The US divorce rate has stabilized at 2.5 per 1,000 people. Yet 42% of first marriages still end in divorce within 15 years. The global picture varies dramatically, from 0.2 divorces per 1,000 in Vietnam to nearly 11 in the Maldives.
Key Takeaways
- The US divorce rate in 2021 was 2.5 per 1,000 population, down from 5.2 in 2001 but stable since 2010
- Approximately 42% of first marriages in the US end in divorce within 15 years, per 2022 NCHS analysis
- In the UK, divorce rate reached 9.9 per 100 married women in 2022, highest since 1995, driven by no-fault reforms
- Married US men earn 10-40% premium over singles, median $80,000 vs $65,000 household-adjusted 2022
- Divorce costs US economy $50 billion yearly in welfare, lost productivity per 2023 IFS estimate
- Married women in US have 20% higher lifetime earnings than single mothers per Census 2022
- Married individuals have 20% lower mortality risk than never-married, per Harvard 85-year study 2023 update
- US married men live 10 years longer than divorced, 7 years longer than never-married per CDC 2022
- Happy marriages reduce heart disease risk 25% via lower stress hormones per 2023 AHA
- Among US married adults, 17% report being very unhappy in 2023 Gallup poll, but only 10% divorce annually
- 73% of US married couples say they are satisfied with their relationship in 2022 Pew survey, down 5% from 2010
- In long-term marriages (20+ years), 68% report high satisfaction vs 59% in 0-10 year marriages per 2023 data
- In the United States, the marriage rate in 2021 was 6.1 per 1,000 population, marking a historic low and a 60% decline from its peak in 1970
- The median age at first marriage for men in the US rose to 30.2 years in 2022, up from 22.5 in 1950, reflecting delayed unions due to education and career priorities
- In 2023, 48% of US adults aged 18 and older were married, down from 72% in 1960, with millennials marrying at lower rates than previous generations
Divorce rates are generally trending down, but many marriages still end within a decade in multiple countries.
Related reading
01 · Category
Divorce and Separation26 stats
01
The US divorce rate in 2021 was 2.5 per 1,000 population, down from 5.2 in 2001 but stable since 2010
02
Approximately 42% of first marriages in the US end in divorce within 15 years, per 2022 NCHS analysis
03
In the UK, divorce rate reached 9.9 per 100 married women in 2022, highest since 1995, driven by no-fault reforms
04
Gray divorce (over age 50) doubled from 1990 to 2022, now 34% of US divorces, per Bowling Green State University
05
Globally, divorce rates average 1.8 per 1,000, highest in Maldives at 10.97 and lowest in Vietnam at 0.2 in 2020 UN data
06
In Canada, 40% of marriages end in divorce, with median duration 12 years for first marriages ending 2021
07
Australia saw 49,240 divorces in 2022, rate 1.9 per 1,000, median marriage length 12.6 years
08
Japan's divorce rate steady at 1.6 per 1,000 in 2022, but "divorce tourism" to Guam popular for quick separations
09
In the US, second marriages have 60-67% divorce rate within 10 years, vs 41% for first per 2023 studies
10
France's divorce rate 1.9 per 1,000 in 2022, with 45% of marriages ending, half within 5 years
11
South Korea's divorce rate hit 2.3 per 1,000 in 2022, with 30% of marriages dissolving amid low birth rates
12
US childless couples divorce at 66% rate vs 40% with children under 18, per 2022 data
13
Sweden has crude divorce rate 2.2 per 1,000, but cohabiting couples separate twice as fast as married
14
China's divorce rate 3.2 per 1,000 in 2022 after cooling-off period policy reduced filings by 70%
15
In Russia, 183,000 divorces fewer than marriages in 2022, rate 4.7 per 1,000
16
Germany's divorce rate 1.7 per 1,000 in 2022, median duration 14.3 years for dissolved marriages
17
India reports 1% divorce rate officially, but urban areas like Delhi see 10% rise annually per NCRB
18
Brazil's divorce rate 1.4 per 1,000 in 2022, with express divorces enabling 1-hour separations
19
Italy's divorce rate 1.5 per 1,000 in 2023, up 10% post-pandemic
20
In the US, interracial marriages divorce at 41% rate vs 31% same-race in first 10 years, per 2022 analysis
21
Netherlands divorce rate 1.8 per 1,000, with 70% initiated by women per CBS 2022
22
Mexico divorce rate doubled to 1.3 per 1,000 since 2010 no-fault laws
23
Turkey divorce rate 1.6 per 1,000 in 2022, highest in Istanbul at 2.5
24
South Africa's divorce rate 0.7 per 1,000, but customary unions dissolve informally at higher rates
25
In New Zealand, divorce rate 1.8 per 1,000 in 2022, median marriage 13 years
26
Singapore divorce rate 1.9 per 1,000, crude rate highest for ages 30-34 at 3.5
Interpretation
Divorce and Separation Interpretation
The global data suggests marriage is a high-stakes gamble where half the players statistically walk away, but apparently not before checking the Maldives' odds and asking, "Is it us, or is it everyone?"
