For years, the common and alarming statistic was that half of all U.S. marriages end in divorce. Although there was a period when the divorce rate was nearly that high, it came at a time when divorce had first become widely available and socially destigmatized. Since then, the divorce rate has been declining steadily for decades.
These days, the divorce rate is certainly lower than it had been. But the statistics can be hard to compare because marriage rates have also fallen. Many couples, especially millennials, are choosing to cohabitate instead of getting married.
According to data from the 2017 American Community Survey (compiled by the Census Bureau), the rate of currently married Americans ages 15 and older is 48.2 percent. State-specific data show that the married population in Connecticut is slightly below national figures.
Data show that in Connecticut, 47.9 percent of the population (age 15 and older) was married in 2017. Our marriage rates are the fifth lowest in the nation, with just 5.6 married people per 1,000 residents. At the same time, however, Connecticut also seems to enjoy lower divorce rates than much of the country. In 2017, there were just 2.9 divorced people per 1,000 residents, which is the 18th lowest in the nation.
What do these numbers mean for you and the status of your own marriage? Not much. While interesting, the divorce statistics of any given state have no bearing on individual marriages. If you are currently in a troubled marriage that cannot or will not be reconciled, you need to make the decisions that are right for you and your family, regardless of what statistics say. To learn more about your legal options for divorce and similar matters, please contact an experienced family law attorney in your area.