Are there specific reasons for the high rate of divorce in Arizona?
The oft-quoted statistic that 50 percent of U.S. marriages end in divorce is disturbing to many since the concept of marriage involves a lifelong commitment. Apparently, someone who has divorced once is more likely to divorce again, since the percentage of people who divorce after a first marriage is 41 to 50 percent and the percentage of individuals who divorce after a second marriage increases to 60 to 67 percent. For those who have been married twice before, the percentage increases even further. Nearly three-quarters of third marriages end in divorce.
Divorce Rates in Arizona
Arizona has one of the highest rates of divorce in the country. In a U.S. Census Bureau study conducted in 2011, the rates of divorce for both men and women were above the national average. Out of every 1000 Arizona men that year, 10.8 divorced, whereas the national average is 9.2 men per 1000. The rate for Arizona women is even higher. Out of every 1000 women that year, 11.9 percent, divorced. For women, the national average is 9.7 per 1000. Another way of looking at this is that while the national divorce rate is 24.8 percent for men and 24.4 percent for women, in Arizona the divorce rate for men is 28 percent and the divorce rate for women is 28.3 percent.
According to these statistics, Arizona has the 10th highest divorce rate in the country, ranking below only Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nevada, Oklahoma and Tennessee.
Why is Arizona’s divorce rate among the highest in the nation?
There are several plausible explanations for Arizona’s high divorce rate. These include:
- No-fault divorce that make it easier to divorce easier, even if one partner objects
- Greater financial hardship in Arizona than in many states, creating more domestic turmoil
Northwest Arizona Has the Highest Rate of Divorce in the Country
Amazingly, the rate of divorce in Lake Havasu, in Northwest Arizona is the highest of all the metropolitan areas in the U.S. In this area, 41 percent of men and 42.3 percent of women have been married at least twice. As far as anyone has yet been able to figure out, this extremely high rate of divorce stems from several things.
- The population is very conservative, so people marry rather than live together. This means a breakup counts as a divorce.
- Lake Havasu is known as a party town where drinking and resulting impulsive behaviors are very common. Such behavior often rocks marital foundations.
- This area is a retirement community and older people are more likely to have been married two or more times, not always due to divorce. Many times they have been widowed.
As much as our society values and idealizes the institution of marriage, forces seem to conspire to dissolve marital contracts. This is, apparently, somewhat more true in certain regions of the country. If you are facing a possible divorce in Arizona, you would be well-advised to contact Mitchell Cohen at Cohen Family Law, 602-714-8898, for skilled legal expertise and compassionate guidance.
