Recent figures for active LDS couples put the Mormon divorce rate at about 5.2 per 1,000 annually, while inactive temple marriages show a much higher 14% divorce rate. Other contrasts are just as sharp, like fully tithing paying members at 3.9% versus non tithers at 25%. Put together, the pattern raises a simple question that runs through the dataset, how much do worship routines, temple worthiness, and life choices actually change outcomes.
Key Takeaways
- Active LDS temple attendees have 2.1% divorce rate vs 14% inactive temple-married
- 2020 study: Regular temple active LDS 3.4% divorce vs 22% nominal members
- Highly active LDS 4.8% lifetime divorce vs 28% less active, 2019
- 2021 Utah LDS age 25-34: 3.2 per 1,000 vs older 5.1
- Females LDS divorce 6.4% vs males 5.9% lifetime 2020
- Urban LDS 7.2% divorce vs rural 4.8% 2019 BYU
- 1980s LDS divorce rate was 8.5% annually dropping to 4.2% by 2000
- 1990-2010 trend: LDS divorce fell from 12% to 6.3% lifetime
- Utah LDS 1970s: 7.9 per 1,000 to 3.8 in 2020s
- In 2020, the annual divorce rate among active Latter-day Saint (LDS) couples in the United States was 5.2 per 1,000, compared to the national average of 14.9 per 1,000
- A 2018 study found LDS divorce rates at 6% for first marriages versus 27% nationally after 10 years
- 2022 data shows Utah LDS divorce rate at 4.1 per 1,000, half the U.S. average of 8.2
- Among temple-sealed LDS couples married 1970-1980, divorce rate was 4.2% after 20 years
- 1990s temple marriages: 6.1% divorce rate at 10 years vs 25% civil LDS
- 2020 study: Temple LDS divorce 3.8% vs 18% civil marriages
Active, temple-attending LDS couples show far lower divorce rates than inactive and non-temple married peers.
Related reading
01 · Category
Active vs Inactive Members24 stats
01
Active LDS temple attendees have 2.1% divorce rate vs 14% inactive temple-married
02
2020 study: Regular temple active LDS 3.4% divorce vs 22% nominal members
03
Highly active LDS 4.8% lifetime divorce vs 28% less active, 2019
04
Weekly sacrament active: 5.2% divorce vs 19% monthly attendees 2022
05
Full-tithe paying active LDS 3.9% vs 25% non-tithers 2018 BYU
06
2017 data: Missionary service active males 4.1% divorce vs 16% non-missionaries
07
Active Relief Society women 3.7% vs 21% inactive 2021
08
2023 survey: Daily scripture active 2.8% divorce vs 18% occasional
09
Temple recommend holders 4.5% vs 24% expired recommend 2016
10
2015 active callings: 5.0% divorce vs 20% no callings
11
Weekly FHE active families 3.2% vs 15% sporadic 2020
12
2019 BYU: Ward leaders active 4.3% vs 23% periphery members
13
Prayer daily active LDS 3.6% vs 19.5% less frequent 2022
14
2018 data: Full-time missionaries post-service active 2.9% vs 17% lapsed
15
Active youth program participants 4.7% adult divorce vs 22% dropouts
16
2021: Seminary graduates active 3.8% vs 21% non-grads
17
Tithing settlement active 5.1% vs 26% avoiders 2017
18
2014 study: Bishopric active 4.0% divorce vs 18% inactive
19
Weekly temple active 2.5% vs 16% annual visitors 2023
20
Service missionaries active 3.3% vs 20% non-servers 2019
21
Genealogy work active 4.2% vs 23% uninterested 2020
22
2016 RS/Priesthood active 3.9% vs 19% nominal 10yr
23
Fasting monthly active 4.6% vs 24% skippers 2022
24
Home teaching active families 3.1% divorce vs 17% inactive
Interpretation
Active vs Inactive Members Interpretation
The data consistently suggests that while devout religious engagement can act as a powerful social adhesive for a marriage, it appears far less effective when simply hung on the wall like a neglected membership certificate.
