Finding love may be tough, but is staying with someone even tougher? In the world of social media, technology, and the need for instant gratification, are love and marriage winning out or are disdain and divorce running rampant?
In this data study, our expert team of reviewers set out to answer several key questions.
- Are more or fewer people getting married these days nationally and by state?
- Is the divorce rate going up or down nationally and by state?
- Which states are the strongest for marriage? Which are the weakest?
If you’re ready to see where your state ranks, let’s get into the data and extract some meaningful conclusions.
Key Takeaways from the Study
- The national marriage rate in the U.S. has been on a steady decline since 2016.
- The number of marriages in the U.S. dropped by 5.49% from 2018 to 2019.
- The divorce rate in the U.S. has been dropping since 2011.
- In 2019, there were 746,971 divorces or annulments in the U.S.
- Nevada has the highest marriage rate and the highest divorce rate (2019), despite seeing a 61.58% decrease in marriages and a 57.88% decrease in divorces from 2000 to 2019.
- Illinois has the lowest divorce rate by state (1.3 people per 1,000)
- The District of Columbia has seen the highest increase in marriages from 2000 to 2019, up 52.42%.
- Texas has the lowest marriage rate in the country (2019).
Table of Contents:
- National Marriage and Divorce Rates in the United States
- Marriage Trends in the U.S. (Nationally)
- Divorce Trends in the U.S. (Nationally)
- Marriage and Divorce Rates by State
- Highest and Lowest Marriage Rates by State
- Highest and Lowest Divorce Rates by State
- Highest Marriage Rate Increases and Decreases by State
- Highest Divorce Rate Increases and Decreases by State
- Marriages by State by Percentage of the Population
- States with Highest Percentage of Population Married
- States with Lowest Percentage of Population Married
National Marriage and Divorce Rates in the United States
- The marriage rate in the U.S. has been steadily declining since 2016.
- The divorce rate in the U.S. has been declining since 2011.
Marriage Trends in the U.S. (Nationally)
On a national level, fewer people are getting married every year since 2016. From 2018 to 2019, the number of marriages in the U.S. dropped by 5.49% from 2,132,853 to 2,015,603. This drop occurred while the population in the U.S. also increased by 0.327%.
Number of Marriages and Marriage Rate: U.S., 2000-2019
| Year | Marriages | Population | Rate per 1,000 total population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2,015,603 | 328,239,523 | 6.1 |
| 2018 | 2,132,853 | 327,167,434 | 6.5 |
| 2017 | 2,236,496 | 325,719,178 | 6.9 |
| 2016 | 2,251,411 | 323,127,513 | 7.0 |
| 2015 | 2,221,579 | 321,418,820 | 6.9 |
| 2014 | 2,140,272 | 308,759,713 | 6.9 |
| 2013 | 2,081,301 | 306,136,672 | 6.8 |
| 2012 | 2,131,000 | 313,914,040 | 6.8 |
| 2011 | 2,118,000 | 311,591,917 | 6.8 |
| 2010 | 2,096,000 | 308,745,538 | 6.8 |
| 2009 | 2,080,000 | 306,771,529 | 6.8 |
| 2008 | 2,157,000 | 304,093,966 | 7.1 |
| 2007 | 2,197,000 | 301,231,207 | 7.3 |
| 2006 | 2,193,000 | 294,077,247 | 7.5 |
| 2005 | 2,249,000 | 295,516,599 | 7.6 |
| 2004 | 2,279,000 | 292,805,298 | 7.8 |
| 2003 | 2,245,000 | 290,107,933 | 7.7 |
| 2002 | 2,290,000 | 287,625,193 | 8.0 |
| 2001 | 2,326,000 | 284,968,955 | 8.2 |
| 2000 | 2,315,000 | 281,421,906 | 8.2 |
Divorce Trends in the U.S. (Nationally)
On the other side of the aisle, divorce rates have also been falling in the United States since around 2011. In that year, the divorce rate was 3.6 people per 1,000 of the total population (the same rate as 2010). In 2019, the rate dropped to a 20-year low of 2.7 people per 1,000 of the total population. From 2018 to 2019, the number dropped by 4.48% from 782,038 to 746,971.
