When a couple gets married, they typically expect the union to last forever. Yet this is not always the case. Among all Americans age 15 and older, 10.9% are divorced and have not remarried. An additional 2% of people in that age group are separated but not divorced from their spouse.
Couples get divorced any number of reasons, but there are several relatively common causes. A study published in the journal Couple Family Psychology found that lack of commitment was the most often cited reasons for divorce, listed by 75% of individual participants. This was followed by infidelity at 59.6%, too much arguing at 57.7%, and marrying too young at 45.1% as the most common causes of divorce. Money problems, substance abuse, and domestic violence were also cited as common reasons for divorce.
Divorces happen all across the country, but the percentage of the population that is divorced can vary from city to city. In some places, more than 20% of residents 15 and older are divorced. Every state has at least one city in which the share of the population that is divorced exceeds the U.S. divorce percentage. In one state’s divorce capital, just 13.3% of people 15 and over are divorced. Yet in another, the divorce rate is more than double that at 26.8%.
24/7 Wall St. reviewed the percentage of residents who are divorced in each major U.S. city using the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey to determine the divorce capital of each state.
We included the median household income for each state, as financial issues are among the most commonly cited causes of divorce. Those struggling with money are more likely to split up, while people in difficult relationships may be more reluctant to leave if they have a level of financial security that could be jeopardized by a divorce. In all but four state divorce capitals, the median household income is lower than the respective state value.
To identify the divorce capital of every state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the percentage of the 15-year-and-older population that is divorced from the Census Bureau’s 2017 American Community Survey. Population figures are five-year averages through 2017. Data on household income also comes from the ACS. The Census definition of those who are divorced includes only people who are legally divorced and have not remarried. Those without a final divorce decree are classified as separated.
Click here to see the divorce capital of every state.
Source: Rtrota / Wikimedia Commons
1. Alabama: Pell City
> Divorced population: 17.7%
> Married population: 48.7%
> Never married: 24.6%
> Median household income: $45,647
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Source: ManOnTheGo / Getty Images
2. Alaska: Kenai
> Divorced population: 18.6%
> Married population: 48.4%
> Never married: 24.9%
> Median household income: $58,125
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Source: BOB WESTON / Getty Images
3. Arizona: Florence
> Divorced population: 19.8%
> Married population: 31.2%
> Never married: 42.7%
> Median household income: $47,188
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Source: BOB WESTON / Getty Images
4. Arkansas: Newport
> Divorced population: 24.1%
> Married population: 28.7%
> Never married: 32.9%
> Median household income: $28,872
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Source: lovefishn / Getty Images
5. California: Clearlake
> Divorced population: 21.4%
> Married population: 33.1%
> Never married: 34.7%
> Median household income: $27,034
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Source: Ron_Thomas / Getty Images
6. Colorado: Aspen
> Divorced population: 22.9%
> Married population: 31.4%
> Never married: 43.3%
> Median household income: $64,594
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Source: Holcy / Getty Images
7. Connecticut: Rockville
> Divorced population: 19.3%
> Married population: 22.7%
> Never married: 48.0%
> Median household income: $37,229
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Source: Adam Moss / Wikimedia Commons
8. Delaware: Elsmere
> Divorced population: 18.0%
> Married population: 30.6%
> Never married: 44.3%
> Median household income: $45,660
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Source: Courtesy of Katye M. via Yelp
9. Florida: Southgate
> Divorced population: 22.3%
> Married population: 43.8%
> Never married: 24.5%
> Median household income: $48,508
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Source: trainor / Flickr
10. Georgia: Winder
> Divorced population: 18.4%
> Married population: 38.4%
> Never married: 31.7%
> Median household income: $46,310
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Source: Courtesy of Joy N. via Yelp
11. Hawaii: Hawaiian Paradise Park
> Divorced population: 16.9%
> Married population: 48.2%
> Never married: 26.4%
> Median household income: $51,908
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Source: Silvrshootr / Getty Images
12. Idaho: Sandpoint
> Divorced population: 17.8%
> Married population: 46.4%
> Never married: 24.7%
> Median household income: $36,706
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Source: tylerwarren / Flickr
13. Illinois: East Alton
> Divorced population: 21.5%
> Married population: 41.6%
> Never married: 27.0%
> Median household income: $46,161
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Source: kevin1024 / Flickr
14. Indiana: Rochester
> Divorced population: 24.3%
> Married population: 42.1%
> Never married: 24.8%
> Median household income: $40,451
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Source: kenlund / Flickr
15. Iowa: Knoxville
> Divorced population: 16.5%
> Married population: 46.7%
> Never married: 26.5%
> Median household income: $43,986
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Source: Ichabod / Wikimedia Commons
16. Kansas: Chanute
> Divorced population: 18.8%
> Married population: 48.0%
> Never married: 22.0%
> Median household income: $37,118
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Source: BOB WESTON / Getty Images
17. Kentucky: Leitchfield
> Divorced population: 21.9%
> Married population: 44.9%
> Never married: 19.0%
> Median household income: $29,553
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
18. Louisiana: Denham Springs
> Divorced population: 19.5%
> Married population: 38.0%
> Never married: 32.6%
> Median household income: $52,649
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Source: SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images
19. Maine: Augusta
> Divorced population: 21.3%
> Married population: 39.2%
> Never married: 31.9%
> Median household income: $40,181
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Source: Scott F Smith / Getty Images
20. Maryland: Edgewater
> Divorced population: 15.7%
> Married population: 47.8%
> Never married: 29.6%
> Median household income: $89,159
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Source: dougtone / Flickr
