Divorce rates in Arizona and around the country have fallen of late, but about 1 million couples still choose to end their marriages each year. In 2000, the divorce rate stood at four out of every 100,000, but that figure has since fallen to 2.9 out of every 100,000. However, this fall in divorces is more likely caused by fewer couples choosing to marry to begin with than an increase in marital bliss.
This observation is supported by a national marriage rate that is falling faster than the divorce rate. In 2000, 8.2 out of every 100,000 Americans walked down the aisle, but that figure fell to just 6.9 per 100,000 Americans in 2017. Overall, more than half of American adults are not married and about a third never have been. However, a study based on figures from the Census Bureau reveal that the numbers vary widely from state to state.
Louisiana has the nation’s lowest percentage of married residents and Utah has the highest. Louisiana also has the country’s lowest divorce rate and third-lowest marriage rate. Arizona ranks 38th on the list with a married population of 47.3 percent, a divorce rate of 3.5 per 1,000 residents and a marriage rate of 5.8 per 1,000 residents. This gives the Grand Canyon State the nation’s eleventh-lowest marriage rate and twelfth-highest divorce rate.
Despite recent falls, the national divorce rate still remains close to 50 percent. This is why family law attorneys will sometimes suggest prenuptial agreements to clients who plan to marry. Entering into a prenuptial agreement can help marriages to endure by providing couples with security, and these documents could also provide a way to avoid bitter and protracted property division negotiations.