In America, around 39 percent of marriages end in divorce—down from its heyday in the '80s, when half of couples tying the knot could expect a divorce in their future. Though it may be slightly less common now, ending a marriage is as expensive as ever, costing, on average, $15,000 per person, according to 2020 data. However it can be even more of a financial and emotional burden depending on where you live. That’s why Best Life set out to determine the worst state to get divorced in America.
First, we looked at Divorce Writer’s chart of the minimum amount of time it takes to finalize a divorce in every state. Then, we factored in the average filing fees in each state, as compiled by FindLaw. Next, we consulted Business Insider to determine the average divorce attorneys’ fees in each state. Finally, we used World Population Review’s research to determine each state’s divorce rate, based on the number of women who were divorced in 2021 per 1,000. We then gave each metric a weighted value before running them through our exclusive algorithm to see how each state scored on our 100-point scale Divorce Disaster Index.
Our results showed that wealthier states, on average, seem to be worse for divorces, as filing fees and attorney’s fees can both be higher. The worst state to get divorced is the worst by a wide margin, having the most expensive filing fees and attorneys’ fees, as well as the longest time it takes to finalize a divorce. Read on to discover the worst state to get divorced in America. And for more on a relationship problem that may lead to a split, These Are the Least Sexually Satisfied People in America, Survey Says.
50 | New Mexico
ShutterstockMinimum time to finalize a divorce:30 days
Filing fee: $137
Average legal fees: $6,600
Divorce rate: 13.3 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 0.00
49 | North Dakota
iStockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 30-90 days
Filing fee: $80
Average legal fees: $8,200
Divorce rate: 9.5 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 0.25
48 | Montana
ShutterstockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 20-30 days
Filing fee: $170
Average legal fees: $6,600
Divorce rate: 12.4 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 0.27
47 | Wyoming
iStockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 20-30 days
Filing fee: $85, though cost varies by district
Average legal fees: $9,000
Divorce rate: 12.5 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 4.42
46 | Vermont
Sean Pavone / ShutterstockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 30 days
Filing fee: $90
Average legal fees: $8,900
Divorce rate: 12.6 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 5.86
45 | West Virginia
ShutterstockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 20-30 days
Filing fee: $134
Average legal fees: $8,200
Divorce rate: 13.3 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 7.42
44 | South Dakota
ShutterstockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 60-90 days
Filing fee: $95
Average legal fees: $8,600
Divorce rate: 10.6 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 10.45
43 | North Carolina
ShutterstockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 30 days
Filing fee: $75 for absolute divorce, $150 for civil cases in district court
Average legal fees: $10,300
Divorce rate: 10.8 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 11.09
42 | Hawaii
iStockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 30 days
Filing fee: $215
Average legal fees: $9,200
Divorce rate: 9.2 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 13.06
41 | Virginia
ShutterstockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 15-45 days
Filing fee: $86, though cost varies by county
Average legal fees: $11,500
Divorce rate: 10.1 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 13.73
40 | Idaho
ShutterstockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 30-60 days
Filing fee: $154
Average legal fees: $8,800
Divorce rate: 12.2 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 15.02
39 | Nebraska
iStockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 90 days
Filing fee: $158
Average legal fees: $8,200
Divorce rate: 10.3 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 18.07
38 | Oklahoma
ShutterstockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 14 days
Filing fee: $183
Average legal fees: $9,800
Divorce rate: 13.2 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 18.97
37 | Kentucky
Jim Lane / AlamyMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 60-90 days
Filing fee: $153
Average legal fees: $8,100
Divorce rate: 13.1 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 20.35
36 | Missouri
iStockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 30-45 days
Filing fee: $133.50, though cost varies by district
Average legal fees: $10,600
Divorce rate: 12.2 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 21.00
35 | Maine
ShutterstockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 60-90 days
Filing fee: $120
Average legal fees: $8,800
Divorce rate: 13.9 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 22.56
34 | Maryland
ShutterstockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 30-60 days
Filing fee: $165
Average legal fees: $11,000
Divorce rate: 10.0 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 23.07
33 | Indiana
ShutterstockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 60-90 days
Filing fee: $157
Average legal fees: $9,000
Divorce rate: 12.4 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 24.08
32 | Arkansas
ShutterstockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 30-60 days
Filing fee: $165
Average legal fees: $8,800
Divorce rate: 13.1 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 24.41
31 | South Carolina
Rob Hainer/ShutterstockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 30-120 days
Filing fee: $150
Average legal fees: $10,000
Divorce rate: 10.7 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 24.67
30 | Michigan
ShutterstockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 60 days
Filing fee: $175
Average legal fees: $10,200
Divorce rate: 11.5 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 27.00
And for the place with other high costs to consider, This State Has the Highest Taxes in America, According to Data.
