While marriages might begin with "forever" in mind, the numbers tell a more complex story, with the average marriage in the United States lasting just over eight years before ending in divorce.
Key Takeaways
- In the United States, the average duration of first marriages ending in divorce between 2000 and 2021 was 8.2 years according to CDC data
- The median length of marriages in the US that ended in divorce in 2019 was 8 years, with 45% lasting less than 5 years
- US Bureau of Census reports that in 2018, 40% of marriages dissolved before 10 years, averaging 7.9 years for divorces
- In California 2022, median duration of divorces was 12.4 years for first marriages
- Texas 2021 vital stats: average marriage length before divorce 9.8 years
- New York 2020: median divorce duration 11.2 years per court records
- In Australia 2021, median marriage duration before divorce was 12.1 years per ABS
- UK ONS 2022: average divorce after 12.9 years of marriage
- Canada 2020 StatsCan: median duration 14.3 years for divorces
- In US, marriages where bride under 18 last avg 6.4 years before divorce per CDC
- College-educated US couples have 78% 10-year survival, avg duration 15+ years
- Black Americans: avg marriage to divorce 7.8 years vs 9.2 for whites per Census
- Historical US 1950s marriages averaged 20+ years due to low divorce
- US divorce duration shortened from 9.5 years in 1980 to 8.0 in 2020
- 1970s US peak divorce era saw avg 7.4 years to divorce
Most marriages in the US that end in divorce last about eight years.
Demographic Breakdowns
- In US, marriages where bride under 18 last avg 6.4 years before divorce per CDC
- College-educated US couples have 78% 10-year survival, avg duration 15+ years
- Black Americans: avg marriage to divorce 7.8 years vs 9.2 for whites per Census
- US Hispanic marriages avg 9.5 years before divorce 2020
- Men marrying after 25 see 10-year success 65%, avg duration 12.3 years
- US women over 30 at marriage: avg duration exceeds 14 years per Pew
- Interracial US marriages last avg 11.7 years vs 9.8 same-race
- High-income US households: 20-year survival 70%, avg long duration
- US rural marriages avg 10.2 years to divorce vs 8.1 urban
- LGBTQ+ US marriages avg 12.5 years stability per 2022 Gallup
- US military marriages avg 9.9 years before divorce
- Religious US couples (evangelical): 15-year avg duration higher
- US teen parent marriages avg 5.9 years to divorce
- Asian American US marriages: 16.5% divorce rate, avg duration 14.8 years
- US couples with children: avg 11.2 years vs childless 7.4
- Older US remarriages (50+): avg 8.7 years duration
- US immigrant marriages avg 12.1 years stability
- Blue-collar US workers: avg divorce at 7.2 years
- US Jewish marriages: lowest divorce, avg over 20 years
- Single mother prior marriages avg 6.8 years in US
- US Northeast region demographics show avg 11.0 years marriage length
Demographic Breakdowns Interpretation
The statistics paint a modern marital landscape where success seems less about finding a soulmate and more about strategically assembling a demographic dossier—complete with a degree, a delayed ceremony, a healthy bank balance, and a penchant for either northeastern winters or interracial love.
Historical and Trend Data
- Historical US 1950s marriages averaged 20+ years due to low divorce
- US divorce duration shortened from 9.5 years in 1980 to 8.0 in 2020
- 1970s US peak divorce era saw avg 7.4 years to divorce
- Post-WWII US marriages lasted avg 25 years, dropping to 12 by 1990s
- 1990 Census: US avg divorce at 8.8 years amid rising rates
- 2000s trend: millennial delay marriage, increasing avg duration to 9.1 years
- US 1960s: avg marriage length before divorce 8.5 years rising norms
- COVID-19 2020-2022: US divorces delayed, avg duration up 10% to 8.9 years
- 1980s US no-fault divorce laws reduced avg to 7.6 years
- Long-term trend: US 10-year survival from 62% in 1975 to 70% in 2015
- 2010s decline in divorces increased avg US marriage length to 9.2 years
- Historical 1920 US: avg divorce duration 6.2 years rare occurrences
- 1940s wartime US marriages short avg 5.8 years high dissolution
- 2015-2020 trend: online dating marriages last avg 10.3 years longer
- US Gen Z early data: marriages avg 11.5 years projected longer
- 1975 peak divorce year: avg duration 7.2 years US national
- Recession 2008: divorces dropped, avg duration extended to 8.7 years
- 1995 mid-90s US: avg 8.3 years stable post-boomer peak
- Baby boomer divorces late-life avg 18.4 years total duration 2010s
Historical and Trend Data Interpretation
The saga of American marriage is a rollercoaster of fleeting wartime flings and lengthy modern alliances, suggesting that while our commitment may waver, our ability to postpone the inevitable has impressively grown.