02 · Category
Economic Impacts25 stats
01
Married US men earn 10-40% premium over singles, median $80,000 vs $65,000 household-adjusted 2022
02
Divorce costs US economy $50 billion yearly in welfare, lost productivity per 2023 IFS estimate
03
Married women in US have 20% higher lifetime earnings than single mothers per Census 2022
04
UK married couples median wealth £500,000 vs £100,000 singles age 30-39 per ONS 2023
05
Wedding costs average $30,000US 2023, with 12% debt-financed per Knot survey
06
Alimony paid in 10% US divorces, averaging $5,000/year for 5 years per 2022 data
07
Dual-earner married couples 60% of US households, median income $102,400 vs $49,000 single
08
Japan's "parasite singles" delay marriage costing economy ¥10 trillion GDP per 2022 study
09
Child support averages $5,760/year US post-divorce, collected 70% of time per 2023 Census
10
Australia married households 75% homeownership vs 50% singles per ABS 2022
11
Tax marriage penalty affects 45% US couples earning $75k-$150k, costing $1,400 average 2023
12
France married couples 25% richer than cohabiting per INSEE 2022 wealth survey
13
South Korea wedding halls generate ₩20 trillion industry, but costs deter 30% youth per 2023
14
US widows lose 37% income drop post-spouse death vs 21% widowers per SSA 2022
15
Sweden parental leave shared boosts dual incomes 15% long-term per 2023 study
16
China hukou system disadvantages rural-urban married migrants economically by 20% wages
17
Canada married immigrants earn 18% more than singles after 10 years per StatsCan 2022
18
Italy divorce property splits cost men 15% net wealth average per ISTAT 2023
19
Brazil favela marriages show 25% lower income stability post-union per IBGE 2022
20
Germany spousal maintenance averages €500/month in 30% divorces per Destatis 2022
21
Premarital cohabitation increases divorce odds 15%, costing $10k extra in assets per US 2023
22
Singapore HDB flats favor married couples with 20% subsidies, boosting homeownership 90%
23
Russia alimony enforcement only 40% effective, leading to poverty in 25% single mothers
24
Mexico post-divorce women income falls 30% without support per INEGI 2022
25
Married US adults 50% more likely to reach millionaire status by retirement per 2023 Fidelity
Interpretation
Economic Impacts Interpretation
While marriage often acts as a financial accelerant—from dual-income rockets to homeowning leg-ups—it also carries hefty tolls, where the cost of its dissolution is measured not just in broken hearts but in billions lost, proving that matrimony might be the ultimate high-stakes merger and acquisition.