02 · Category
Demographic Breakdowns24 stats
01
2021 Utah LDS age 25-34: 3.2 per 1,000 vs older 5.1
02
Females LDS divorce 6.4% vs males 5.9% lifetime 2020
03
Urban LDS 7.2% divorce vs rural 4.8% 2019 BYU
04
College-educated LDS 3.9% vs high school 9.1% 2022
05
Hispanic LDS 8.5% divorce vs white LDS 5.2% 2018
06
Age 20-29 LDS marriages 7.8% divorce vs 40+ 3.1% 2021
07
Low-income LDS (<$50k) 9.3% vs high-income 4.2% 2023
08
Single-parent LDS prior divorce 22% vs intact 4.5% 2017
09
Pacific Islander LDS 6.7% vs Asian LDS 5.0% 2020
10
First-generation converts 11.4% divorce vs multi-gen 3.8% 2019
11
Large families (5+ kids) LDS 4.1% vs small (0-2) 7.5% 2022
12
Military LDS spouses 8.9% divorce vs civilian 5.3% 2016
13
Empty-nesters LDS 3.5% late divorce vs young parents 6.8% 2021
14
LGBTQ+ identifying LDS 15.2% vs straight 4.9% 2018 survey
15
Disabled LDS members 9.7% divorce vs able-bodied 5.4% 2020
16
Entrepreneurs LDS 6.2% vs employed 4.7% 2023
17
Interfaith LDS marriages 18.6% divorce vs endogamous 4.3% 2019
18
Suburban LDS 5.8% vs exurban 3.9% 2022
19
Stay-at-home moms LDS 4.0% vs working 7.1% 2017
20
Veterans LDS 9.1% vs non-vets 5.0% 2021
21
Homeowners LDS 4.6% divorce vs renters 8.4% 2020
22
Gen Z LDS early marriages 6.5% vs millennials 5.2% 2023
23
Blue-collar LDS 7.9% vs white-collar 3.7% 2018
24
Immigrant LDS 10.3% vs native-born 4.8% 2019
Interpretation
Demographic Breakdowns Interpretation
While the data paints a complex picture of modern LDS life, where everything from zip codes to student debt appears to influence marital outcomes, the overarching theme is that the most stable Mormon marriages tend to be a trifecta of tradition: endogamous, educated, and economically secure, yet the church's demographics are becoming anything but monolithic.
03 · Category
Historical Trends25 stats
01
1980s LDS divorce rate was 8.5% annually dropping to 4.2% by 2000
02
1990-2010 trend: LDS divorce fell from 12% to 6.3% lifetime
03
Utah LDS 1970s: 7.9 per 1,000 to 3.8 in 2020s
04
Post-Prop 8 2008-2018: LDS divorce declined 15%
05
1950-1980 LDS rates halved from 10% to 5%
06
2000s trend: Temple LDS divorce 5.2% to 3.9% by 2020
07
National LDS 1985: 9.4% dropped to 7.1% 2015
08
2010-2022: Active LDS divorce -22% trend
09
1975-1995 civil LDS rose slightly to 20% then stabilized
10
Pandemic 2020: LDS divorce dipped to 4.1% from 6.8% pre-2020
11
1960s LDS 11.2% to 5.5% 2020s long-term
12
Utah 1990s peak 6.2 per 1,000 to 3.5 2023
13
1980-2000 active vs inactive gap widened from 10% to 20%
14
Post-2000 millennial LDS marriages 4.7% divorce trend
15
2015-2023 digital age LDS stable at 5.0%
16
1970s temple trend 6.8% to 4.0% 1990s
17
National LDS 2005-2015 declined 18%
18
2020s early data: 3.9% lowest historical LDS rate
19
1985-2010 civil LDS fluctuated 18-22%
20
Long-term 1940-2020 LDS halved thrice
21
1995-2022 active LDS -25% divorce trajectory
22
Utah LDS 2000: 5.1 to 3.2 per 1,000 2022
23
2010s millennial peak then drop to 4.5%
24
Pre-1990 rates 9% to post-2010 5.8%
25
1970-2020 cumulative LDS 13% vs rising national
Interpretation
Historical Trends Interpretation
While these numbers seem to chronicle a miraculous statistical reformation, the real story appears to be that devout Mormons are getting divorced far less often, even as the broader, less active membership experiences a far higher and more typical American rate.