International Comparisons
- In Australia 2021, median marriage duration before divorce was 12.1 years per ABS
- UK ONS 2022: average divorce after 12.9 years of marriage
- Canada 2020 StatsCan: median duration 14.3 years for divorces
- Germany 2021 Destatis: average marriage length to divorce 15.3 years
- France 2022 INSEE: median 13.7 years before divorce
- Japan 2021 MHLW: average divorce duration 14.9 years
- India 2020 NCRB: rare divorces average 10.2 years in urban areas
- Brazil 2021 IBGE: median marriage to divorce 11.8 years
- South Korea 2022 Statistics Korea: average 12.5 years for divorces
- Sweden 2021 SCB: 13.2 years median duration to divorce
- Netherlands 2020 CBS: average 14.1 years before divorce
- Italy 2022 ISTAT: median 16.4 years for marriage dissolution
- Spain 2021 INE: average divorce after 13.6 years
- Russia 2020 Rosstat: short avg 7.9 years to divorce
- Mexico 2021 INEGI: median 12.7 years marriage duration before divorce
- South Africa 2022 StatsSA: average 11.4 years for divorces
- New Zealand 2021: 13.0 years median to divorce per StatsNZ
- Norway 2020 SSB: 14.8 years average duration
- Denmark 2022 DST: median 13.9 years before divorce
- Finland 2021 Tilastokeskus: average 14.2 years to divorce
International Comparisons Interpretation
From Australia's '12.1-year itch' to Italy's patient 16.4-year slow burn, the global data on divorce suggests that while many marriages start with 'forever' in mind, the reality for a significant number is a surprisingly specific, mid-life reassessment timed somewhere between a first mortgage and a second wind.
State-level Statistics
- In California 2022, median duration of divorces was 12.4 years for first marriages
- Texas 2021 vital stats: average marriage length before divorce 9.8 years
- New York 2020: median divorce duration 11.2 years per court records
- Florida 2019: 45% divorces within 7 years, avg 8.9 years
- Illinois 2022: average first marriage divorce at 10.5 years
- Nevada 2021: shortest state avg divorce duration 7.2 years due to quick filings
- Massachusetts 2020: median marriage length to divorce 12.1 years
- Pennsylvania 2019: avg 9.5 years for divorces per vital stats
- Ohio 2022: 40% end before 8 years, avg duration 9.0 years
- Georgia 2021: average divorce at 8.7 years
- Michigan 2020: median 10.2 years for first marriages
- North Carolina 2019: avg 9.3 years to divorce
- Washington state 2022: 11.8 years median duration
- Colorado 2021: average 8.4 years for divorces
- Arizona 2020: 42% within 6 years, avg 8.6 years
- Virginia 2019: median 10.9 years
- Oregon 2022: avg divorce duration 9.7 years
- New Jersey 2021: 12.0 years average for first marriages
- Minnesota 2020: median 11.5 years
- Wisconsin 2019: avg 9.2 years to divorce
- Indiana 2022: 8.8 years average duration
- Tennessee 2021: median 9.1 years
- Alabama 2020: avg 8.5 years for divorces
State-level Statistics Interpretation
The data suggests that while the national average for a marriage's expiration date hovers around the ten-year mark, the institution seems to be on a standard warranty that expires just after the seven-year itch, with some states offering a surprisingly robust extended warranty and others, like Nevada, favoring a speedy return policy.
US National Statistics
- In the United States, the average duration of first marriages ending in divorce between 2000 and 2021 was 8.2 years according to CDC data
- The median length of marriages in the US that ended in divorce in 2019 was 8 years, with 45% lasting less than 5 years
- US Bureau of Census reports that in 2018, 40% of marriages dissolved before 10 years, averaging 7.9 years for divorces
- National Center for Health Statistics indicates average US divorce duration in 2020 was 8.5 years amid pandemic delays
- From 2010-2019, US first marriage divorce average length was 8.3 years per NCHS vital stats
- CDC data shows 2021 US marriages ending in divorce averaged 8.1 years post-COVID recovery
- US average second marriage duration before divorce is 7.3 years according to 2017 Census analysis
- NCHS reports 35% of US divorces occur within 5 years, averaging 7.8 years overall in 2015-2020
- In 2016, US median divorce duration was 8.0 years for all marriages per vital statistics
- Census Bureau 2022 data: average US marriage length before divorce 8.4 years for millennials
- CDC 2014 report: US divorces average 8.2 years, with peak at 7-8 years
- National average US first marriage survival to 10 years is 68%, implying average divorce at 7.5 years
- 2023 provisional CDC data shows US divorce median at 8.3 years
- US marriages from 2008-2018 averaged 8.0 years to divorce per NCHS
- Census indicates 42% US divorces before 8 years average in 2020
- NCHS 2012 data: average US divorce duration 7.9 years for women initiating
- US national average third marriage duration before divorce is 5.8 years per 2019 studies
- CDC vital stats 2017: 38% US marriages end by year 6, avg duration 8.1 years
- 2013 Census: US average divorce at 8.2 years, 50% within 7 years
- NCHS 2022: post-pandemic US divorce avg rose to 8.6 years
- US Bureau 2011 data shows average marriage length to divorce 7.7 years
- CDC 2009: national avg 8.0 years for divorces
- 2005 NCHS: US divorces peak at 8 years average duration
- Census 2020: millennial US marriages avg 8.5 years to divorce
- NCHS 1990-2010 trend: average US divorce duration stable at 8.1 years
US National Statistics Interpretation
The data suggests that the modern American marriage, statistically speaking, is not a sprint but a middle-distance race where most couples seem to hit the wall somewhere just after the seven-year itch but well before a decent aluminum anniversary gift.
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