Divorce rates by state: where divorce is most and least common (2026)
July 18, 2026 · 1 min read
Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Nevada top the list. Maine and Wisconsin sit at the bottom. The state-by-state divorce numbers and what actually drives them.
In this article
Free divorce tips
Occasional, useful guidance. Unsubscribe anytime.
Ready when you are
Begin your divorce online
Take the first step at your own pace. No account needed to start.
Begin your divorce- Attorney-reviewed guides
- All 50 states + DC
- Flat fee, no hidden costs
- Self-help service, not a law firm
America does not divorce evenly. The gap between the highest and lowest state divorce rates is roughly double, and the pattern behind it is one of the most consistent findings in family demography.
The states at the top
In the latest refined-rate data compiled by the National Center for Family and Marriage Research, the highest divorce rates per 1,000 married women were Arkansas at about 20.1, Oklahoma at 20.0, Nevada at 19.9, Mississippi at 19.2, and Wyoming at 18.7. Nevada's spot on the list is partly its famous marriage industry, but the rest of the top tier tells a clearer story: it is dominated by Southern and lower-income states.
The states at the bottom
The lowest rates in the same data belonged to Maine at about 10.0, Wisconsin at 10.8, New Jersey at 11.0, and Idaho at 11.2, with Montana and South Carolina close behind. The Northeast as a region has posted the country's lowest divorce rates for years, a pattern the Census Bureau has documented repeatedly.
What actually drives the gap
- Age at first marriage: states where people marry young divorce more.
- Income and education: economic stress is a consistent divorce predictor.
- Marriage rates themselves: where fewer people marry, fewer can divorce.
- Culture and religion cut both ways, encouraging both marriage and, sometimes, early marriage.
The short version: states where people marry younger and under more financial pressure see more divorce. It is less about geography and more about who marries, when, and with what resources.
What matters for your own case
Your state's divorce rate is trivia. Your state's divorce process is not. Waiting periods alone range from zero days to six months depending on where you live, and fees vary almost as much. Find your state's actual rules, forms, and costs in our state-by-state guides, and see the fee picture nationwide in our filing fees guide.
