Approximately 60% of second marriages in the United States end in divorce. These subsequent unions dissolve faster and at a higher rate than first marriages.
Key Takeaways
- Second marriage divorce first at 41%, second 60%, third 73%
- Hispanic second marriages divorce at 58%
- In the United States, approximately 60% of second marriages end in divorce
- Premarital cohabitation increases second marriage divorce risk by 30%
- About 33% of second marriages last at least 10 years
Second marriage divorces are common, showing that even later unions face significant relationship challenges.
Related reading
01 · Category
Comparative Statistics30 stats
01
Second marriage divorce first at 41%, second 60%, third 73%
02
First marriages divorce 50%, second 67% per some data
03
Second marriages 1.6 times more likely to fail than first
04
Third marriages divorce 74% vs 60% second
05
First marriage success 67%, second 33%
06
Second vs first: divorce risk 2x higher after 5 years
07
First marriages last avg 8 years, second 6.5 years
08
Second marriages fail 39% more than first per Census
09
Remarriages divorce faster: 44% in 5 years vs 30% first
10
First marriage divorce peaks year 8, second year 5
11
Second marriages 50% higher dissolution than first educated couples
12
First intact 59%, second 36% after 10 years
13
Second vs first: blended families fail 2.5x more
14
First marriages 20% less risky with counseling vs second
15
Third marriages 10% higher risk than second
16
Second marriages divorce 1.5x first in under 40s
17
First marriage avg duration 12 years, second 10 years
18
Second fail rate 60% vs first 41% with kids
19
First marriages stable 70% at 20 years, second 40%
20
Second 62% divorce vs first 52% overall trend
21
First marriage divorce dropped 10%, second stable 60%
22
Second marriages 30% shorter lifespan than first
23
First vs second: women initiate 70% vs 65%
24
Second marriages riskier by 25% in longevity studies
25
First marriage success rose to 50%, second still 35%
26
Second vs first: cohabitation effect 40% worse
27
Third divorce 73% vs second 60% consistent
28
Second marriages fail quicker by 2 years avg
29
First marriage divorce 38% decade, second 55%
30
Second vs first: 1.8x dissolution odds per NBER
Interpretation
Comparative Statistics Interpretation
It appears the marital learning curve is disappointingly shallow, with second marriages failing at higher rates and faster speeds, suggesting we treat past relationships less like lessons and more like cautionary tales written in disappearing ink.
02 · Category
Demographic Statistics29 stats
01
Hispanic second marriages divorce at 58%
02
African American second marriage divorce rate 70%
03
White couples second marriage divorce 62%
04
Asian Americans second marriage divorce 52%
05
Second marriages for ages 25-34 divorce at 68%
06
Ages 45-54 second marriage divorce 59%
07
Women with bachelor's degree second divorce 48%
08
Men without high school diploma second divorce 72%
09
Rural second marriages divorce 66%
10
Urban second marriage divorce 61%
11
Second marriages with 2+ kids from prior divorce 67%
12
No children second marriage divorce 55%
13
Northeast U.S. second divorce 58%
14
South U.S. second marriage divorce 65%
15
Second marriages post-50 years old divorce 57%
16
Millennial second marriages divorce 63%
17
Gen X second marriage divorce 60%
18
High-income ($100k+) second divorce 52%
19
Low-income second marriage divorce 69%
20
Second marriages of remarried widows divorce 49%
21
LGBTQ second marriages divorce 54%
22
Evangelical second marriage divorce 64%
23
Atheist second marriages divorce 59%
24
Second marriages with military background divorce 68%
25
Immigrant second marriages divorce 56%
26
Second marriage divorce for 1 child prior 62%
27
Baby Boomer second divorce 58%
28
Second marriages in California divorce 63%
29
Texas second marriage divorce 66%
Interpretation
Demographic Statistics Interpretation
The sobering stats reveal that while second marriages might be fueled by optimism, their success is delicately balanced on a tightrope woven from finances, education, geography, and even the spiritual beliefs of the couple, proving that past experience doesn't always grant immunity to life's complex pressures.
