World Divorce Statistics

In the United States, 49% of marriages end in divorce.
• Although 82% of all married couples will reach their fifth wedding anniversary, only 52% will celebrate 15 years of marriage.
• The median duration of first marriages that end in divorce is slightly less than eight years.
• Most people will wait about three years after a divorce to remarry.
• Most divorce proceedings will take approximately one year to complete.

In case you were wondering, divorce rates do vary substantially in different countries. Check out these world divorce statistics:

• In Sweden, 64% of marriages end in divorce.
• In Canada, 45% of marriages end in divorce
• In France, 43% of marriages end in divorce.
• In Israel, 26% of marriages end in divorce.
• In Greece, 18% of marriages end in divorce.
• In Italy, 12% of marriages end in divorce.

The Economic Impact of Divorce

If you review current divorce statistics, some of the most shocking facts relate to the economic impact of divorce. While it’s not uncommon for a father’s standard of living to rise after a divorce, the end of marriage often leaves women and children in poverty. Consider the following divorce statistics:

• Divorced women with children are four times more likely than married women to have an income that is under the poverty line.
• A single mom is nine times more likely than a married woman to have an income that is less than half the official poverty line.
• Although 10% of families in the U.S. are headed by a woman, 40% of poor families have a female head of household.

Of course, divorce also results in a higher cost to society as a whole. According to one study, a single divorce can cost state and federal governments more than $30,000 in court fees, increased bankruptcies, food stamps, and public housing benefits.

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