Even though divorce no longer has the stigma of the past, it can be one of the most rancorous events in a person’s life. The top reasons for divorce are lack of commitment, infidelity, conflict and arguing, getting married too young, and financial stress. These issues are why married people research divorce, and their searches occur more frequently in some states than others.
Research by the law firm of Schmidt & Clark analyzed nationwide and regional Google search volume for keywords related to divorce and divorce lawyers over the last 12 months in the U.S., to identify the top states where people are looking to officially separate.
The 10 states where people were most interested in divorce had at least 113 searches per 100,000. Six of these states are in the South, led by Tennessee with 141 searches per 100,000. That is 40% above the national average of 101. Conversely, the 10 states where people were least interested in divorce had at most 67 searches per 100,000. Six were in the West.
The states whose people are most interested in divorce are more populous than the states where people are least interested in separating. (Click here to read about 17 really weird divorce settlements.)
At just 52 searches per 100,000, Alaska had the fewest people interested in divorce. The Last Frontier State had the highest marriage rate of any state in 2021, according to U.S. Census data at 23.5 marriages per every 1,000 women over age 15. Western states Utah and Colorado had rates of 22.3 and 19.8, respectively.
However, on average, marriages are shortest in the Western United States. The median duration of marriage in Alaska was a nationwide shortest 6.8 years.
MOST INTERESTED IN DIVORCE
10. Missouri
- Searches per 100K: 113
- Population: 6,196,156
9. Illinois
- Searches per 100K: 115
- Population: 12,549,689
8. Colorado
- Searches per 100K: 119
- Population: 5,877,610
7. Arkansas
- Searches per 100K: 122
- Population: 3,067,732
6. Virginia
- Searches per 100K: 126
- Population: 8,715,698
5. Michigan
- Searches per 100K: 128
- Population: 10,037,261
4. South Carolina
- Searches per 100K: 130
- Population: 5,373,555
3. Mississippi
- Searches per 100K: 131
- Population: 2,939,690
2. Georgia
- Searches per 100K: 134
- Population: 11,029,227
1. Tennessee
- Searches per 100K: 141
- Population: 7,126,489
MOST INTERESTED IN DIVORCE
10. Nebraska
- Searches per 100K: 67
- Population: 1,978,379
9. Massachusetts
- Searches per 100K: 65
- Population: 7,001,399
8. New Hampshire
- Searches per 100K: 64
- Population: 1,402,054
7. Maine
- Searches per 100K: 64
- Population: 1,395,722
6. Montana
- Searches per 100K: 63
- Population: 1,132,812
5. North Dakota
- Searches per 100K: 59
- Population: 783,926
4. Idaho
- Searches per 100K: 57
- Population: 1,964,726
3. Hawaii
- Searches per 100K: 56
- Population: 1,435,138
2. South Dakota
- Searches per 100K: 54
- Population: 919,318
1. Alaska
- Searches per 100K: 52
- Population: 733,406