There was a time in American society when marriage was essentially final—intractable, incapable of being dissolved. It wasn’t until New York state’s Married Women’s Property Act of 1848 that women even began to be seen as “legal entities,” to say nothing of equals to men, at least in the eyes of the law. Through the end of the 19th century, divorce retained a distasteful patina; it was a source of failure, shame, or wrongdoing.
Yet there were parts of the country—such as Indiana, North and South Dakota, and Utah—that had become known as “divorce mills,” places a person could safely and discreetly obtain a divorce (in the same manner that today only select states offer protected abortion care). In fact, the rate of divorce in those particular states became such a concern that in 1887 the federal government began to keep statistics on the matter.
Fast-cut to the 21st century and divorce is not only obtainable across the country, but it also has, in large part, shed the veil of secrecy and shame that once enshrouded it. The National Center for Health Statistics found in its most recent data that in 2020, across 45 reporting states and Washington D.C., there were more than 630,000 divorces. That’s 2.3 divorces per 1,000 population. And while it is a 116,000-divorce drop from 2019, it would not take a divorce lawyer to puzzle out the pandemic’s effect on those numbers.
Where you live may have a lot to do with your odds of getting divorced. Using 5-year estimate data from the Census Bureau’s 2021 American Community Survey, Stacker created a list of the 50 metropolitan areas with the highest number of divorced people. The metropolitan areas, all of which had to have more than 50,000 residents to make the list, are ranked by the percentage of their divorced adult population. The adult population is considered 15 years old and over.
Here, the percentage of the adult population that is divorced is listed along with its percentage point difference versus the national average. The percentage of the adult population that is currently separated, married, or widowed also is noted, as are any resulting ties in the data.
Read on to find out if you live in a city with one of the highest divorce rates.
#50. Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma
– Percent currently divorced: 13.6% (2.8 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 2.3% (0.5 points above national average)
– Currently married: 50.8% (2.8 points above national average)
– Currently widowed: 7.1% (1.5 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 26.2% (7.6 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 196,463
#49. Panama City, Florida
– Percent currently divorced: 13.6% (2.8 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 2.1% (0.3 points above national average)
– Currently married: 50.1% (2.1 points above national average)
– Currently widowed: 6.7% (1.1 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 27.5% (6.3 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 149,399
#47. Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, Arkansas (tie)
– Percent currently divorced: 13.6% (2.8 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.9% (0.1 points above national average)
– Currently married: 48.1% (0.1 points above national average)
– Currently widowed: 5.8% (0.2 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 30.6% (3.2 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 599,679
#47. Longview, Washington (tie)
– Percent currently divorced: 13.6% (2.8 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.9% (0.1 points above national average)
– Currently married: 48.8% (0.8 points above national average)
– Currently widowed: 6.6% (1.0 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 29.1% (4.7 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 88,694
#46. Weirton-Steubenville, West Virginia-Ohio
– Percent currently divorced: 13.6% (2.8 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.6% (0.2 points below national average)
– Currently married: 47.8% (0.2 points below national average)
– Currently widowed: 8.3% (2.7 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 28.7% (5.1 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 99,107
#45. Great Falls, Montana
– Percent currently divorced: 13.6% (2.8 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.5% (0.3 points below national average)
– Currently married: 50.3% (2.3 points above national average)
– Currently widowed: 6.6% (1.0 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 28.1% (5.7 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 67,945
#44. Springfield, Illinois
– Percent currently divorced: 13.6% (2.8 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.3% (0.5 points below national average)
– Currently married: 46.6% (1.4 points below national average)
– Currently widowed: 6.1% (0.5 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 32.4% (1.4 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 170,792
#43. Billings, Montana
– Percent currently divorced: 13.6% (2.8 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.0% (0.8 points below national average)
– Currently married: 51.6% (3.6 points above national average)
– Currently widowed: 5.6% (0.0 points below national average)
– Percent never married: 28.3% (5.5 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 147,751
#41. Reno, Nevada (tie)
– Percent currently divorced: 13.7% (2.9 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.7% (0.1 points below national average)
– Currently married: 47.4% (0.6 points below national average)
– Currently widowed: 4.9% (0.7 points below national average)