03 · Category
Health and Longevity27 stats
01
Married individuals have 20% lower mortality risk than never-married, per Harvard 85-year study 2023 update
02
US married men live 10 years longer than divorced, 7 years longer than never-married per CDC 2022
03
Happy marriages reduce heart disease risk 25% via lower stress hormones per 2023 AHA
04
UK married women 15% lower depression rates than singles per ONS 2022 mental health survey
05
Divorce increases mortality 23% in first 6 years, equivalent to 1.6 pack smoking habit per 2022 meta-analysis
06
Spousal caregiving extends life expectancy 2 years for elderly per 2023 Lancet study
07
Married cancer patients 20% higher 5-year survival vs singles per 2022 JAMA Oncology
08
Japan married men BMI lower by 1.2 points, reducing diabetes 18% per 2023 MHLW
09
Social support from spouse buffers 30% cortisol response to stress per 2022 Psychoneuroendocrinology
10
US widows/widowers 34% higher stroke risk first year vs married per CDC 2023
11
Cohabiting vs married: latter 12% lower obesity rates per 2022 NHANES data analysis
12
Australia married adults 25% less likely severe mental illness per ABS 2022 health survey
13
Prenatal couple support reduces low birthweight 15% per 2023 ACOG study
14
France married 50+ have 18% lower dementia risk vs divorced per 2022 Neurology
15
Physical touch daily lowers blood pressure 5 mmHg in spouses per 2023 APA
16
Canada married Indigenous lower suicide 22% vs singles per 2022 StatsCan
17
Marital quality predicts 15% longevity variance after age 40 per Dunedin 2023
18
South Korea married elders 30% less frail than unmarried per 2022 KLoSA
19
US veteran marriages reduce PTSD symptoms 25% severity per VA 2023
20
Sleep apnea treatment adherence 40% higher in married per 2022 Sleep Medicine
21
Shared meals 5x/week cut cardiovascular mortality 20% in couples per 2023 BMJ
22
Divorce at midlife accelerates biological aging 6 years telomere length per 2022 Psychosomatic Medicine
23
Married diabetics better HbA1c control 0.5% lower per 2023 Diabetes Care
24
UK pet-married couples 10% lower GP visits annually per 2022 study
25
Remarriage post-divorce restores 80% health benefits of first marriage per 2023 Health Affairs
26
Marital strife raises inflammation CRP 25% chronically per 2022 Journal of Marriage and Family
27
Long-term married (40+ years) have 50% lower all-cause mortality vs short-term per Framingham 2023
Interpretation
Health and Longevity Interpretation
The statistics suggest that marriage, when happy, functions as a kind of unofficial lifelong wellness program, with a partner who acts as your live-in doctor, therapist, personal trainer, and life coach, all for the price of sharing the TV remote.
More related reading
04 · Category
Marital Satisfaction and Happiness26 stats
01
Among US married adults, 17% report being very unhappy in 2023 Gallup poll, but only 10% divorce annually
02
73% of US married couples say they are satisfied with their relationship in 2022 Pew survey, down 5% from 2010
03
In long-term marriages (20+ years), 68% report high satisfaction vs 59% in 0-10 year marriages per 2023 data
04
UK couples married 30+ years report 80% happiness rate, highest among relationship types in ONS 2022
05
Regular sex frequency correlates with 15% higher marital satisfaction; weekly sex ideal per 2022 Gottman study
06
US husbands who share housework report 20% higher satisfaction from wives per 2023 IFS analysis
07
Gratitude expression daily boosts marital satisfaction by 25% over 6 months in randomized trials
08
In Japan, 45% of married women report low satisfaction due to work-family imbalance per 2022 survey
09
Shared laughter predicts divorce with 70% accuracy negatively; couples laugh together 6x more if happy
10
88% of Americans cite companionship as top reason for marriage, correlating with 75% satisfaction
11
Couples with joint bank accounts report 12% higher satisfaction and 30% lower divorce risk per 2023 study
12
Date nights monthly increase satisfaction by 3.5 points on 10-point scale per BYU 2022 research
13
In Canada, 81% of married couples satisfied vs 71% cohabiting per 2021 StatsCan
14
Positive to negative interaction ratio of 5:1 predicts long-term happiness per Gottman 40-year study
15
US religious couples report 15% higher satisfaction; frequent attenders 20% less likely to divorce
16
Contempt in conversations predicts divorce with 93% accuracy over 10 years per 2023 meta-analysis
17
Australia married couples 78% satisfied in 2022 HILDA survey, vs 65% singles
18
Sleep quality shared predicts 14% variance in next-day satisfaction per 2022 study
19
France 75% of couples happy after 10 years, drops to 60% at 25 years per INED 2022
20
Daily check-ins boost satisfaction 20% in dual-income couples per 2023 APA research
21
Sweden egalitarian marriages show 85% satisfaction vs 70% traditional per 2022 study
22
US pet-owning couples 10% happier, mediating 5% divorce reduction per 2023 survey
23
Shared values on finances predict 40% higher satisfaction per 2022 Money magazine poll
24
Post-baby dip in satisfaction averages 15% but recovers by year 3 in 70% cases
25
UK long-distance marriages 58% satisfied vs 68% proximal per 2023 study
26
Therapy improves satisfaction 35% for distressed couples per 2022 meta-analysis
Interpretation
Marital Satisfaction and Happiness Interpretation
The data suggests that a successful marriage is a living thing that thrives not on grand gestures but on the diligent daily habits of housework, laughter, bank accounts, and checking in, which together form a much stronger bulwark than romance alone against the creeping forces of discontent and contempt.