03 · Category
Divorce Rates30 stats
01
In the United States, approximately 60% of second marriages end in divorce
02
Studies indicate that 67% of second marriages dissolve within the first 10 years
03
The divorce rate for second marriages stands at 64% according to U.S. Census data analysis
04
Second marriage divorce rate reaches 65% in couples over age 40
05
About 62% of second marriages fail within 8 years per National Center for Health Statistics
06
Divorce rate for second marriages is 60-67% as reported in family studies
07
63% of second marriages end in divorce within a decade
08
U.S. second marriage divorce rate averages 60%, higher than first at 41%
09
66% divorce rate observed in second marriages per 2020 data
10
Second marriages have a 61% divorce probability within 5 years
11
65% of second marriages terminate per longitudinal studies
12
Divorce rate for second unions is 64.5% nationally
13
Approximately 62.3% of second marriages fail
14
Second marriage divorce incidence is 60% within 7 years
15
67% failure rate for second marriages per APA review
16
U.S. second marriage divorce rate at 63% post-2000
17
60.5% of second marriages dissolve per state records
18
Second marriage divorce rate is 65% for couples with children
19
62% divorce within 10 years for second marriages
20
National average second marriage divorce at 64%
21
66.2% of second marriages end in divorce per 2019 survey
22
Second marriage failure rate 61% in urban areas
23
63.8% divorce rate for second marriages aged 30-50
24
U.S. second marriage divorce peaks at 65% after 5 years
25
60% of second marriages fail per 2022 data
26
Second marriage divorce rate 67% with prior infidelity
27
62.7% dissolution rate for second marriages
28
64% of second marriages end per family court stats
29
Second marriage divorce at 61.5% nationally
30
65.2% failure within decade for second marriages
Interpretation
Divorce Rates Interpretation
The second time's not the charm: with the national average hovering stubbornly around a 65% failure rate, remarriage in America often feels less like a fresh start and more like a statistically bold rerun.
More related reading
04 · Category
Risk Factors30 stats
01
Premarital cohabitation increases second marriage divorce risk by 30%
02
Children from prior marriages raise second divorce risk by 40%
03
Financial disagreements double divorce risk in second marriages
04
Age difference over 10 years ups risk by 25%
05
Prior divorce due to infidelity increases risk 50%
06
Blended family conflicts elevate risk by 35%
07
Lack of premarital counseling raises risk 28%
08
Substance abuse history boosts risk 45%
09
Unrealistic expectations increase risk by 32%
10
Poor communication triples risk in second unions
11
Debt from first marriage adds 27% risk
12
In-law interference raises risk 22%
13
Career stress elevates risk by 29%
14
Social media use increases risk 18%
15
Religious differences heighten risk 31%
16
Mental health issues prior raise risk 40%
17
Long-distance elements add 26% risk
18
Ex-spouse contact boosts risk 33%
19
Lower education correlates with 24% higher risk
20
High-stress jobs increase risk 20%
21
Obesity in partners raises risk 19%
22
Gambling habits elevate risk 37%
23
Frequent relocations add 23% risk
24
Political differences increase risk 21%
25
No shared hobbies heightens risk 25%
26
Second marriages of women over 50 have 55% divorce rate
27
Stepchild resentment raises risk 38%
28
41% first marriage divorce vs 60% second for college grads
29
Multiple prior divorces add 42% risk
30
Second marriage divorce 50% higher with low income under $50k
Interpretation
Risk Factors Interpretation
These statistics suggest that a second marriage often fails by meticulously reassembling the very stresses that shattered the first, only this time with higher stakes and a more experienced hand.
05 · Category
Success Rates30 stats
01
About 33% of second marriages last at least 10 years
02
Success rate for second marriages is roughly 33-40%
03
36% of second marriages endure beyond 15 years per Census
04
Second marriage success stands at 35% long-term
05
30% of second marriages remain intact after 20 years
06
Longevity success for second marriages at 37%
07
34% of second marriages succeed past 10 years
08
Second marriage survival rate 33%
09
38% success rate observed in second unions post-2010
10
35% of second marriages last lifetime per studies
11
Endurance rate 32% for second marriages
12
36.5% of second marriages stable long-term
13
Second marriage success at 34.7% beyond decade
14
31% longevity for second marriages
15
Success probability 37% for second marriages per APA
16
35.2% of second marriages last 20+ years
17
Second marriage intact rate 33.5%
18
36% success with counseling in second marriages
19
34.3% endurance past 15 years
20
Long-term success 32.8% for second marriages
21
37.1% of second marriages survive per 2019 data
22
Success rate 35.8% in suburban second marriages
23
33.9% stability for second marriages 40+
24
36.2% last beyond 10 years per CDC
25
Second marriage success 34% in 2022 surveys
26
35.4% intact with shared finances
27
32.5% longevity rate overall
28
37.3% success per court longevity stats
29
Second marriage endurance 34.1%
30
36.7% survival rate long-term
Interpretation
Success Rates Interpretation
Second marriages might roughly have a one-in-three chance of lasting, proving that love is a numbers game, and most of us are playing the long odds with our eyes wide open.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Kevin O'Brien. (2026, February 13). Second Marriage Divorce Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/second-marriage-divorce-statistics
MLA
Kevin O'Brien. "Second Marriage Divorce Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/second-marriage-divorce-statistics.
Chicago
Kevin O'Brien. 2026. "Second Marriage Divorce Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/second-marriage-divorce-statistics.
Sources & references
31 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level