20 Towns with the Highest Divorce Rates in America

American millennials have taken the blame for everything from rising avocado prices to a decline in church membership.¹ Apparently, they’ve even ruined divorce. In a strangely accusatory article, Bloomberg attributed the plummeting divorce rate in the U.S. to millennials.²

Many modern daters have waited until they’re over 30 to get married, so their marriages are less likely to end in divorce.

Kids today with their serious commitments and their solid relationship-building skills. Don’t worry, though — America’s long-held tradition of splitting up and remarrying and splitting up again is alive and well.

American married couples currently have a 42% chance of divorcing,³ down from about 50% in the 1980s, yet many impoverished areas have significantly higher divorce rates than the rest of the country.

The following 20 towns have the highest divorce rates in the U.S. These micropolitan statistical areas have populations between 10,000 and 70,000,⁴ and an above-average number of divorcees.

Connersville, Indiana — 22.6%

First on our list, we have Connersville, the largest and only incorporated town in Fayette County, Indiana. This is an old manufacturing town established in 1813 by John Conner. Over 13,000 people call Connersville home, and 22.6% of those residents are divorced.

The state of Indiana is a traditionally conservative and predominantly white area with strong Midwestern values, and Connersville is no exception.

So why the high divorce rate? It might be because Connersville is also among the poorest areas in the state with a median household income of $45,305,⁵ as opposed to Indiana’s median household income of $70,051.⁶

McMinnville, Tennessee — 21.9%

The South is big on family values, so it’s surprising to see good ol’ Tennessee on this list of broken and blended families. Nonetheless, McMinnville’s 21.9% divorced population puts it solidly among the most divorce-ridden townships in the U.S. The town has over 13,000 residents in a 10-square-mile area in Warren County.

Again, poverty most likely plays a role in the high divorce rate in this sleepy area. The average household income is $43,993, and, unfortunately, 18.5% of McMinnville residents live in poverty.⁷ The overall U.S. poverty rate is 11.1%,⁸ so McMinnville residents are significantly less well-off than people in the rest of the country.

Madison, Indiana — 21.8%

Madison, Indiana, is ideally situated on the Ohio River, which has been key to its economic growth. Madison has seen the job market expand,⁹ and future job growth is predicted to be 40.2% in the next decade. 

Madison is historically a manufacturing town, but the city has made an effort to support small businesses and self-starters. It even has a guide for how to start a business in Madison.

Though Jefferson County’s 26,943 residents have largely avoided economic strife, some have encountered marital strife at the Crossroads of America. Approximately 21.8% of Madison residents are divorced.

Somerset, Kentucky — 19%

Kentucky is getting a lot of action on this list. Somerset is the first of several Kentucky towns to rank in the top 20 most divorced towns in the U.S. Somerset is actually wedged in between Campbellsville and Middlesboro in a distinctly rural part of the state. 

Pulaski County has over 66,000 residents, and 19% of them have been divorced, while 2.8% are separated and 8.3% are widowed.

But it’s not all bad news — at least residents can get a drink. Somerset became a wet city in June 2012, meaning local restaurants and bars can serve alcoholic drinks.

All other areas of Pulaski County are dry. Around 28.7% of Somerset residents live in poverty,¹⁰ and household incomes and employment rates are declining, so many folks down here could use a stiff drink to take the edge off.

Mount Sterling, Kentucky — 18.7%

Mount Sterling is home to about 7,500 people in its micropolitan area, which is known as the Gateway between the Bluegrass and the Mountains.¹¹ It is slightly older than most Kentucky towns — the median age in Mount Sterling is 39.1 years old,¹² which is exactly the median age in Kentucky.

The median household income has risen in the last decade, but it still remains below the state average at $50,843.

The town’s quaint clothing shops, candy factories, and art galleries may wow visitors with Southern charm, but the divorce rate tells a different part of the story.

Mount Sterling has the 11th highest divorce rate in the country, with 18.7% of residents calling it quits on their marriages. An additional 4.9% of residents are currently separated.

Campbellsville, Kentucky — 18.4%

Campbellsville may be shaped like a heart, but its high divorce rate suggests that it isn’t all happily ever afters in this Kentucky town.

Around 18.4% of residents are divorced, 0.7% are separated, and 8.9% are widowed. The town has a total population of over 11,500 people, and 24.1% of residents live below the poverty line.¹³

Campbellsville University, a Christian college, dominates the local culture and contributes significantly to the local economy. Campbellsville University’s annual economic impact for Taylor County in 2014-2015 was nearly $105 million. University students, staff, contractors, service providers, and other vendors spend more than $37 million each year with local businesses.

