Virginia Divorce Rates

Virginia divorce rates tell a complex story of changing social attitudes, demographic shifts, and evolving family structures. From crude divorce rates measuring divorces per 1,000 people living in the state to refined rates tracking divorces among married women aged 15 and older, different measurements provide different perspectives on marital dissolution across the Commonwealth.

What Is Virginia's Current Divorce Rate?

Virginia's divorce rate varies depending on the measurement method used. The crude divorce rate, divorces per 1,000 total population, currently sits around 2.5 to 2.7 divorces per 1,000 residents. Recent data from 2021 placed Virginia at 2.5 per 1,000, near the national average of approximately 2.3 to 2.5.

When measured among married women specifically (the refined divorce rate), Virginia sees about 7.9 to 14.0 divorces per 1,000 married women aged 15 and older. This refined measurement provides more accurate insights since it counts only married individuals rather than the entire population, including children and unmarried adults.

Difference in Measurements

It's important to note that these different measurements can create confusion about Virginia's actual divorce rate. The crude rate divides total divorces by total population, while the refined rate divides divorces by married women only. The National Center for Health Statistics uses both measurements when reporting divorce data.

The U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey provides another measurement showing the percentage of Virginia's population aged 15 and older who are currently divorced. This differs from annual divorce rates by capturing everyone currently in a divorced status, regardless of when their divorce occurred.

How Does Virginia Compare to Other States?

Virginia ranks relatively high compared to other states. Recent analyses placed Virginia as the 14th state with the highest divorce rates, indicating above-average marital dissolution. The states with the highest divorce rates include:

Nevada consistently maintains the highest divorce rate, partly due to the state's uniquely accommodating marriage and divorce laws that make both processes faster and easier than in most states.

States with the Lowest Divorce Rates

Conversely, some states maintain significantly lower divorce rates than Virginia:

• Massachusetts : 1.0% (lowest in the United States)
• Illinois : 1.3%
• Texas : 1.4%
• New Jersey : 1.5%
• New York : 1.6%

These states with the lowest divorce rates often share characteristics like higher median age at first marriage, higher educational attainment, stronger religious communities, and different cultural attitudes toward marriage and divorce.

How Have Virginia Divorce Rates Changed Over Time?

Virginia divorce rates have declined significantly from their peak. The state's divorce rate reached historic highs in the 1970s and early 1980s, similar to national trends. Virginia's current rate represents the lowest crude divorce rate the Commonwealth has experienced since the 1970s.

This steady decline mirrors national patterns where divorce rates peaked around 1979-1980 at approximately 22.6 divorces per 1,000 married women nationally. Since then, both Virginia and the United States overall have seen consistent decreases in the rate of divorce.

Recent Year-to-Year Changes

Looking at recent years:

• 2015 : 3.3 per 1,000 people
• 2016 : 3.4 per 1,000 people
• 2017 : 3.0 per 1,000 people
• 2021 : 2.5 per 1,000 people
• 2022-2023 : 2.6-3.1 per 1,000 people

While small fluctuations occur year to year, the overall trend remains downward. Virginia has experienced roughly a 30% decline in its crude divorce rate since 1990, when the rate stood at 4.4 per 1,000 people.

What Factors Influence Virginia Divorce Rates?

Age at marriage significantly impacts divorce likelihood. Virginia follows national patterns where:

• Ages 15-24 : Highest divorce rate nationally; those marrying young face the greatest divorce risk
• Ages 25-34 : 16.3 divorces per 1,000 married women (high rate but declining since the 1990s)
• Ages 35-44 : 14.9 per 1,000; many marriages lasting a median duration end in this bracket
• Ages 45-54 : Stable rates lower than younger groups
• Ages 55-64 : 11.8 per 1,000; part of "gray divorce" trend, more than doubled since 1990
• Ages 65+ : Lowest rate overall but fastest-growing demographic for divorce

Virginians, like Americans generally, are marrying later than previous generations, contributing to more stable marriages and lower overall divorce rates.

Educational Attainment

Education correlates strongly with divorce rates. College-educated individuals show significantly lower divorce rates when young compared to those with less education. Higher education typically means:

• Later age at first marriage
• Greater financial stability
• Better conflict resolution skills
• More resources for managing marital challenges

However, this education advantage disappears among adults over 60, where college-educated individuals divorce at similar or higher rates than those without degrees, particularly in gray divorce situations.

Economic Factors

Financial stress represents one of the most significant marriage stressors. Areas with higher poverty rates, unemployment, and economic instability typically show higher divorce rates. Conversely, economic prosperity and financial stability support marriage longevity.

Military Presence

Virginia's significant military population, particularly around Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Hampton Roads, and Northern Virginia, contributes to higher divorce rates among military families. Military life creates unique stressors:

• Frequent deployments separate spouses for months
• Regular relocations disrupt family stability
• Financial pressures despite steady military pay
• Reintegration challenges after deployment
• Young age at marriage is common among service members

Studies consistently show higher divorce rates among military couples compared to civilian couples, affecting Virginia's overall statistics.