21. Massachusetts: Whitinsville
> Divorced population: 16.9%
> Married population: 51.4%
> Never married: 24.6%
> Median household income: $67,083
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Source: Andrew Jameson / Wikimedia Commons
22. Michigan: Ishpeming
> Divorced population: 20.3%
> Married population: 40.8%
> Never married: 28.5%
> Median household income: $42,075
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Source: Willard / Getty Images
23. Minnesota: Brainerd
> Divorced population: 19.0%
> Married population: 31.9%
> Never married: 38.8%
> Median household income: $34,358
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Source: CynthiaAnnF / Getty Images
24. Mississippi: Waveland
> Divorced population: 19.8%
> Married population: 36.5%
> Never married: 27.8%
> Median household income: $46,453
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Source: Skye Marthaler / Wikimedia Commons
25. Missouri: Dexter
> Divorced population: 21.0%
> Married population: 43.5%
> Never married: 19.8%
> Median household income: $33,813
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Source: RTC / Wikimedia Commons
26. Montana: Helena Valley Southeast
> Divorced population: 17.4%
> Married population: 48.3%
> Never married: 29.4%
> Median household income: $48,864
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Source: Skinzfan23 / Wikimedia Commons
27. Nebraska: Ralston
> Divorced population: 16.1%
> Married population: 45.8%
> Never married: 29.7%
> Median household income: $55,837
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Source: 4kodiak / Getty Images
28. Nevada: Laughlin
> Divorced population: 21.8%
> Married population: 40.1%
> Never married: 22.1%
> Median household income: $32,610
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Source: DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images
29. New Hampshire: Exeter
> Divorced population: 18.5%
> Married population: 47.5%
> Never married: 27.5%
> Median household income: $66,412
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Source: Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page or my English Wikipedia talk page; I'll know about it a lot faster) / Wikimedia Commons
30. New Jersey: Crestwood Village
> Divorced population: 16.9%
> Married population: 43.5%
> Never married: 9.7%
> Median household income: $28,081
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
31. New Mexico: Truth or Consequences
> Divorced population: 26.8%
> Married population: 37.9%
> Never married: 23.7%
> Median household income: $27,350
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Source: Joegrimes / Wikimedia Commons
32. New York: Mattydale
> Divorced population: 18.3%
> Married population: 33.3%
> Never married: 40.3%
> Median household income: $45,902
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Source: Darwin Brandis / Getty Images
33. North Carolina: Hendersonville
> Divorced population: 18.5%
> Married population: 40.1%
> Never married: 25.1%
> Median household income: $35,894
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Source: afiler / Flickr
34. North Dakota: Devils Lake
> Divorced population: 13.3%
> Married population: 40.2%
> Never married: 37.1%
> Median household income: $43,791
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Source: dougtone / Flickr
35. Ohio: Cambridge
> Divorced population: 20.7%
> Married population: 36.5%
> Never married: 29.0%
> Median household income: $30,856
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Source: shan213 / Flickr
36. Oklahoma: Sallisaw
> Divorced population: 19.0%
> Married population: 46.1%
> Never married: 24.1%
> Median household income: $30,000
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Source: sbeebe / Flickr
37. Oregon: Umatilla
> Divorced population: 20.1%
> Married population: 30.0%
> Never married: 43.8%
> Median household income: $38,796
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Source: dougtone / Flickr
38. Pennsylvania: Butler
> Divorced population: 18.9%
> Married population: 33.0%
> Never married: 37.9%
> Median household income: $30,266
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Source: lizardmonkey / Getty Images
39. Rhode Island: Westerly
> Divorced population: 14.8%
> Married population: 49.9%
> Never married: 25.9%
> Median household income: $60,192
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Source: DavidByronKeener / Getty Images
40. South Carolina: Little River
> Divorced population: 19.4%
> Married population: 50.9%
> Never married: 21.3%
> Median household income: $47,866
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Source: 60063848@N04 / Flickr
41. South Dakota: Yankton
> Divorced population: 14.1%
> Married population: 47.4%
> Never married: 30.5%
> Median household income: $41,727
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Source: Brian Stansberry / Wikimedia Commons
42. Tennessee: McMinnville
> Divorced population: 23.7%
> Married population: 38.9%
> Never married: 25.4%
> Median household income: $32,460
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Source: BOB WESTON / Getty Images
43. Texas: Bonham
> Divorced population: 18.5%
> Married population: 35.3%
> Never married: 32.0%
> Median household income: $36,473
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Source: GeorgePeters / Getty Images
44. Utah: Vernal
> Divorced population: 19.3%
> Married population: 45.8%
> Never married: 28.1%
> Median household income: $47,150
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Source: stockphoto52 / Getty Images
45. Vermont: Brattleboro
> Divorced population: 24.8%
> Married population: 31.7%
> Never married: 34.6%
> Median household income: $39,402
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Source: andrewbain / Flickr
46. Virginia: Sandston
> Divorced population: 18.9%
> Married population: 38.1%
> Never married: 31.8%
> Median household income: $45,083
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Source: JosephZahnlePhotography / Getty Images
47. Washington: Clarkston
> Divorced population: 22.7%
> Married population: 37.8%
> Never married: 30.6%
> Median household income: $35,000
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Source: wissanu01 / Getty Images
48. West Virginia: South Charleston
> Divorced population: 19.8%
> Married population: 46.4%
> Never married: 26.6%
> Median household income: $50,885
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Source: roadgeek / Flickr
49. Wisconsin: Tomah
> Divorced population: 18.5%
> Married population: 39.4%
> Never married: 31.8%
> Median household income: $45,876
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Source: Chevsapher / Wikimedia Commons
50. Wyoming: Riverton
> Divorced population: 16.5%
> Married population: 47.4%
> Never married: 27.9%
> Median household income: $51,102
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