Marriage patterns are shifting in ways you can measure, even down to how long unions last after they end. In the US, the median time marriages remain intact before divorce is 8.0 years for women and 7.8 for men, while the US marriage rate in 2021 hit 6.1 per 1,000 people, the lowest since 1867 excluding pandemic years. Across countries, the age people marry first keeps moving upward, and that tension between later weddings and divorce timelines raises a lot more questions than it answers.
Key Takeaways
- In the US, median duration of marriages ending in divorce is 8 years for women, 7.8 for men per 2019 data
- Globally, mean age at first divorce is 30 in high-income countries per 2020 studies
- In England and Wales, average marriage length before divorce was 12.9 years in 2021
- In US, college-educated adults have divorce rate 30% lower after 10 years marriage
- Black Americans have first marriage rate 40% lower than whites, 17.1% ever married by age 35 vs 37%
- US Hispanic marriage rate higher at 7.2 per 1,000 vs 5.9 non-Hispanic white in 2021
- In 1970, US divorce rate was 3.5 per 1,000 population, peaking at 5.3 in 1981, now 2.5 in 2021
- About 42% of US first marriages end in divorce within 15 years per 2015-2019 data
- In the EU, average divorce rate was 1.7 per 1,000 in 2020, highest in Lithuania at 3.1
- Married US adults have 15% higher wealth accumulation by age 50 vs singles
- Wedding costs in US averaged $29,000 in 2022, up 15% from 2021 inflation
- Married couples US median net worth $244,500 vs $109,000 unmarried age 35-44
- In 2021, the US marriage rate was 6.1 per 1,000 total population, the lowest since 1867 excluding pandemic years
- Globally, the crude marriage rate averaged 4.9 per 1,000 people in 2019 across 100+ countries tracked by UN data
- In Japan, marriages dropped to 474,000 in 2022, a record low with a rate of 3.8 per 1,000, driven by aging population
Across countries, people are marrying later and divorcing less, with US divorces typically after about eight years.
Related reading
01 · Category
Age and Duration28 stats
01
In the US, median duration of marriages ending in divorce is 8 years for women, 7.8 for men per 2019 data
02
Globally, mean age at first divorce is 30 in high-income countries per 2020 studies
03
In England and Wales, average marriage length before divorce was 12.9 years in 2021
04
US men marry first at median 30.2 years, women 28.1 in 2021, up from 23/20.8 in 1970
05
Japan's mean age at first marriage is 31.1 for men, 29.7 for women in 2022
06
In South Korea, first marriage age is 33.4 men, 30.9 women in 2022, highest OECD
07
EU average age at first marriage is 32.5 men, 30.2 women in 2020
08
Australia's median age at first marriage was 30.9 men, 29.0 women in 2021
09
China first marriage age rose to 28.7 women, 30.4 men by 2020 census
10
France mean age first marriage 37.1 men, 34.8 women in 2022 including all marriages
11
Germany's first marriage age 34.0 men, 31.7 women in 2022
12
Canada median age first marriage 30.7 men, 29.1 women in 2020
13
Italy first marriage age 34.6 men, 32.3 women in 2022
14
Sweden age at marriage 36.4 men, 33.9 women in 2021 for first
15
Spain first marriage age 34.9 men, 32.9 women in 2022
16
In US, marriages lasting 20+ years have 75% survival rate vs 50% for 10 years
17
Brazil median marriage duration before divorce 7 years in 2019 urban data
18
Russia's mean first marriage age 28.5 men, 26.2 women in 2021
19
Turkey first marriage age 27.2 men, 24.7 women in 2022
20
Mexico age at first marriage 30.4 men, 27.9 women in 2020
21
In 2021, 20% of US marriages dissolved within 5 years, 33% by 10 years
22
India average marriage age 22.1 women, 26.1 men per 2019-21 survey
23
Poland first marriage age 29.7 men, 27.6 women in 2022
24
Thailand mean age first marriage 29.8 men, 27.3 women in 2022
25
New Zealand median first marriage age 31.2 men, 29.5 women in 2021
26
In high-income countries, marriages after age 25 have 24% lower divorce risk per year
27
UK median duration to divorce 12.2 years for men, 11.9 for women in 2021
28
Globally, women initiate 69% of divorces in heterosexual marriages per 2020 meta-analysis
Interpretation
Age and Duration Interpretation
Humans are spending ever longer searching for the right person, only to decide, on average, quite briskly once they find them that they were wrong.