Newport, Tennessee — 18.4%

Located along the Pigeon River, Newport is a rural town surrounded by the natural beauty of Tennessee’s mountains and lakes. Some couples have carved out a life here and stuck together, while others have struck out on their own. Around 18% of residents are divorced, and 3.1% are separated from their spouses.

The Newport micropolitan area encompasses 443 square miles in Cocke County. According to 2020 census data, the county population is 35,999, of which 13% are women without husbands.

Aberdeen, Washington — 18.2%

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, only 30% of adults in Aberdeen, Washington, are married, and 18.2% are divorced. In the last few years, the city government has invested heavily in the town’s infrastructure in hopes of transforming the area into a retail hub and tourist destination.¹⁴

Perhaps this will also bolster crumbling family units by bringing more prosperity to a county dependent upon logging and fishing.

The Gateway to the Olympic Peninsula employs over 6,602 people, and a majority of those jobs are in agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting, and manufacturing. According to Data USA, the agriculture industry employs about 4.95 times more people than would be expected in a town this size.¹⁵

Aberdeen may be a predominantly white and working-class town, but that’s rapidly changing as local officials emphasize a need for innovation, diversity, and social change. Aberdeen’s motto is “Come as you are” in honor of its most famous residents, Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic of Nirvana.

Key West, Florida — 17.7%

Most people think of Key West as a laid-back beach town and envy the locals who get to live every day in paradise. However, the high divorce rate in Key West suggests that it isn’t all sunshine and pie here.

Only 44.4% of residents over 15 years old are married (53% of Americans are married),¹⁶ and 17.7% are divorced, with an additional 1.8% separated from their spouses.

The Florida city has a total population of over 26,000 adults from coast to coast. The vacation destination may attract divorcees looking to start over and create a new life, or maybe carefree island life just doesn’t lend itself to relationship-building.

After all, why anchor yourself down when you can float freely in such a beautiful area?

American singer and songwriter Jimmy Buffett left his wife and found his muse on the beaches of Key West.¹⁷ “I was running from a bad marriage and a trail of debt, and wound up at the end of America,” he said. “It was a place for me to hang my hat for awhile.”

Richmond, Indiana — 17.6%

Indiana is making its fourth appearance on this list, with Richmond, the county seat of Wayne County. Census data indicates that over 35,720 people live in this area, and 17.6% are divorced. Less than half (34.5%) of Richmond residents over 15 are married, so it seems locals aren’t very invested in settling down.

In 1806, Quaker families established Richmond along the Whitewater River. The Quaker’s loving philosophy may have laid the groundwork for the community, but trade and transportation truly made it thrive.

Newport, Oregon — 17.3%

Although Newport is known for its amazing seafood, it’s apparently hard for local singles to find a good catch. The Newport micropolitan area has over 10,400 residents, and 17.3% are divorced.

The Newport community prides itself on being “the friendliest,” but something fishy is going on with this high divorce rate. The culprit could be a large number of over-40 residents — the median age is 51.1¹⁸ — or the high population density — 1151% higher than the national average.

But the high divorce rate hasn’t dampened the Newport spirit. Many retirees move here for the nice weather and stay for the friendly community.

“Newport, Oregon, is a wonderful place to live,” said one Newport resident in a review.¹⁹ “We moved here mainly for our health from the big cities. Our only regret is that we didn’t [move] here sooner.”

Taos, New Mexico — 16.2%

Taos is locally renowned for its skiing resorts and art galleries. It’s less well-known for its divorces, but census data shows that New Mexico’s Soul of the Southwest has more divorcees than most towns do. About 16.2% of Taos residents are divorced.

Taos also has an uncommonly high percentage of never-married singles — 41.3% of residents have never tied the knot.

Maybe Taos residents are simply too artsy and adventurous to settle down for long. Or maybe low income is keeping singles from building a family. The median income for a household in Taos is around $46,000,²⁰ and the per capita income is $15,983. All told, nearly 13.5% of the population lives below the poverty line.

Brookings, Oregon — 16%

Brookings is in Curry County, Oregon, and it has the distinction of housing a disproportionately large number of divorcees. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, 16% of Brookings residents are divorced. Brookings is an older city, with a median age of 55.2 years old,²¹ so perhaps that has something to do with the high divorce rate.

