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Four Surprising Factors Correlated with Higher Rates of Divorce

You might think that the reasons why couples divorce are obvious: poor communication and problem-solving skills. Although these issues definitely do push couples toward and through divorce, there are certain underlying factors that can affect a couple’s likelihood of divorcing, as well. Some of these, too, are obvious. Remarried individuals who have children from previous relationships have a higher divorce rate than those without children, which can be traced to conflicts surrounding the family dynamics of raising a child with a new partner and maintaining a co-parenting relationship with one’s former partner. Other factors are less obvious. Below are four factors that have been linked with divorce, despite being seemingly unrelated.

Marrying Before your 25th Birthday

Couples who marry at older ages are less likely to divorce than those who marry young. Approximately half of marriages involving brides age 18 or younger end within 10 years. When the partners are 25 or older, there is only a 24% chance they will divorce.

Your State’s Political Affiliation

Whether you live in a red state or a blue state could have an impact on your likelihood of divorcing. According to a 2005 piece published in Mother Jones, red states, those that have voted for Republican candidates in recent presidential elections and generally maintain conservative policies, have a 27% higher divorce rate than blue states, or states with more liberal policies and tendencies to vote for Democratic presidential candidates.

Your Child’s Gender

Couples with daughters are more likely to divorce than couples with sons. There are competing theories about why this correlation exists. Evidence suggests that female fetuses are better equipped to survive stressful pregnancies, which can point to the greater likelihood of girls being born to parents with high levels of conflict. Another theory states that fathers are more likely to remain in unhappy marriages to remain close with their sons, and another suggests that mothers of daughters in unhealthy marriages are more likely to seek divorce in order to keep their daughters from forming harmful ideas about relationships.

You Smoke

Individuals who smoke are more likely to get divorced than individuals who do not smoke. This is true regardless of other characteristics, such as the individual’s race, gender, or income level. Research suggests that this is because individuals who smoke also exhibit other characteristics that make them more likely to divorce, such as suffering from higher rates of depression and other mental health issues than those who do not smoke.

Work with an Experienced Divorce Lawyer

If you are considering filing for divorce, first speak with an experienced divorce lawyer to learn more about the process and what it will entail for you. Contact our team at Moen Sheehan Meyer, Ltd. today to schedule your initial consultation, during which we will go over all relevant facts about your marriage and your lifestyle and give you a more personalized look at the divorce process.

Published April 30, 2017
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