America’s divorce rate is a source of curiosity for many. Compared to other countries, is it relatively high or low? When American couples marry, it’s not really a guarantee that they’ll stay together; a fact to which family law attorneys in Denver and elsewhere can attest. Here’s a look at the numbers.
By the Numbers
A variety of authorities record data of marriage and divorce rates in the US. One such group is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to the CDC’s National Marriage and Divorce Rate Trends, there are over 2.1 million marriages as of 2014. The marriage rate is at 6.9 per 1,000 people for all 50 states, and the divorce rate is almost half at 3.2 per 1,000 people (the latter for 46 states).
This is a relatively large slice of the pie. But while the number doesn’t really reflect a good situation, it isn’t all bad, either. Data presented by the New York Times reveals that divorce rates are dropping. The Times notes a significant drop since the sky-high divorce rates of the late 1970’s and 1980’s. A few noteworthy statistics are as follows: roughly 70 percent of marriages entered into in the 1990’s reached their 15th year, which is a good increase from 65 percent of those that took place in the 70’s and 80’s. Experts also believe that 1970’s feminist movement played a great role in shaping current divorce rates.
Where Do Marriages Die?
Data from Brown University shows which cities in America have high divorce rates. Not only that, but the researchers claim that the states’ cultural and political identities can affect how marriages end up. The researchers cite Panama City, FL as the foremost city in the US, when it comes to divorce rates. It is followed by Sierra Vista, AZ; Charleston, WV; Medford, OR; and Reno, NV which rounds up the top 5.
Dropping Continuously?
As reported by TIME magazine, data released by the National Survey of Family Growth reveals that US divorce rates have dropped to their lowest in recent years. Married women on their first marriage will see their marriage lasting at least a decade, about 68 percent of the time. That number bumps up to 70 percent for men. Moving up the ladder, the chances of a marriage lasting 20 years for women is at 52 percent, with men at 56 percent. One can conclude that while divorce rates in the US are apparently high, they also appear to be on a steady decline.