Provisional Number of Divorces and Annulments and rate: U.S., 2000-2019
| Year | Divorces & Annulments | Population | Rate per 1,000 total population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 746,971 | 272,842,748 | 2.7 |
| 2018 | 782,038 | 271,791,413 | 2.9 |
| 2017 | 787,251 | 270,423,493 | 2.9 |
| 2016 | 776,288 | 257,904,548 | 3.0 |
| 2015 | 800,909 | 258,518,265 | 3.1 |
| 2014 | 813,862 | 256,483,624 | 3.2 |
| 2013 | 832,157 | 254,408,815 | 3.3 |
| 2012 | 851,000 | 248,041,986 | 3.4 |
| 2011 | 877,000 | 246,273,366 | 3.6 |
| 2010 | 872,000 | 244,122,529 | 3.6 |
| 2009 | 840,000 | 242,610,561 | 3.5 |
| 2008 | 844,000 | 240,545,163 | 3.5 |
| 2007 | 856,000 | 238,352,850 | 3.6 |
| 2006 | 872,000 | 236,094,277 | 3.7 |
| 2005 | 847,000 | 233,495,163 | 3.6 |
| 2004 | 879,000 | 236,402,656 | 3.7 |
| 2003 | 927,000 | 243,902,090 | 3.8 |
| 2002 | 955,000 | 243,108,303 | 3.9 |
| 2001 | 940,000 | 236,416,762 | 4.0 |
| 2000 | 944,000 | 233,550,143 | 4.0 |
Marriage and Divorce Rates by State
While looking at the data from a national level is great to see overarching trends, it really gets interesting when you start to look at it by state level. This information does a lot to tell you how each state values the covenant of marriage and how well they’re able to preserve that.
In the next few sections, we’re going to look at which states have the highest and lowest prevalence of marriage and divorce, and we’re also going to look at which states are trending in the right or the wrong direction.
Highest Marriage Rates by State
- Nevada (25.9 people per 1,000 total population)
- Hawaii
- Arkansas
- Utah
- Montana
Lowest Marriage Rates by State
- Texas (4.9 people per 1,000 total population)
- Delaware
- Massachusetts
- Wisconsin
- Connecticut
All Marriage Rates by State (2019)
| Rank | State | Rate per 1,000 total population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | 25.9 |
| 2 | Hawaii | 14.2 |
| 3 | Arkansas | 8.4 |
| 4 | Utah | 8.1 |
| 5 | Montana | 7.9 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | 7.8 |
| 7 | Vermont | 7.7 |
| 8 | Tennessee | 7.5 |
| 9 | Idaho | 7.4 |
| 10 | Colorado | 7.3 |
| 11 | New York | 7.2 |
| 12 | Florida | 7.1 |
| 13 | Maine | 7.1 |
| 14 | Wyoming | 7.0 |
| 15 | Alabama | 6.7 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | 6.6 |
| 17 | Alaska | 6.5 |
| 18 | Oklahoma | 6.3 |
| 19 | South Carolina | 6.3 |
| 2 | Kentucky | 6.3 |
| 21 | North Carolina | 6.2 |
| 22 | Indiana | 6.2 |
| 23 | Rhode Island | 6.1 |
| 24 | South Dakota | 6.1 |
| 25 | Virginia | 6.1 |
| 26 | Georgia | 6.0 |
| 27 | Mississippi | 6.0 |
| 28 | Oregon | 6.0 |
| 29 | New Mexico | 6.0 |
| 30 | West Virginia | 6.0 |
| 31 | Missouri | 6.0 |
| 32 | Washington | 5.7 |
| 33 | California | 5.7 |
| 34 | Maryland | 5.6 |
| 35 | Nebraska | 5.5 |
| 36 | North Dakota | 5.4 |
| 37 | Iowa | 5.4 |
| 38 | Pennsylvania | 5.4 |
| 39 | Kansas | 5.3 |
| 40 | Ohio | 5.3 |
| 41 | Arizona | 5.3 |
| 42 | New Jersey | 5.2 |
| 43 | Michigan | 5.2 |
| 44 | Illinois | 5.2 |
| 45 | Louisiana | 5.1 |
| 46 | Minnesota | 5.1 |
| 47 | Connecticut | 5.0 |
| 48 | Wisconsin | 5.0 |
| 49 | Massachusetts | 5.0 |
| 50 | Delaware | 5.0 |
| 51 | Texas | 4.9 |
Highest Divorce Rates by State
- Nevada (4.2 people per 1,000 total population)
- Arkansas
- Oklahoma
- Idaho
- Wyoming
The trophy that no one wants to win for the highest divorce rate by state (2019) goes to Nevada. Surprisingly, Nevada is well known as the marriage capital of the world. Maybe the martinis coupled with drive-thru marriage venues isn’t the best of ideas?
