US Divorce Statistics

In Massachusetts, marriage is both a religious and legal institution. It is important that residents remember this fact. Getting involved with another person is an important responsibility. The bonds of matrimony, as the traditional vows state, are not to be broken. Yet, in the real world, people are able to get out of contracts, as long as they fulfill certain requirements.

Society does not take the breaking contracts of lightly, requiring the completion of many steps before granting the exception. The same is true with divorces. It is thus wise to retain the services of a Massachusetts divorce attorney. They have the specialized knowledge to sift through the rules, regulations and statistics to make the process as comprehensible as possible.

To help anyone contemplating or currently going through a divorce get a better grasp on the situation, following are some statistics that highlight the nature of marriage break ups across the nation, in New England and in Massachusetts.

National Marriage Trends

• Marriage trends in 2012
  • 2,131,000 marriages out of a total population of 313,914,040.
  • Marriage rate per 1000 Americans was 6.8 percent.
• Marriage Trends in 2011
  • 2,118,000 marriages out of a total population of 311,591,917.
  • Marriage rate per 1000 Americans was 6.8 percent.
• Marriage Trends in 2010
  • 2,096,000 marriages out of a total population of 308,745,538.
  • Marriage rate per 1000 Americans was 6.8 percent.

National Divorce Trends

• Divorce Trends in 2012
  • Number of divorces was 851,000.
  • Divorce rate per 1000 Americans was 3.4 percent.
• Divorce Trends in 2011
  • Number of divorces was 877,000.
  • Divorce rate per 1000 Americans was 3.6 percent.
• Divorce Trends in year 2010.
  • Number of divorces was 872,000.
  • Divorce rate per 1000 Americans was 3.6 percent.

Comparative Divorce Rates by State

All statistics are per 1000 people.

2012

• Massachusetts 2.7
• New York 2.9
• Connecticut 2.7
• Maine 3.9
• New Hampshire 3.6
• Pennsylvania 2.8
• Rhode Island 3.2
• Vermont 3.5

2011

• Massachusetts 2.7
• New York 2.9
• Connecticut  3.1
• Maine 4.2
• New Hampshire  3.8
• Pennsylvania 2.8
• Rhode Island 3.2
• Vermont 3.6

2010

• Massachusetts 2.5
• New York 2.9
• Connecticut 2.9
• Maine 4.2
• New Hampshire 3.8
• Pennsylvania 2.7
• Rhode Island 3.2
• Vermont 3.8

2009

• Massachusetts 2.2
• New York 2.6
• Connecticut 3.0
• Maine 4.1
• New Hampshire 3.7
• Pennsylvania 2.7
• Rhode Island 3.0
• Vermont 3.5

Comparative Required Divorce Filing Fees by State

• Massachusetts residents pay $200.
• New Hampshire residents pay $252.
• Vermont residents pay $295.

Seeking Competent Legal Advice

A divorce is never easy, although, for many, it is the proper solution to a troubled marriage. With so much at stake, it is important to seek the advice of a Massachusetts family lawyer with a specialty in divorce cases. This expert has the resources to protect the dignity and self-respect of all parties involved in the suit.

Residents planning to dissolve a marriage should speak with their legal representative about the best type of divorce. If both partners agree on the issues, such as property and child custody, and refuse to contest each other on the majority of grounds, then a no-fault might be in order.

If necessary, the attorney will usually discuss a fee structure to cover the cost of going to court if one or the other spouse decides to contest the split. Regardless, we offer a free initial consultation that allows the lawyer and prospective client to decide if they can work well together.