America’s divorce rate is much lower than we are often told

America’s divorce rate is much lower than we are often told

One of the most frequently cited demographic statistics is the 50 percent divorce rate in the United States. In other words: Half of all U.S. marriages will end in divorce. It is a sobering statistic, and one that probably leaves many young Americans hesitant to get married in the first place.

Like many “common knowledge” statistics, however, it is also untrue. A data analysis conducted by the New York Times shows that the divorce rate may have been close to 50 percent in the late 1970s and early 1980s, but has been steadily declining since then.

According to projections based on historical trends, the U.S. may soon reach a point in which approximately two-thirds of marriages will never involve divorce.

There seem to be several reasons for declining divorce rates, including the fact that men and women are entering into first marriages at an older age, on average, than in the past. Some analysts also believe that “modern-day” marriages are stronger than in the past because of the feminist movement of the 1970s. Women have more economic stability and reproductive rights, and this apparently means that marriages these days are more likely to be “based on love and shared passions, and often two incomes and shared housekeeping duties.”

While it is heartening to see that marriages in the U.S. seem stronger than they once were, there is no doubt that divorce is still necessary for many couples. If you are in such a situation, please seek the help of an experienced Rolling Meadows divorce attorney.

Source: The Huffington Post, “ The Divorce Rate Is Surprisingly Optimistic,” Brittany Wong, Dec. 3, 2014