Lowest Divorce Rates by State
- Illinois (1.3 people per 1,000 total population)
- Massachusetts
- Texas
- Iowa
- Georgia
Congrats to Illinois for having the lowest divorce rate in the nation (outside of the states that didn’t report data). What’s interesting is that Texas had the third lowest divorce rate but also had the lowest marriage rate too. Does that mean the Lone Star State only gets committed when they mean it? You can interpret the data as you please.
All Divorce Rates by State
| Rank | State | Rate per 1,000 total population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | 4.2 |
| 2 | Arkansas | 4.0 |
| 3 | Oklahoma | 3.9 |
| 4 | Idaho | 3.9 |
| 5 | Wyoming | 3.8 |
| 6 | Alaska | 3.6 |
| 7 | West Virginia | 3.6 |
| 8 | Alabama | 3.6 |
| 9 | Utah | 3.5 |
| 10 | Florida | 3.5 |
| 11 | Tennessee | 3.5 |
| 12 | Kentucky | 3.4 |
| 13 | Colorado | 3.3 |
| 14 | Oregon | 3.2 |
| 15 | North Carolina | 3.1 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | 3.1 |
| 17 | Maine | 3.0 |
| 18 | Montana | 3.0 |
| 19 | Arizona | 2.9 |
| 20 | Delaware | 2.9 |
| 21 | Virginia | 2.9 |
| 22 | New York | 2.9 |
| 23 | Missouri | 2.9 |
| 24 | Washington | 2.8 |
| 25 | Vermont | 2.8 |
| 26 | Ohio | 2.8 |
| 27 | Rhode Island | 2.7 |
| 28 | Connecticut | 2.7 |
| 29 | Nebraska | 2.7 |
| 30 | Maryland | 2.7 |
| 31 | Mississippi | 2.6 |
| 32 | South Dakota | 2.6 |
| 33 | South Carolina | 2.6 |
| 34 | Pennsylvania | 2.6 |
| 35 | New Jersey | 2.5 |
| 36 | North Dakota | 2.5 |
| 37 | District of Columbia | 2.4 |
| 38 | Louisiana | 2.4 |
| 39 | Wisconsin | 2.3 |
| 40 | Michigan | 2.3 |
| 41 | Kansas | 2.3 |
| 42 | Georgia | 2.3 |
| 43 | Iowa | 2.3 |
| 44 | Texas | 2.1 |
| 45 | Massachusetts | 1.5 |
| 46 | Illinois | 1.3 |
| 47 | California | --- |
| 48 | Hawaii | --- |
| 49 | Indiana | --- |
| 50 | Minnesota | --- |
| 51 | New Mexico | --- |
Highest Marriage Rate Increase by State by Percentage (2000 to 2019)
- District of Columbia (Up 52.42%)
- Montana
- New York
- Oklahoma
- Mississippi
Surprisingly, only two states or districts during this time period saw an increase in marriage rates—District of Columbia and Montana. The other 49 states all saw a decrease in the rate throughout the past two decades.
Highest Marriage Rate Decrease by State by Percentage (2000 to 2019)
- Nevada (Down 61.58%)
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Arkansas
- Louisiana
So much for the wedding capital of the world? Not so fast. Even with the huge drop off of marriages over the past two decades, Nevada still takes the cake for most marriages. What will be interesting to see is if the trend continues and Nevada loses that title. Although, at 25.9 marriages per 1,000 people, second place has a lot of catching up to do (Hawaii at 14.2 marriages per 1,000 people).