The Brookings area covers approximately 12 square miles along the coast and has a population of about 6,700 people. You wouldn’t guess from looking at this scenic destination and close-knit community that divorce is so prevalent.

New Castle, Indiana — 15.9%

New Castle is located just around the corner from Connersville, and this neighboring town has a similarly high number of divorced residents. Over 15% of New Castle residents are divorced, and only 39.8% are married. With over 17,000 residents, New Castle is about as big as Connersville, and the demographics are almost identical.

New Castle is about 92% white with a median age of 41.4.²² The estimated median household income is $48,576.

Manufacturing, healthcare, and retail trade are the backbone of the local economy, which has been growing. Still, about 18.5% of New Castle residents live in poverty.²³ A troubling stat that may explain the high divorce rate in this area.

Middlesboro, Kentucky — 15.8%

Middlesboro is a micropolitan area that includes Middlesboro, Pineville, and the surrounding area in Bell County. This fast-growing area is in the southern part of Kentucky. The median household income is a paltry $33,634, and per capita income is $21,219. The unemployment rate is remarkably high at 9.4%.

Not only is Middlesboro a relatively poor and working-class area, it also has an older population than the rest of the state (and the country). The median age for Middlesboro residents is 41.9 years old,²⁴ while the median age for Kentucky residents is 39.2 (the median age in the U.S. is 38.7).

All these factors could contribute to the fact that 16.3% of Middlesboro residents are divorced.

Palatka, Florida — 15.2%

Palatka and Key West are both in Florida, and both have a high concentration of divorcees (over 15%), but they really couldn’t be more different. For one thing, Palatka is landlocked, and its economy is based on manufacturing, not tourism. In fact, 17.2% of the local workforce is in the manufacturing industry.

Palatka also has lower housing prices (mean prices are $268,332 in Palatka and over $1,000,000 in Key West),²⁵ lower per capita income ($17,438 in Palatka and $32,330 in Key West), a lower cost of living, and a more diverse population. Yet 15.2% of the 59,000 people in this area have been married and divorced at least once.

Fernley, Nevada — 14.8%

Fernley’s micropolitan area has over 24,000 residents, 14.8% of whom are divorced. The median age is 36.3 years old,²⁶ though until recently, it was noticeably higher than the state and national average, potentially explaining the high divorce rate.

In 1904, ranchers and farmers settled in Fernley to make their fortune, and the Reno suburb has grown by leaps and bounds ever since. The population doubled from the 1960s to the 1970s, and then doubled again by the 1980s, and then doubled again between the 2000 and 2010 censuses.

It’s no wonder why people settle here. Incomes are high, housing costs are low, and the economy is strong. Sounds like a great place for divorcees to start over.

Pahrump, Nevada — 13.9%

Despite the arid climate of the Mojave Desert, Pahrump has carved out a triangular oasis in Nye County, Nevada. Pahrump may not look like much from the outside, but its population of 37,000 people makes it the largest settlement in the county. It also happens to have the highest divorce rate in the area.

Approximately 13.9% of Pahrump residents identified themselves as divorced in the census.

Interestingly enough, the divorce rate is significantly lower among Hispanics (8.4%) and slightly higher among non-Hispanics (18.9%) in Pahrump. The town also has a large senior population, which may contribute to the high divorce rate. The average age in Pahrump is 54 years old,²⁷ which is 15 years older than Nevada’s average age of 39.

Washington Court House, Ohio — 13.7%

Ohio has been ranked among the 10 U.S. states with the lowest levels of well-being,²⁸ a measure that captures how people feel about and experience their daily lives. Yet, the state only shows up on our list once.

Washington Court House in Fayette County has the highest divorce rate in the state and the 19th highest in the country. Approximately 13.7% of its 14399 residents are divorced, and 3.2% are separated. Not encouraging stats of Ohioans about to tie the knot.

Overall, the career-minded fare better than the relationship-minded in Washington C.H., a common abbreviation for the town. The city offers tax incentives to local businesses that create jobs, raise wages, and invest in the future. As a result, the unemployment rate is a low 2.8%.²⁹

Vernon, Texas — 12.9%

With only 9,700 residents, Vernon is a small micropolitan area in the big state of Texas, but what the town lacks in size, it makes up for in marital trouble. Vernon has one of the highest divorce rates in the country, with 12.9% of residents identifying themselves as divorced and 2.1% as separated.