– Percent never married: 32.4% (1.4 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 396,915
#41. Port St. Lucie, Florida (tie)
– Percent currently divorced: 13.7% (2.9 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.7% (0.1 points below national average)
– Currently married: 49.7% (1.7 points above national average)
– Currently widowed: 8.0% (2.4 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 26.8% (7.0 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 408,646
#40. Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, Florida
– Percent currently divorced: 13.7% (2.9 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.6% (0.2 points below national average)
– Currently married: 49.7% (1.7 points above national average)
– Currently widowed: 7.7% (2.1 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 27.3% (6.5 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 511,055
#39. Albany-Lebanon, Oregon
– Percent currently divorced: 13.7% (2.9 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.5% (0.3 points below national average)
– Currently married: 52.2% (4.2 points above national average)
– Currently widowed: 5.6% (0.0 points below national average)
– Percent never married: 27.0% (6.8 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 103,403
#38. Sherman-Denison, Texas
– Percent currently divorced: 13.7% (2.9 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.4% (0.4 points below national average)
– Currently married: 51.6% (3.6 points above national average)
– Currently widowed: 6.5% (0.9 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 26.8% (7.0 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 107,592
#37. Owensboro, Kentucky
– Percent currently divorced: 13.8% (3.0 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.8% (0.0 points below national average)
– Currently married: 51.8% (3.8 points above national average)
– Currently widowed: 6.4% (0.8 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 26.3% (7.5 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 96,191
#36. Bangor, Maine
– Percent currently divorced: 13.8% (3.0 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.1% (0.7 points below national average)
– Currently married: 47.0% (1.0 points below national average)
– Currently widowed: 6.3% (0.7 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 31.7% (2.1 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 129,781
#35. Flint, Michigan
– Percent currently divorced: 13.9% (3.1 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.6% (0.2 points below national average)
– Currently married: 43.9% (4.1 points below national average)
– Currently widowed: 6.0% (0.4 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 34.5% (0.7 points above national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 330,915
#34. Casper, Wyoming
– Percent currently divorced: 13.9% (3.1 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.1% (0.7 points below national average)
– Currently married: 50.4% (2.4 points above national average)
– Currently widowed: 5.5% (0.1 points below national average)
– Percent never married: 29.1% (4.7 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 63,411
#33. Huntington-Ashland, West Virginia-Kentucky-Ohio
– Percent currently divorced: 14.0% (3.2 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.7% (0.1 points below national average)
– Currently married: 48.6% (0.6 points above national average)
– Currently widowed: 7.7% (2.1 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 28.0% (5.8 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 297,755
#32. Parkersburg-Vienna, West Virginia
– Percent currently divorced: 14.0% (3.2 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.3% (0.5 points below national average)
– Currently married: 50.5% (2.5 points above national average)
– Currently widowed: 7.8% (2.2 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 26.4% (7.4 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 74,210
#31. Muskegon, Michigan
– Percent currently divorced: 14.0% (3.2 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.0% (0.8 points below national average)
– Currently married: 46.7% (1.3 points below national average)
– Currently widowed: 5.8% (0.2 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 32.5% (1.3 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 142,179
#30. Brunswick, Georgia
– Percent currently divorced: 14.1% (3.3 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 2.3% (0.5 points above national average)
– Currently married: 46.2% (1.8 points below national average)
– Currently widowed: 8.0% (2.4 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 29.4% (4.4 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 93,561
#28. Albuquerque, New Mexico (tie)
– Percent currently divorced: 14.1% (3.3 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.4% (0.4 points below national average)
– Currently married: 43.5% (4.5 points below national average)
– Currently widowed: 5.5% (0.1 points below national average)
– Percent never married: 35.6% (1.8 points above national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 748,464
#28. Grand Junction, Colorado (tie)
– Percent currently divorced: 14.1% (3.3 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.4% (0.4 points below national average)
– Currently married: 50.2% (2.2 points above national average)
– Currently widowed: 6.3% (0.7 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 27.9% (5.9 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 127,130
– Percent currently divorced: 14.1% (3.3 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.2% (0.6 points below national average)