All Marriage Rate Changes by State
| Rank | State | 2000 Rate | 2019 Rate | Absolute Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | 67.4 | 25.9 | -41.5 | -61.58% |
| 2 | Tennessee | 13.1 | 7.5 | -5.6 | -42.83% |
| 3 | Texas | 8.4 | 4.9 | -3.5 | -42.05% |
| 4 | Arkansas | 14.3 | 8.4 | -5.9 | -41.42% |
| 5 | Louisiana | 8.1 | 5.1 | -3.0 | -37.10% |
| 6 | Idaho | 11.0 | 7.4 | -3.6 | -32.82% |
| 7 | South Carolina | 9.3 | 6.3 | -3.0 | -32.39% |
| 8 | Alabama | 9.9 | 6.7 | -3.2 | -32.35% |
| 9 | Hawaii | 20.8 | 14.2 | -6.6 | -31.86% |
| 10 | Kentucky | 9.0 | 6.3 | -2.7 | -30.38% |
| 11 | South Dakota | 8.8 | 6.1 | -2.7 | -30.17% |
| 12 | Virginia | 8.6 | 6.1 | -2.5 | -28.74% |
| 13 | Kansas | 7.3 | 5.3 | -2.0 | -26.83% |
| 14 | Nebraska | 7.5 | 5.5 | -2.0 | -26.69% |
| 15 | Wyoming | 9.5 | 7.0 | -2.5 | -26.23% |
| 16 | West Virginia | 8.1 | 6.0 | -2.1 | -26.19% |
| 17 | Florida | 9.4 | 7.1 | -2.3 | -24.79% |
| 18 | New Mexico | 7.9 | 6.0 | -1.9 | -24.29% |
| 19 | Ohio | 7.0 | 5.3 | -1.7 | -23.87% |
| 20 | Iowa | 7.0 | 5.4 | -1.6 | -22.80% |
| 21 | Delaware | 6.4 | 5.0 | -1.4 | -22.63% |
| 22 | Utah | 10.4 | 8.1 | -2.3 | -22.52% |
| 23 | Minnesota | 6.5 | 5.1 | -1.4 | -21.94% |
| 24 | Indiana | 7.9 | 6.2 | -1.7 | -21.82% |
| 25 | Illinois | 6.6 | 5.2 | -1.4 | -21.78% |
| 26 | Alaska | 8.3 | 6.5 | -1.8 | -21.54% |
| 27 | Maryland | 7.1 | 5.6 | -1.5 | -21.23% |
| 28 | Vermont | 9.8 | 7.7 | -2.1 | -21.16% |
| 29 | Rhode Island | 7.8 | 6.1 | -1.7 | -21.15% |
| 30 | Arizona | 6.7 | 5.3 | -1.4 | -20.85% |
| 31 | Michigan | 6.5 | 5.2 | -1.3 | -20.25% |
| 32 | North Dakota | 6.8 | 5.4 | -1.4 | -20.24% |
| 33 | Wisconsin | 6.3 | 5.0 | -1.3 | -20.04% |
| 34 | New Hampshire | 8.3 | 6.6 | -1.7 | -20.03% |
| 35 | North Carolina | 7.7 | 6.2 | -1.5 | -19.72% |
| 36 | Missouri | 7.3 | 6.0 | -1.3 | -18.23% |
| 37 | Maine | 8.4 | 7.1 | -1.3 | -16.03% |
| 38 | Oregon | 7.1 | 6.0 | -1.1 | -15.61% |
| 39 | Massachusetts | 5.9 | 5.0 | -0.9 | -14.93% |
| 40 | New Jersey | 6.0 | 5.2 | -0.8 | -13.55% |
| 41 | Washington | 6.5 | 5.7 | -0.8 | -11.55% |
| 42 | Connecticut | 5.7 | 5.0 | -0.7 | -11.43% |
| 43 | Colorado | 8.0 | 7.3 | -0.7 | -9.08% |
| 44 | California | 6.2 | 5.7 | -0.5 | -7.69% |
| 45 | Georgia | 6.5 | 6.0 | -0.5 | -7.10% |
| 46 | Pennsylvania | 5.7 | 5.4 | -0.3 | -6.11% |
| 47 | Mississippi | 6.4 | 6.0 | -0.4 | -5.96% |
| 48 | Oklahoma | 6.5 | 6.3 | -0.2 | -2.51% |
| 49 | New York | 7.3 | 7.2 | -0.1 | -1.14% |
| 50 | Montana | 7.1 | 7.9 | 0.8 | 11.08% |
| 51 | District of Columbia | 5.1 | 7.8 | 2.7 | 52.42% |
Highest Divorce Rate Increase by State by Percentage (2000 to 2019)
No states or districts saw an increase in divorce rates over this time period. Here are the top five states or districts that saw the lowest decrease in rates.