Vernon’s median household income of $48,855 is significantly lower than the $76,292 median household income in Texas.³⁰ The poverty rate is significantly high as well. A quarter of Vernon residents live in poverty, and women without husbands make up 73.6% of poor families.

Although Vernon’s official motto is “Steer Our Way!” it seems many couples in town have chosen to steer away from each other instead, and not all of them have fared well.

FAQ: Which State Has the Highest Divorce Rate and Which Has the Lowest?

According to the CDC, Nevada has by far the highest divorce rate of any US state, with 4.2 divorces per 1000 people.³¹ While we can’t know for sure why Nevada sees such a high divorce rate, it seems a safe bet to think that many divorces come from spur-of-the-moment Las Vegas weddings.

Gambling may also have a negative impact on Nevada marriage outcomes. Financial issues are the second-leading cause of divorce, with debt being a particularly corrosive issue in a marriage.³² Losing big at the slots may have more devastating emotional consequences than what you pay at the casino.

On the flip side, Louisiana had the lowest divorce rate with 0.7 divorces per 1000 people. Louisiana is a fairly religious state, meaning many Louisianans may not believe in divorce. It also has a low marriage rate,³³ so many residents may not get married in the first place.³⁴

Methodology & Sources

To create this comprehensive list, we obtained data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s marital status reports for micropolitan areas.³⁵ We used these stats to identify the towns with the highest percentage of divorcees in the country. We also sourced relevant economic, demographic, and background information from datausa.io, areavibes, City-Data, Livability, BestPlaces.net, the Well-Being Index, and other local resources, including official city websites and press releases. General statistics about divorce in America came from Bloomberg and TIME.

Data Sources:

1. https://www.cnn.com/2015/05/12/living/pew-religion-study/ ↩︎
2. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-09-25/millennials-are-causing-the-u-s-divorce-rate-to-plummet ↩︎
3. https://terryandrobertslaw.com/blog/divorce-rate-facts/ ↩︎
4. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/metro-micro/about.html ↩︎
5. https://www.city-data.com/city/Connersville-Indiana.html ↩︎
6. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/IN/INC110223 ↩︎
7. https://datausa.io/profile/geo/mcminnville-tn/ ↩︎
8. https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2024/demo/p60-283.html ↩︎
9. https://www.bestplaces.net/economy/city/indiana/madison ↩︎
10. https://datausa.io/profile/geo/somerset-ky/ ↩︎
11. https://mtsterlingtourism.com/ ↩︎
12. https://www.city-data.com/city/Mount-Sterling-Kentucky.html ↩︎
13. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/IN/INC110223 ↩︎
14. https://www.aberdeenwa.gov/ ↩︎
15. https://datausa.io/profile/geo/aberdeen-wa/ ↩︎
16. https://onlinemftprograms.com/worldwide-marriage-statistics/ ↩︎
17. https://www.songfacts.com/facts/jimmy-buffett/tin-cup-chalice ↩︎
18. https://www.areavibes.com/newport-or/demographics/ ↩︎
19. https://www.bestplaces.net/comments/viewcomment.aspx?id=AEE7C4C9-258C-431D-A4E0-D0F056044A10&city=Newport_OR&p=54152450 ↩︎
20. https://www.city-data.com/city/Taos-New-Mexico.html ↩︎
21. https://www.city-data.com/city/Brookings-Oregon.html ↩︎
22. https://www.city-data.com/city/New-Castle-Indiana.html ↩︎
23. https://datausa.io/profile/geo/new-castle-in/ ↩︎
24. https://datausa.io/profile/geo/middlesborough-ky/ ↩︎
25. https://www.city-data.com/city/Palatka-Florida.html ↩︎
26. https://livability.com/nv/fernley/ ↩︎
27. https://www.areavibes.com/pahrump-nv/demographics/ ↩︎
28. https://wellbeingindex.sharecare.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Gallup-Sharecare-State-of-American-Well-Being_2017-State-Rankings_FINAL.pdf?t=1518473023878 ↩︎
29. https://www.city-data.com/city/Washington-Court-House-Ohio.html ↩︎
30. https://www.city-data.com/city/Vernon-Texas.html ↩︎
31. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/sosmap/divorce_states/divorce_rates.htm ↩︎
32. https://stelklaw.com/blog/divorce-financial-fights/ ↩︎
33. https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/the-states-with-the-highest-marriage-rates ↩︎
34. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2016/02/29/how-religious-is-your-state/?state=alabama ↩︎
35. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/metro-micro/about.html ↩︎