– Currently married: 48.8% (0.8 points above national average)
– Currently widowed: 5.3% (0.3 points below national average)
– Percent never married: 30.6% (3.2 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 471,724
#25. Bay City, Michigan (tie)
– Percent currently divorced: 14.1% (3.3 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.1% (0.7 points below national average)
– Currently married: 47.1% (0.9 points below national average)
– Currently widowed: 7.5% (1.9 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 30.3% (3.5 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 87,018
#25. Lewiston-Auburn, Maine (tie)
– Percent currently divorced: 14.1% (3.3 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.1% (0.7 points below national average)
– Currently married: 48.3% (0.3 points above national average)
– Currently widowed: 6.1% (0.5 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 30.3% (3.5 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 90,589
#24. Lewiston, Idaho-Washington
– Percent currently divorced: 14.2% (3.4 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.2% (0.6 points below national average)
– Currently married: 50.8% (2.8 points above national average)
– Currently widowed: 7.4% (1.8 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 26.3% (7.5 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 52,907
#23. Redding, California
– Percent currently divorced: 14.3% (3.5 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.8% (0.0 points below national average)
– Currently married: 49.0% (1.0 points above national average)
– Currently widowed: 6.4% (0.8 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 28.5% (5.3 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 149,073
#22. Jackson, Michigan
– Percent currently divorced: 14.3% (3.5 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.3% (0.5 points below national average)
– Currently married: 45.9% (2.1 points below national average)
– Currently widowed: 6.0% (0.4 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 32.5% (1.3 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 132,247
#21. Terre Haute, Indiana
– Percent currently divorced: 14.3% (3.5 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.0% (0.8 points below national average)
– Currently married: 45.3% (2.7 points below national average)
– Currently widowed: 6.5% (0.9 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 32.9% (0.9 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 153,098
#20. Anniston-Oxford, Alabama
– Percent currently divorced: 14.4% (3.6 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 2.4% (0.6 points above national average)
– Currently married: 44.1% (3.9 points below national average)
– Currently widowed: 7.4% (1.8 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 31.7% (2.1 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 95,608
#19. Danville, Illinois
– Percent currently divorced: 14.4% (3.6 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 2.1% (0.3 points above national average)
– Currently married: 43.8% (4.2 points below national average)
– Currently widowed: 7.6% (2.0 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 32.1% (1.7 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 60,043
#18. Pueblo, Colorado
– Percent currently divorced: 14.4% (3.6 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.9% (0.1 points above national average)
– Currently married: 44.9% (3.1 points below national average)
– Currently widowed: 6.3% (0.7 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 32.5% (1.3 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 136,439
#17. Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, Florida
– Percent currently divorced: 14.4% (3.6 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.6% (0.2 points below national average)
– Currently married: 48.8% (0.8 points above national average)
– Currently widowed: 7.9% (2.3 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 27.3% (6.5 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 566,607
#16. Charleston, West Virginia
– Percent currently divorced: 14.4% (3.6 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.5% (0.3 points below national average)
– Currently married: 48.4% (0.4 points above national average)
– Currently widowed: 8.2% (2.6 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 27.5% (6.3 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 216,592
#14. Beckley, West Virginia (tie)
– Percent currently divorced: 14.4% (3.6 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.4% (0.4 points below national average)
– Currently married: 50.2% (2.2 points above national average)
– Currently widowed: 8.5% (2.9 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 25.5% (8.3 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 95,779
#14. Homosassa Springs, Florida (tie)
– Percent currently divorced: 14.4% (3.6 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.4% (0.4 points below national average)
– Currently married: 52.7% (4.7 points above national average)
– Currently widowed: 10.5% (4.9 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 21.0% (12.8 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 133,225
#13. Grants Pass, Oregon
– Percent currently divorced: 14.5% (3.7 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 2.0% (0.2 points above national average)
– Currently married: 52.3% (4.3 points above national average)
– Currently widowed: 6.7% (1.1 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 24.4% (9.4 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 73,486