02 · Category
Demographic Variations25 stats
01
In US, college-educated adults have divorce rate 30% lower after 10 years marriage
02
Black Americans have first marriage rate 40% lower than whites, 17.1% ever married by age 35 vs 37%
03
US Hispanic marriage rate higher at 7.2 per 1,000 vs 5.9 non-Hispanic white in 2021
04
Women with bachelor's degree or higher have 78% chance of first marriage by 40 vs 56% high school only
05
In US, 65% of adults with postgraduate degree are married vs 48% with high school diploma
06
Asian Americans have highest share married at 61% vs 53% overall in 2019
07
US rural adults 57% married vs 49% urban in 2020 data
08
Evangelical Protestants in US 65% married vs 50% unaffiliated, per 2014 GSS
09
US immigrants 54% married vs 48% US-born adults age 18-36 in 2020
10
In EU, higher education correlates with 20% lower divorce risk across 27 countries
11
US men earning $100k+ 65% married vs 30% low-income men under 35
12
Black women in US 60% unmarried at 30 vs 20% white women, per 2021 data
13
LGBTQ+ adults 19% married in US 2019 vs 50% heterosexual
14
In US, 72% of adults 55+ married vs 35% under 30 in 2021
15
Hindu Indians 95% ever married by 40 vs 85% Muslims, per NFHS-5
16
US military personnel 55% married vs 50% civilians, higher stability
17
In Canada, Indigenous peoples 45% married vs 52% non-Indigenous 2021
18
France urban areas 45% married vs 55% rural adults 25-54
19
Australia Aboriginal 38% married vs 52% non-Indigenous
20
In US South, 54% adults married vs 45% Northeast 2021
21
College grads US divorce 25% less than non-grads after 20 years
22
Jewish Americans 60% married vs 45% overall under 40
23
In Japan, urban Tokyo marriage rate 3.2 per 1,000 vs 5.1 rural 2022
24
US disabled adults 42% married vs 56% non-disabled 2019
25
Sweden high-income 60% married vs 40% low-income cohorts
Interpretation
Demographic Variations Interpretation
One can't help but notice that the path to "happily ever after" appears to be paved with diplomas, direct deposits, and demographics, creating a marital landscape where tradition triumphs in the country and struggle persists in the city, proving that while love may be blind, society's ledger books are not.