- New York (Down 3.58%)
- Rhode Island
- Alaska
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
Highest Divorce Rate Decrease by State by Percentage (2000 to 2019)
- Illinois (Down -59.58%)
- Nevada
- Mississippi
- Texas
- Massachusetts
All Divorce Rate Changes by State
| Rank | State | 2000 Rate | 2019 Rate | Absolute Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | 3.0 | 2.9 | -0.1 | -3.58% |
| 2 | Rhode Island | 2.9 | 2.7 | -0.2 | -5.51% |
| 3 | Alaska | 3.9 | 3.6 | -0.3 | -6.70% |
| 4 | New Jersey | 3.0 | 2.5 | -0.5 | -16.03% |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 3.1 | 2.6 | -0.5 | -16.89% |
| 6 | Connecticut | 3.3 | 2.7 | -0.6 | -18.47% |
| 7 | Utah | 4.3 | 3.5 | -0.8 | -18.58% |
| 8 | Maryland | 3.3 | 2.7 | -0.6 | -19.34% |
| 9 | District of Columbia | 3.2 | 2.4 | -0.8 | -24.28% |
| 10 | South Dakota | 3.5 | 2.6 | -0.9 | -25.07% |
| 11 | Delaware | 3.9 | 2.9 | -1.0 | -25.24% |
| 12 | North Dakota | 3.4 | 2.5 | -0.9 | -27.02% |
| 13 | Wisconsin | 3.2 | 2.3 | -0.9 | -27.17% |
| 14 | Nebraska | 3.7 | 2.7 | -1.0 | -28.00% |
| 15 | Montana | 4.2 | 3.0 | -1.2 | -28.62% |
| 16 | West Virginia | 5.1 | 3.6 | -1.5 | -29.82% |
| 17 | Idaho | 5.5 | 3.9 | -1.6 | -29.86% |
| 18 | Colorado | 4.7 | 3.3 | -1.4 | -29.98% |
| 19 | North Carolina | 4.5 | 3.1 | -1.4 | -30.37% |
| 20 | Georgia | 3.3 | 2.3 | -1.0 | -30.69% |
| 21 | Vermont | 4.1 | 2.8 | -1.3 | -31.13% |
| 22 | Iowa | 3.3 | 2.3 | -1.0 | -31.55% |
| 23 | Florida | 5.1 | 3.5 | -1.6 | -31.59% |
| 24 | South Carolina | 3.8 | 2.6 | -1.2 | -31.91% |
| 25 | Virginia | 4.3 | 2.9 | -1.4 | -32.52% |
| 26 | Kentucky | 5.1 | 3.4 | -1.7 | -32.68% |
| 27 | Oregon | 4.8 | 3.2 | -1.6 | -33.51% |
| 28 | Ohio | 4.2 | 2.8 | -1.4 | -34.08% |
| 29 | Wyoming | 5.8 | 3.8 | -2.0 | -34.49% |
| 30 | Alabama | 5.5 | 3.6 | -1.9 | -35.04% |
| 31 | Kansas | 3.6 | 2.3 | -1.3 | -35.32% |
| 32 | Missouri | 4.5 | 2.9 | -1.6 | -35.77% |
| 33 | New Hampshire | 4.8 | 3.1 | -1.7 | -35.99% |
| 34 | Arizona | 4.6 | 2.9 | -1.7 | -36.61% |
| 35 | Arkansas | 6.4 | 4.0 | -2.4 | -37.23% |
| 36 | Washington | 4.6 | 2.8 | -1.8 | -38.16% |
| 37 | Maine | 5.0 | 3.0 | -2.0 | -39.34% |
| 38 | Michigan | 3.9 | 2.3 | -1.6 | -40.29% |
| 39 | Tennessee | 5.9 | 3.5 | -2.4 | -40.88% |
| 40 | Massachusetts | 2.5 | 1.5 | -1.0 | -41.47% |
| 41 | Texas | 4.0 | 2.1 | -1.9 | -47.10% |
| 42 | Mississippi | 5.0 | 2.6 | -2.4 | -47.49% |
| 43 | Nevada | 9.9 | 4.2 | -5.7 | -57.88% |
| 44 | Illinois | 3.2 | 1.3 | -1.9 | -59.58% |
| 45 | California | ||||
| 46 | Hawaii | ||||
| 47 | Indiana | ||||
| 48 | Louisiana | ||||
| 49 | Minnesota | ||||
| 50 | New Mexico | ||||
| 51 | Oklahoma |
Marriages by State by Percentage of the Population
Curious which states have the highest or lowest percentage of their population married? Here’s the data you’re looking for.
