What You Need to Know About the Divorce Rate in California
In recent years, the United States’ divorce rate has been on a downward trend. California’s divorce rate is amongst the lowest in the country. Here are some interesting facts about the divorce rate in California.
In comparison to other states, California has a very low divorce rate. While this can be somewhat attributed to the fact that the marriage rate in the United States as a whole has also been trending downward, the decreasing divorce rate in California is considered statistically significant.
1. The Average Age to get Divorced in California
Of the couples who divorce in California, the average age to get divorced is around 30 years old. People who marry between the ages of 20-25 are at an increased likelihood of getting divorced in California.
2. How Many California Marriages End in Divorce?
California has one of the lowest divorce rates compared to the rest of the country, at 6.50 divorced women for every 1,000 married individuals in 2019. In recent years, about 39% of California marriages end in divorce.
3. California had the Highest Divorce Rate in the United States in 2012
Although California is recognized today as one of the states with the lowest divorce rate, this was not always the case. In 2012, the State of California had the highest rate of divorce in the United States, at about 60%.
Related: 5 Ways to Get a Divorce in California
4. The Divorce Rate is Higher for Remarried Individuals in California
In California, the rate of divorce for a second marriage increases to about 60%. For third marriages, the rate of divorce increases dramatically to about 73%.
5. California Divorce Rate Differs for Men and Women
Women living in California are much more likely to go through a divorce than men living in California. Census data shows that women have been getting divorced in California at much higher rates than men; this trend has been consistent since 2010. In addition, women are much more likely than men to get remarried in California. According to the 2013-2017 data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 8% of men and 20.7% of women living in California have been married more than once. As mentioned above, second and third marriages are more likely to end in divorce compared to a first marriage. As data shows that women are more likely to remarry, this may explain why they are also much more likely to get divorced in California.
Related: 10 Pieces of Divorce Advice for Women in California
6. Couples Who Hold Strong Religious Beliefs are Less Likely to Get Divorced in California
Religious couples have been shown to stay married at higher rates than non-religious couples in California. These couples are 14% less likely than non-religious couples to get divorced. Many reasons may explain the reason why these couples may stay together at higher rates than non-religious couples. These reasons may include divorce is against their religion, strong support systems at their place of worship, and better stress management.
7. California has a Decreasing Marriage Rate
One explanation for the low CA divorce rate may regard the decreasing marriage rate. The marriage rate in California has decreased dramatically in comparison to the rest of the nation. In 1960, the marriage rate for California residents over the age of 18 was 74%. Today, this rate has fallen to about 51%. The decreasing marriage rate in California may account for recent trends of a decreasing divorce rate, as fewer people are getting divorced since they are not getting married in the first place.
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