03 · Category
Divorce Statistics26 stats
01
In 1970, US divorce rate was 3.5 per 1,000 population, peaking at 5.3 in 1981, now 2.5 in 2021
02
About 42% of US first marriages end in divorce within 15 years per 2015-2019 data
03
In the EU, average divorce rate was 1.7 per 1,000 in 2020, highest in Lithuania at 3.1
04
Russia's divorce rate was 4.7 per 1,000 in 2021, with 683,000 divorces vs 923,000 marriages
05
US divorce rate for second marriages is 60-67% higher than first, per 2020 studies
06
In England and Wales, 2021 divorce rate was 2.5 per 1,000 married women, 113,505 petitions
07
Japan's divorce rate steady at 1.8 per 1,000 in 2022, but 1 in 3 marriages end in divorce lifetime
08
Australia granted 49,000 divorces in 2021, rate 1.9 per 1,000, median duration 12.6 years
09
China's divorce rate hit 3.2 per 1,000 in 2021 before cooling-off policy reduced it 70%
10
Canada's divorce rate was 5.6 per 1,000 married couples in 2020, down from 11.7 peak in 1991
11
France saw 124,000 divorces in 2022, rate 1.9 per 1,000, with 44% consensual
12
Germany's divorce rate was 1.7 per 1,000 in 2022, 144,000 cases, median marriage length 14.4 years
13
South Korea's divorce rate fell to 1.7 per 1,000 in 2022 from 2.5 peak
14
In the US, Nevada has highest divorce rate at 4.2 per 1,000 in 2021, Utah lowest at 1.6
15
Italy's divorce rate was 1.5 per 1,000 in 2022, 53,000 divorces, up from civil unions dissolutions
16
Brazil recorded 331,000 divorces in 2019, rate 1.6 per 1,000, 45% after 0-5 years marriage
17
Sweden's divorce rate is 2.3 per 1,000 in 2021, high among cohabiting to married transitions
18
Spain granted 49,000 divorces in 2022, rate 1.0 per 1,000, lowest in decade
19
India's divorce rate is 0.01 per 1,000 officially, but urban areas see 1-2% of marriages dissolving
20
Turkey's divorce rate rose to 2.5 per 1,000 in 2022, 155,000 divorces
21
Mexico's divorce rate was 1.3 per 1,000 in 2020, doubling since 2000 in urban zones
22
In 2021, 689,000 US divorces occurred, rate 2.5 per 1,000 population
23
Globally, divorce rates peaked in 2000s, now declining in 60% of countries per UN data
24
UK divorce rate for marriages 10-14 years old was highest at 27 per 1,000 in 2021
25
Poland saw divorce rate of 1.6 per 1,000 in 2022, stable despite economic pressures
26
Thailand's divorce rate is 1.4 per 1,000 in 2022, up 20% in last decade
Interpretation
Divorce Statistics Interpretation
Marriage, statistically speaking, appears to be a global experiment in trial and error, where we collectively learned to rush in slower, and sometimes, to rush back out smarter.
More related reading
04 · Category
Economic Aspects25 stats
01
Married US adults have 15% higher wealth accumulation by age 50 vs singles
02
Wedding costs in US averaged $29,000in 2022, up 15% from 2021 inflation
03
Married couples US median net worth $244,500vs $109,000 unmarried age 35-44
04
Globally, married men earn 10-40% wage premium over singles same quals, meta-analysis 2020
05
US divorce costs average $7,000-$15,000 legal fees, higher for contested 2023
06
Households with married couples 75% of US top 10% income bracket 2022
07
Average UK wedding £18,400 in 2023, 40% couples debt-financed
08
Married workers 17% less likely unemployed, US BLS 2022 data
09
Australia average wedding $36,000AUD 2023, destination weddings 20% cheaper
10
US alimony awarded in 10-15% divorces, median $5,000/year 2022
11
Married couples save 30% more for retirement vs cohabiting, Vanguard 2023
12
Global wedding industry $300 billion annually pre-COVID, $180B 2022 recovery
13
In US, single women 35% poverty rate vs 15% married women 2021
14
France average wedding €12,000 2022, 25% state-subsidized civil costs
15
Corporate US tax deductions for employee weddings averaged $1,500benefit 2023
16
Married households US 2.5x wealthier median than singles age 55-64, Fed 2022
17
India average wedding cost ₹20-50 lakhs urban 2023, 50% family funded
18
Prenups signed in 15% US marriages 2023, up from 5% 1990s, avg cost $2,500
19
Canada wedding average $30,000CAD 2023, elopements 40% cheaper
20
Health insurance for spouses saves US $5,000/year avg family premium 2023
21
Divorced individuals US lose 45% retirement assets on average, EBRI 2022
22
Japan average wedding ¥3.5 million 2022, down 20% due fewer guests
23
US married tax filers 80% get $2,500 avg savings vs filing single 2022
24
Social Security survivor benefits avg $15,000/year for widowed spouses US
25
Brazil wedding avg R$80,0002023 urban, micro-weddings 50% cost cut
Interpretation
Economic Aspects Interpretation
Marriage presents itself as a high-stakes financial wager, where the potential for significant wealth accumulation is front-loaded with substantial entry fees and carries a non-trivial risk of costly liquidation.