How Does Virginia Calculate Divorce Statistics?

Virginia divorce statistics come from multiple sources. The National Center for Health Statistics publishes annual tables based on provisional state counts of divorces. Each divorce is counted in the state where the marriage was legally ended or legally petitioned to end.

The U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey provides complementary data through population surveys asking about current marital status. This captures the percentage of Virginia's population aged 15 and older currently divorced.

It's important to note that not all states report divorce data to the National Vital Statistics System. Some states, including California, Hawaii, Indiana, Minnesota, and New Mexico, don't report divorce data, making comprehensive national comparisons challenging.

What Gets Counted

Virginia divorce statistics include:

• Divorces from the bond of matrimony (absolute divorces)
• Annulments (counted as divorces for statistical purposes)
• Divorces finalized during the reporting period

The statistics don't include:

• Legal separations (Virginia offers "divorce from bed and board")
• Couples are currently separated but not yet divorced
• Those who remarried after divorce (they're counted as married, not divorced)

What Is Gray Divorce and How Does It Affect Virginia?

Gray divorce refers to divorce among couples aged 50 and older, representing one of the fastest-growing divorce demographics both nationally and in Virginia. The divorce rate for people aged 55-64 has more than doubled since 1990, rising from approximately 5-6 per 1,000 to 11.8 per 1,000 married women.

Those aged 65 and older show the lowest divorce rate overall, but represent the fastest-growing demographic for divorce since 1990. This trend profoundly affects Virginia divorce rates and family law practice.

What Geographic Variations Exist Within Virginia?

Divorce rates vary across Virginia's different regions, though comprehensive city-by-city data specifically for Virginia is limited. General patterns include:

• Northern Virginia  (Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Loudoun): Urban areas with higher education levels, later marriage ages, and diverse populations. Military presence around certain areas affects rates.
• Hampton Roads/Tidewater  (Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Newport News): Significant military concentration leads to higher rates among military families. Mix of urban and suburban characteristics.
• Richmond Metropolitan Area : Mid-sized urban center with diverse demographics showing rates near state averages.
• Rural Virginia : Generally more traditional views on marriage, stronger religious communities, potentially lower rates but also fewer economic opportunities creating financial stress.

How Do Virginia Divorce Rates Compare Internationally?

The United States overall ranks relatively high internationally for divorce rates, typically placing around 10th globally. Countries with higher divorce rates than the U.S. include:

• Maldives : Highest divorce rate globally
• Kazakhstan
• Russia
• Belarus
• Belgium

The U.S. ties with Denmark, Latvia, and Lithuania for 10th place in global divorce rate rankings.

Virginia's Position

As Virginia's divorce rate sits near or slightly above the U.S. national average, Virginia would rank similarly to the United States in international comparisons, moderate to moderately high compared to global divorce rates.

Western European countries, Scandinavian nations, and North American countries generally show higher divorce rates than Asia, Africa, and Latin America, reflecting different cultural attitudes, legal frameworks, and women's rights and economic independence.

What Seasonal Patterns Affect Virginia Divorce Rates?

Divorce filings show clear seasonal patterns. Research consistently finds spikes in divorce filings:

January through March : The highest concentration of divorce filings occurs during these months. Researchers attribute this spike to:

• Holiday stress brings marital problems into sharp focus
• Couples waiting until after the holidays to file
• New Year's motivation to make major life changes
• Financial year-end considerations for tax purposes

Late Summer : A secondary spike often occurs in August as summer ends, children return to school, and families transition from vacation mode back to regular routines.

Lowest filing periods : Thanksgiving through Christmas typically see the fewest divorce filings as couples delay during the holiday season.

What Common Misconceptions Exist About Divorce Rates?

Several common misunderstandings about divorce statistics create confusion:

While frequently cited, this oversimplifies complex data. The actual percentage varies significantly by:

• Age at marriage
• Education level
• Whether it's a first, second, or third marriage
• Socioeconomic factors
• Geographic location

Comparing divorce rates to marriage rates

Some sources incorrectly present the ratio of divorces to marriages in a given year as the divorce rate. This creates misleading percentages since people divorcing in any year were married in previous years.

Current divorce status vs. annual divorce rate

The percentage of Virginia's population currently divorced (around 10-11% of adults) differs from the annual divorce rate (2.5-3.1 per 1,000 total population).

Virginia divorce rates reveal a Commonwealth experiencing declining overall divorce rates while certain demographics, particularly those over 50, see rising rates. At 2.5 to 3.1 divorces per 1,000 people living in Virginia, the state sits near or slightly above national averages, ranking 14th among states with the highest divorce rates.