Highest Percentage Married by State (2020)
- Utah (56.7%)
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- Nebraska
- South Dakota
Lowest Percentage Married by State (2020)
- District of Columbia (31.6%)
- New Mexico
- Rhode Island
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
All Percentages Married by State (2020)
| Rank | State | Married | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utah | 56.7% | |||
| 2 | Wyoming | 56.6% | |||
| 3 | Idaho | 55.2% | |||
| 4 | Nebraska | 53.9% | |||
| 5 | South Dakota | 53.9% | |||
| 6 | Kansas | 53.1% | |||
| 7 | Iowa | 52.6% | |||
| 8 | North Dakota | 52.6% | |||
| 9 | Montana | 52.1% | |||
| 10 | Colorado | 52.0% | |||
| 11 | Minnesota | 51.9% | |||
| 12 | New Hampshire | 51.9% | |||
| 13 | Washington | 51.9% | |||
| 14 | New Jersey | 51.5% | |||
| 15 | West Virginia | 51.5% | |||
| 16 | Virginia | 51.4% | |||
| 17 | Alaska | 51.2% | |||
| 18 | Tennessee | 51.1% | |||
| 19 | Missouri | 50.9% | |||
| 20 | Kentucky | 50.8% | |||
| 21 | Wisconsin | 50.7% | |||
| 22 | Arkansas | 50.6% | |||
| 23 | Texas | 50.6% | |||
| 24 | North Carolina | 50.5% | |||
| 25 | Oklahoma | 50.5% | |||
| 26 | Hawaii | 50.3% | |||
| 27 | Maine | 50.3% | |||
| 28 | South Carolina | 49.8% | |||
| 29 | Alabama | 49.7% | |||
| 30 | Oregon | 49.6% | |||
| 31 | Pennsylvania | 49.4% | |||
| 32 | Vermont | 49.4% | |||
| 33 | Indiana | 48.9% | |||
| 34 | Delaware | 48.8% | |||
| 35 | Ohio | 48.7% | |||
| 36 | Illinois | 48.6% | |||
| 37 | Arizona | 48.5% | |||
| 38 | Georgia | 48.5% | |||
| 39 | Maryland | 48.5% | |||
| 40 | California | 48.4% | |||
| 41 | Michigan | 48.3% | |||
| 42 | Connecticut | 48.0% | |||
| 43 | Florida | 47.9% | |||
| 44 | Massachusetts | 47.9% | |||
| 45 | Nevada | 47.7% | |||
| 46 | New York | 47.1% | |||
| 47 | Mississippi | 46.7% | |||
| 48 | Louisiana | 45.1% | |||
| 49 | Rhode Island | 44.5% | |||
| 50 | New Mexico | 44.3% | |||
| 51 | District of Columbia | 31.6% |
Written By: Healthy Framework Team
The Healthy Framework team has a combined 50+ years of experience in the online dating industry. Collectively, the team has reviewed over 300 dating apps and is known as one of the leaders in the relationship advice and information space. The team’s work has been featured on Zoosk, Tinder, The Economist, People Magazine, Parade, Women’s Health, Her Campus, Fox, and more.