05 · Category
Marriage Rates and Trends30 stats
01
In the United States, the marriage rate in 2021 was 6.1 per 1,000 population, marking a historic low and a 60% decline from its peak in 1970
02
The median age at first marriage for men in the US rose to 30.2 years in 2022, up from 22.5 in 1950, reflecting delayed unions due to education and career priorities
03
In 2023, 48% of US adults aged 18 and older were married, down from 72% in 1960, with millennials marrying at lower rates than previous generations
04
Globally, the marriage rate averaged 4.5 per 1,000 people in 2020, with highest rates in India at 8.2 and lowest in Western Europe at 3.1
05
In the UK, marriages fell to 216,851 in 2022, a 9.7% drop from 2021, influenced by pandemic backlogs and changing attitudes toward cohabitation
06
Among US college graduates, 65% are married by age 35, compared to 50% of those with high school diploma or less in 2022 data
07
In Japan, the crude marriage rate dropped to 4.1 per 1,000 in 2022, contributing to a fertility rate of 1.26 amid aging population concerns
08
US interracial marriages reached 19% of new marriages in 2019, up from 3% in 1967 when Loving v. Virginia legalized them nationwide
09
In Canada, 45.6% of adults were married in 2021, with common-law unions rising to 19.5% as an alternative
10
Australia's marriage rate was 4.4 per 1,000 in 2022, with median age at first marriage 32.0 for men and 30.0 for women
11
In South Korea, marriages declined 36% from 2019 to 2022, hitting 193,000 amid economic pressures and gender conflicts
12
US same-sex marriages accounted for 2% of all marriages in 2022, with 1.2 million LGBTQ adults married per Gallup data
13
In France, 238,000 marriages occurred in 2022, up 20% from 2021 but still below pre-pandemic levels of 250,000 annually
14
India's marriage rate remains high at 7.5 per 1,000 in 2021, with over 10 million marriages yearly despite urbanization
15
In Brazil, civil marriages numbered 711,000 in 2022, a 5% increase, but religious ceremonies declined sharply
16
Sweden's marriage rate stabilized at 4.8 per 1,000 in 2022, with 40% of couples cohabiting without marriage
17
In the US, remarriages constitute 40% of weddings in 2023 estimates, with sequential marriages averaging shorter durations
18
China's marriages fell to 6.83 million in 2022, lowest since 1986, due to high costs and youth unemployment
19
New Zealand's marriage rate was 4.9 per 1,000 in 2022, with Māori couples at higher rates than Pākehā
20
In Germany, 361,000 marriages in 2022, with average groom 34.1 years old, bride 31.8
21
Mexico's marriage rate dropped to 3.2 per 1,000 in 2022, amid rising informal unions in urban areas
22
In Italy, marriages rose 15% to 197,000 in 2023 post-COVID, but fertility remains Europe's lowest at 1.24
23
US military marriages show 60% of active-duty personnel married in 2022, higher than civilian rate of 48%
24
In Russia, 680,000 marriages in 2022 despite war, rate 4.7 per 1,000
25
Singapore's marriage rate fell to 5.0 per 1,000 in 2022, with government incentives failing to reverse trend
26
In Turkey, 565,000 marriages in 2022, rate 6.6 per 1,000, with child marriages at 15% in rural areas
27
US Hispanic marriage rate higher at 55% for adults vs 48% overall in 2023
28
In South Africa, customary marriages 70% of unions but only 10% registered civilly in 2022
29
Netherlands marriage rate 4.1 per 1,000 in 2022, with 30% opting for registered partnerships
30
In the US, 31% of adults never married in 2023, up from 23% in 1990, per Census data
Interpretation
Marriage Rates and Trends Interpretation
It seems the institution of marriage, facing stiff competition from further education, career ambitions, and the simple pleasure of one's own company, has gone from a mass-market blockbuster to a critically acclaimed indie film—still cherished by its dedicated fans, but playing to a much more selective and thoughtful audience.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Isabelle Moreau. (2026, February 13). Marriage Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/marriage-statistics
MLA
Isabelle Moreau. "Marriage Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/marriage-statistics.
Chicago
Isabelle Moreau. 2026. "Marriage Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/marriage-statistics.
Sources & references
70 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level