05 · Category
Rates and Trends30 stats
01
In 2021, the US marriage rate was 6.1 per 1,000 total population, the lowest since 1867 excluding pandemic years
02
Globally, the crude marriage rate averaged 4.9 per 1,000 people in 2019 across 100+ countries tracked by UN data
03
In Japan, marriages dropped to 474,000 in 2022, a record low with a rate of 3.8 per 1,000, driven by aging population
04
South Korea's marriage rate fell to 2.5 per 1,000 in 2022, lowest ever, with only 193,000 marriages
05
India's marriage rate is estimated at 8.2 per 1,000 in 2020, with over 10 million marriages annually
06
In the EU-27, the average marriage rate was 4.2 per 1,000 in 2020, down 15% from 2010
07
US remarriage rate among divorced women aged 25+ was 52% within 5 years in 2019 data
08
China's first-marriage rate for women dropped 45% from 2013 to 2022, to 4.8 per 1,000
09
In England and Wales, opposite-sex marriages totaled 228,000 in 2021, rate of 3.8 per 1,000
10
Australia's marriage rate was 4.6 per 1,000 in 2021, with 91,000 marriages post-COVID dip
11
Brazil saw 1.1 million marriages in 2019, rate of 5.3 per 1,000 before pandemic decline
12
In Canada, marriages totaled 137,000 in 2021, rate of 3.6 per 1,000, up from 2020 low
13
France's marriage rate was 3.5 per 1,000 in 2022, with civil unions (PACS) outnumbering traditional marriages
14
Germany's crude marriage rate fell to 3.3 per 1,000 in 2022, lowest since unification
15
Mexico's marriage rate was 3.9 per 1,000 in 2020, with regional variations up to 6.0 in some states
16
In Italy, marriages dropped to 137,000 in 2022, rate of 2.3 per 1,000 amid population decline
17
Russia's marriage rate was 5.2 per 1,000 in 2021, higher than EU average despite war impacts
18
Sweden's marriage rate among cohabiting couples is low at 4.1 per 1,000 in 2021, favoring partnerships
19
Turkey registered 565,000 marriages in 2022, rate of 6.5 per 1,000, stable post-earthquake
20
Nigeria estimates 2.5 million marriages yearly, rate around 12 per 1,000 in urban areas
21
In 2020, US states like Utah had highest marriage rate at 9.9 per 1,000, Nevada second at 9.5
22
Globally, marriage rates halved from 8 per 1,000 in 1970 to 4 per 1,000 in 2020 in developed nations
23
In 2019, 50% of US adults aged 18-34 were single, up from 29% in 1990, delaying marriages
24
Iran's marriage rate dropped to 6.8 per 1,000 in 2022 from 9.2 in 2011 due to economic factors
25
In Spain, marriages fell to 1.8 per 1,000 in 2022, lowest in EU
26
New Zealand's marriage rate was 4.9 per 1,000 in 2021, with civil unions declining
27
In 2022, Thailand had 240,000 marriages, rate of 3.4 per 1,000 amid low birth rates
28
Poland's marriage rate rose slightly to 4.4 per 1,000 in 2022 post-COVID
29
In 2021, the US saw 2,044,000 marriages, rate 6.1 per 1,000, rebound from 2020
30
Globally, peak marriage age shifted from 20s to 30s in 80% of OECD countries by 2020
Interpretation
Rates and Trends Interpretation
The world's love affair with marriage is cooling faster than a reheated cup of coffee, shifting from a youthful sprint to a hesitant, often optional, stroll in later life.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Ryan Townsend. (2026, February 13). Marriages Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/marriages-statistics
MLA
Ryan Townsend. "Marriages Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/marriages-statistics.
Chicago
Ryan Townsend. 2026. "Marriages Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/marriages-statistics.
Sources & references
48 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level