Divorce Statistics

Marriage and Divorce Facts (2002)
Percentage of population that is married: 59% (down from 62% in 1990, 72% in 1970)
Percentage of population that has never married: 24%
Percentage of population that is divorced: 10% (up from 8% in 1990, 6% in 1980)
Percentage of population that is widowed: 7%
Median age at first marriage: Males: 26.9
Females: 25.3
Median age at first divorce: Males: 30.5
Females: 29
Median age at second marriage: Males: 34
Females: 32
Median age at second divorce: Males: 39.3
Females: 37
Median duration of first marriages that end in divorce: Males: 7.8 years
Females: 7.9 years
Median duration of second marriages that end in divorce: Males: 7.3 years
Females: 6.8 years
Median number of years people wait to remarry after their first divorce: Males: 3.3 years
Females: 3.1 years

Percentage of married people who reach their 5th, 10th, and 15th anniversaries: 5th: 82%
10th: 65%
15th: 52%
Percentage of married people who reach their 25th, 35th, and 50th anniversaries: 25th: 33%
35th: 20%
50th: 5%
Percentage of people who have ever been married by the age of 25: Males: 32%
Females: 50%
Percentage of people who have ever been married by the age of 35: Males: 77%
Females: 84%
Percentage of people who have ever been married by the age of 45: Males: 87%
Females: 90%
Percentage of people who have ever been married by the age of 55: Both males and females: 95%
Number of unmarried couples living together: 5.5 million
Percentage of unmarried couples living together that are male-female unions: 89%

Children/Single parents:
(2000 except where noted)
Percentage of households which are family households: 68.8%
Percentage of households with their own children under 18: 33%
Percentage of married householders with kids: 24%
Percentage of all households run by single moms: 9.2%
Percentage of all households run by single dads: 1.9%
Number of single parents: Males: 2.04 million
Females: 9.68 million
Percentage of children under 18 years of age living with both parents (2002): 69%
Percentage of children under 18 years of age living with mother only (2002): 23%
Percentage of children under 18 years of age living with father only (2002): 5%
Percentage of children under 18 years of age living with neither parent (2002): 4%
Total single fathers maintaining their own household: 1.786 million
Total single fathers living in the home of a relative: 240,000
Total single fathers who are divorced: 913,000
Total single fathers never married: 693,000
Total single fathers raising one child: 1,300,000
Total single fathers raising four or more children: 55,000
Total single mothers maintaining their own household: 7.571 million
Total single mothers living in the home of a relative: 1.633 million
Total single mothers who are divorced: 3.392 million
Total single mothers never married: 4.181 million
Total single mothers raising one child: 5.239 million
Total single mothers raising four or more children: 475,000

Fatherless homes account for 63% of youth suicides, 90% of homeless/runaway children, 85% of children with behavior problems, 71% of high school dropouts, 85% of youths in prison, well over 50% of teen mothers.
Miscellaneous:
Married women earning at least $5,000 a year more than their husbands: 8.408 million (14.9% of all married women)
Unmarried women earning at least $5,000 a year more than their partners: 821,000 (21.5% of unmarried couples)
Married men earning at least $5,000 a year more than their wives: 33.228 million (58.8% of all married men)
Unmarried men earning at least $5,000 a year more than their partners: 2.099 million (54.9% of unmarried couples)
Married couples in which only the husband is employed: 12.642 million (22.4%)
Married couples in which only the wife is employed: 3.855 million (6.8%)
Married couples in which both partners are employed: 30.212 million (53.5%)
Unmarried couples in which only the male is employed: 695,000 (18.2%)
Unmarried couples in which only the female is employed: 410,000 (10.7%)
Unmarried couples in which both partners are employed: 2.484 million (65%)

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