Divorce rates differ from one state to the next, which is why looking at the overall rate for the country can be a bit misleading. Do you really have the same divorce odds if you live in Michigan as someone who lives in Florida, California or New York? You know intuitively that you don’t, and you may be wondering if the rate is below or above average.
As it turns out, the rate in Michigan is below the median. When you look at a list of the top states with the highest divorce rates, Michigan does not make the list. Your odds of ending your marriage, when looking at the rate per 1,000 people living in the state — remember, Michigan has a relatively high overall population — are simply lower than they would be in most states.
That may be part of the national trend. While you will always see changes within the states, a professor in Maryland looked at the numbers from 2008 to 2016. What they found was that the rate in the United States as a whole had declined by about 18%.
Of course, couples still get divorced in Michigan and everywhere else; having a low rate may mean it’s not as common on a per capita basis, but the high population in Michigan still means there are more divorces here than in many smaller states. If you and your spouse decide that it is time to end your marriage, it is important to take the time to really look into your options and all of the rights you have.