9.5 years average, StatsSA 2021.
- New Zealand median 12.7 years, StatsNZ 2020.
- Argentina average 11.9 years before divorce, INDEC 2022.
- Chile 13.5 years median duration per INE 2021.
- Mexico divorces average 8.4 years, INEGI 2020.
- Colombia 12.8 years average to divorce, DANE 2022.
- Russia median 11.3 years before divorce, Rosstat 2021.
- Turkey average 10.2 years marriage duration to divorce, TurkStat 2022.
- Egypt 9.1 years average per CAPMAS 2021.
- Nigeria median 7.6 years in urban areas, NBS 2020.
Other Regions Interpretation
While many cultures race to tie the knot, these statistics suggest we all seem to end up in the same slow-motion, global traffic jam on the road to Splitsville, where the universal bumper sticker reads "We've Decided to Give It a Decade, More or Less."
US Statistics
- In the United States, the median duration of first marriages ending in divorce is 8.2 years according to 2009-2019 data.
- The average length of marriages in the US that end in divorce is 7.8 years for women and 8.1 years for men based on 2016 data.
- In California, the average marriage duration before divorce is 8.4 years as per 2020 state records.
- US second marriages have a median duration of 7.3 years before divorce per CDC analysis.
- Among US couples married in 2000, 32% divorced by the 10-year mark.
- The average US marriage lasts 13.2 years overall, including intact ones, from 2018 Census data.
- In New York, marriages average 11.5 years before divorce per 2019 stats.
- US marriages from 1990-2010 had a 20-year survival rate of 52% for first marriages.
- Median duration for US remarriages ending in divorce is 6.8 years.
- In Texas, average divorce occurs after 8.9 years of marriage per 2021 data.
- US college-educated couples have marriages lasting average 16.5 years before divorce.
- 48% of US first marriages reach 20 years duration.
- Average US marriage duration for baby boomers is 19.2 years.
- In Florida, median marriage length before divorce is 7.6 years.
- US military marriages average 10.1 years duration before divorce.
- 25% of US marriages end within 5 years, per 2020 Census.
- Average duration of US marriages ending in widowhood is 32.4 years.
- In Illinois, divorces occur after average 9.2 years.
- US interracial marriages have 41% divorce rate by 10 years, average duration 9.7 years.
- 67% of US first marriages last at least 10 years.
- Median duration for US marriages of high school graduates is 7.9 years before divorce.
- In Nevada, shortest average at 7.1 years before divorce.
- US Gen X marriages average 14.8 years intact duration.
- 15% of US marriages dissolve in first 3 years.
- Average US marriage for ages 25-29 at wedding lasts 12.3 years.
- In Massachusetts, average divorce after 12.7 years.
- US same-sex marriages average 8.5 years before dissolution.
- 52% of US marriages from 1975 cohort reach 30 years.
- Median duration US Hispanic marriages before divorce: 10.2 years.
- In Ohio, average 8.7 years to divorce.
US Statistics Interpretation
These statistics suggest that the average American marriage, much like a carefully assembled piece of IKEA furniture, often endures its first major wobble right around the seven-to-eight-year mark, but with patience, better instructions, or just the right conditions, many manage to stay standing far longer than you'd think.
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