United States, splitting couples.
While divorce rates are dropping across America, some states are still seeing marriages end in enormous numbers, according to a new study.
Divorce attorneys at DivorceLawyers.ca gathered data from the 2023 US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey to determine which states had the highest number of divorces per capita — and there were some shock findings.
While many might believe that highly populated, liberal states might have the highest divorce rates, rural states are actually where more married couples appear to be calling it quits.
Alaska was the state with the highest number of divorces per capita in 2023, according to the data, with a combined divorce rate of 10, meaning that 10 out of every 1000 people in the state got a divorce that year.
Attorneys theorize that “long, harsh winters and limited daylight hours may contribute to seasonal depression and put strain on relationships” in the sparsely populated state.
“For couples in remote locations, do seek support even if in-person resources are limited,” Deepa Tailor, a divorce attorney at DivorceLawyers, urged. “There are many online resources available, from virtual counseling and relationship workshops, to books and worksheets aimed at helping couples work through their issues.”
Meanwhile, Wyoming came in second place, with a divorce rate of 9.75 per 1000 residents in 2023.
Nevada wasn’t far behind, with 9.3 out of every 1000 residents getting a divorce in the past 12 months.
Delaware, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas and Kentucky rounded out the top 10 states with the highest divorce rates.
The attorneys at DivorceLawyers didn’t disclose where New York state landed on the list, but the 2021 American Communities Survey published by the US Census Bureau revealed that Massachusetts had the lowest divorce rate in the nation per capita.
According to seperate data published by the National Institutes of Health, almost half of all American marriages end in divorce.
A sizable 41% of first-time marriages don’t last a lifetime, while a 60% of second marriages end in divorce.