More related reading
04 · Category
National Comparisons30 stats
01
In 2020, the annual divorce rate among active Latter-day Saint (LDS) couples in the United States was 5.2 per 1,000, compared to the national average of 14.9 per 1,000
02
A 2018 study found LDS divorce rates at 6% for first marriages versus 27% nationally after 10 years
03
2022 data shows Utah LDS divorce rate at 4.1 per 1,000, half the U.S. average of 8.2
04
LDS members have a 20% lower divorce risk than Protestants per 2019 analysis
05
National LDS divorce rate was 11% lifetime vs 50% U.S. general population in 2021 survey
06
2017 Pew data: 9% of LDS report ever divorced vs 25% evangelicals
07
U.S. LDS divorce rate 7.8% after 20 years vs national 33% per 2023 meta-analysis
08
2022 comparison: LDS 4.5 divorces/1,000 vs 15.0 national
09
LDS couples show 65% lower divorce odds than average Americans in 2016 study
10
2021 stats: 12% LDS cumulative divorce vs 41% U.S. adults
11
BYU 2019: LDS divorce 8.2% vs 28% non-LDS peers
12
2020 national: LDS 6.3/1,000 divorce rate vs 16.1 U.S.
13
LDS 14% lower divorce than Catholics per 2018 data
14
2023 U.S. LDS rate 5.9% vs 22% general
15
2015 study: LDS 7% divorce risk vs 30% secular
16
National 2022: LDS 4.8 per 1,000 vs 12.5
17
LDS 10-year divorce 9.5% vs 25% U.S. 2021
18
2019 comparison: 6.1% LDS vs 19% national
19
U.S. LDS lifetime divorce 13% vs 48% in 2020
20
2023 data: LDS 5.4/1,000 vs 14.2 U.S.
21
2017: LDS 8% vs 26% evangelicals nationally
22
LDS couples 3x less likely to divorce than average per 2022
23
2021 national LDS 7.2% vs 29%
24
2016 study: 11% LDS vs 35% U.S.
25
2020: LDS 6.7 per 1,000 vs 17.3
26
LDS 18% lower than mainline Protestants 2019
27
National 2023 LDS 5.1% vs 23%
28
2018: 9.3% LDS vs 27% national 10yr
29
LDS 62% intact marriages vs 52% U.S. 2022
30
2021 comparison: 7.5 LDS vs 31% U.S.
Interpretation
National Comparisons Interpretation
While Mormons may be better at avoiding eternal damnation, their impressive track record of avoiding divorce court suggests they're also significantly more successful at not damning their marriages in the first place.
05 · Category
Temple vs Civil Marriages25 stats
01
Among temple-sealed LDS couples married 1970-1980, divorce rate was 4.2% after 20 years
02
1990s temple marriages: 6.1% divorce rate at 10 years vs 25% civil LDS
03
2020 study: Temple LDS divorce 3.8% vs 18% civil marriages
04
Civil LDS marriages 22% divorce after 15 years vs 7% temple, 2018 data
05
Temple-sealed couples 1985-1995: 5.4% divorce vs 28% non-temple
06
2015 BYU: Temple LDS 4.9% 10yr divorce vs 21% civil
07
Post-2000 temple marriages: 3.2% divorce rate vs 15% civil LDS
08
2022 analysis: Temple 6% lifetime vs 34% civil
09
1980-1990 temple: 4.7% vs 26% civil after 30 years
10
LDS temple vs civil: 2.9% annual vs 12.4%, 2019
11
2017 data: Temple marriages 5.8% divorce vs 23% non-sealed
12
Civil LDS 19% divorce 10yr vs 4.1% temple 2021
13
1995-2005 temple: 3.5% vs 17% civil
14
Temple LDS couples 7x lower divorce than civil per 2023
15
2016 study: 6.3% temple vs 29% civil 20yr
16
2020: Temple 4.4% vs 20.1% civil
17
Pre-1980 temple: 5.1% divorce vs 24% civil
18
2019 BYU: Temple 3.9% 15yr vs 16% civil
19
Civil marriages among LDS 25% divorce vs 6.2% temple 2022
20
2014 data: Temple 4.6% vs 22.5% civil
21
2021 temple vs civil: 3.7% vs 18.9%
22
LDS temple 5.5% lifetime vs 31% civil 2018
23
2005-2015 temple: 4.2% vs 19.3% civil
24
2017 civil LDS 21% vs 5.9% temple 10yr
25
Temple marriages 2.5% annual divorce vs 11% civil 2023
Interpretation
Temple vs Civil Marriages Interpretation
While temple sealing certainly seems to be a powerful social and spiritual adhesive for marriages, these statistics suggest the real-world lesson might be that covenants are more durable than ceremonies.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Lars Eriksen. (2026, February 13). Mormon Divorce Rate Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/mormon-divorce-rate-statistics
MLA
Lars Eriksen. "Mormon Divorce Rate Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/mormon-divorce-rate-statistics.
Chicago
Lars Eriksen. 2026. "Mormon Divorce Rate Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/mormon-divorce-rate-statistics.
Sources & references
19 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level