#12. Gadsden, Alabama
– Percent currently divorced: 14.5% (3.7 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.8% (0.0 points below national average)
– Currently married: 45.5% (2.5 points below national average)
– Currently widowed: 8.7% (3.1 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 29.5% (4.3 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 85,077
#11. Michigan City-La Porte, Indiana
– Percent currently divorced: 14.5% (3.7 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.1% (0.7 points below national average)
– Currently married: 47.0% (1.0 points below national average)
– Currently widowed: 6.0% (0.4 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 31.4% (2.4 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 92,175
#10. Texarkana, Texas-Arkansas
– Percent currently divorced: 14.6% (3.8 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 2.7% (0.9 points above national average)
– Currently married: 45.5% (2.5 points below national average)
– Currently widowed: 7.1% (1.5 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 30.1% (3.7 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 118,882
#9. Carson City, Nevada
– Percent currently divorced: 14.6% (3.8 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 2.5% (0.7 points above national average)
– Currently married: 45.2% (2.8 points below national average)
– Currently widowed: 7.7% (2.1 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 30.0% (3.8 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 48,085
#8. Kingsport-Bristol, Tennessee-Virginia
– Percent currently divorced: 14.6% (3.8 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 2.2% (0.4 points above national average)
– Currently married: 50.4% (2.4 points above national average)
– Currently widowed: 8.3% (2.7 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 24.5% (9.3 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 259,755
#7. Medford, Oregon
– Percent currently divorced: 14.9% (4.1 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.2% (0.6 points below national average)
– Currently married: 51.1% (3.1 points above national average)
– Currently widowed: 5.9% (0.3 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 26.9% (6.9 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 183,553
#6. St. Joseph, Missouri-Kansas
– Percent currently divorced: 15.1% (4.3 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.5% (0.3 points below national average)
– Currently married: 46.4% (1.6 points below national average)
– Currently widowed: 6.4% (0.8 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 30.6% (3.2 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 100,058
#5. Battle Creek, Michigan
– Percent currently divorced: 15.1% (4.3 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.3% (0.5 points below national average)
– Currently married: 44.7% (3.3 points below national average)
– Currently widowed: 6.3% (0.7 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 32.6% (1.2 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 108,885
#3. Hot Springs, Arkansas (tie)
– Percent currently divorced: 15.3% (4.5 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 2.1% (0.3 points above national average)
– Currently married: 48.8% (0.8 points above national average)
– Currently widowed: 8.5% (2.9 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 25.3% (8.5 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 83,268
#3. Lake Havasu City-Kingman, Arizona (tie)
– Percent currently divorced: 15.3% (4.5 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 2.1% (0.3 points above national average)
– Currently married: 51.0% (3.0 points above national average)
– Currently widowed: 8.7% (3.1 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 23.0% (10.8 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 181,749
#2. Prescott Valley-Prescott, Arizona
– Percent currently divorced: 15.5% (4.7 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.3% (0.5 points below national average)
– Currently married: 52.9% (4.9 points above national average)
– Currently widowed: 8.0% (2.4 points above national average)
– Percent never married: 22.3% (11.5 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 202,886
#1. Santa Fe, New Mexico
– Percent currently divorced: 16.1% (5.3 points above national average)
– Currently separated: 1.2% (0.6 points below national average)
– Currently married: 46.5% (1.5 points below national average)
– Currently widowed: 5.6% (0.0 points below national average)
– Percent never married: 30.7% (3.1 points below national average)
– Total adult population estimate: 131,477
This article originally appeared on Stacker
Authors
Brian Budzynski is a Senior Editor at Stacker. He focuses mainly on the news beat, writing and editing content on politics, infrastructure, history, education, current events, and climate—though you’ll find his name on the occasional culture or sports story, too. Prior to joining Stacker, Brian was the Senior Managing Editor of Roads & Bridges magazine, where he earned numerous awards for his original reportage, including a Jesse H. Neal Award for his coverage of the Florida International Bridge collapse.
Andrew Lisa has been writing professionally since 2001. He was one of the youngest nationally distributed columnists at the largest newspaper syndicate in the country, the Gannett News Service, and later worked as a section editor at AMNewYork, the most widely distributed newspaper in Manhattan. After four years living and working as a freelance writer in Los Angeles, Andrew has recently moved back to New Jersey.