29 | Tennessee
iStockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 60 days
Filing fee: $184.50
Average legal fees: $9,900
Divorce rate: 12.3 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 28.38
28 | Utah
Shutterstock/Jacob BoomsmaMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 30 days
Filing fee: $325
Average legal fees: $10,400
Divorce rate: 9.0 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 31.55
27 | Nevada
iStockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 14-28 days
Filing fee: $217
Average legal fees: $10,800
Divorce rate: 13.9 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 31.75
26 | Iowa
ShutterstockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 90-120 days
Filing fee: $185
Average legal fees: $9,300
Divorce rate: 10.8 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 32.03
25 | Alaska
ShutterstockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 30-60 days
Filing fee: $250
Average legal fees: $10,300
Divorce rate: 11.6 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 32.63
24 | Minnesota
ShutterstockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 30-45 days
Filing fee: $365
Average legal fees: $9,000
Divorce rate: 10.2 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 32.96
23 | Wisconsin
ShutterstockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 120 days
Filing fee: $184.50
Average legal fees: $8,900
Divorce rate: 10.7 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 33.05
22 | Delaware
ShutterstockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 30-60 days
Filing fee: $165
Average legal fees: $12,800
Divorce rate: 11.1 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 35.86
21 | Louisiana
ShutterstockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 20-180 days
Filing fee: $200
Average legal fees: $10,000
Divorce rate: 11.7 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 38.67
20 | Illinois
iStockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 30-60 days
Filing fee: $334
Average legal fees: $10,900
Divorce rate: 9.7 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 40.65
19 | Oregon
iStockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 45-60 days
Filing fee: $301
Average legal fees: $10,000
Divorce rate: 12.8 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 41.41
18 | Pennsylvania
iStockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 90-120 days
Filing fee: $201.75
Average legal fees: $11,300
Divorce rate: 9.7 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 42.34
17 | Arizona
iStockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 60-80 days
Filing fee: $280
Average legal fees: $10,300
Divorce rate: 12.3 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 43.65
16 | New Jersey
ShutterstockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 60 days
Filing fee: $300
Average legal fees: $12,300
Divorce rate: 8.5 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 45.25
15 | Kansas
iStockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 60-90 days
Filing fee: $400
Average legal fees: $8,600
Divorce rate: 11.2 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 46.02
14 | Ohio
iStockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 30-90 days
Filing fee: $350, though cost varies by district
Average legal fees: $9,900
Divorce rate: 12.0 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 46.12
13 | Mississippi
iStockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 60-90 days
Filing fee: $400
Average legal fees: $8,700
Divorce rate: 11.6 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 47.57
12 | Alabama
ShutterstockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 30-60 days
Filing fee: $400
Average legal fees: $9,900
Divorce rate: 12.3 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 48.89
11 | New Hampshire
DenisTangneyJr / iStockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 60 days
Filing fee: $400
Average legal fees: $9,700
Divorce rate: 11.9 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 50.34
10 | New York
ShutterstockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 30-45 days
Filing fee: $335
Average legal fees: $13,500
Divorce rate: 8.8 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 51.27
And for one factor that predicts your likelihood of getting divorced, check out The More Money You Spend on This, the More Likely You Are to Divorce.
9 | Colorado
ShutterstockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 90-120 days
Filing fee: $230
Average legal fees: $11,400
Divorce rate: 11.9 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 51.52
8 | Washington
ShutterstockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 90 days
Filing fee: $314
Average legal fees: $10,600
Divorce rate: 11.7 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 52.38
7 | Texas
iStockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 61-90 days
Filing fee: $300
Average legal fees: $12,400
Divorce rate: 10.6 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 54.70
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6 | Georgia
iStockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 30-60 days
Filing fee: $400
Average legal fees: $11,600
Divorce rate: 11.3 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 55.90
5 | Florida
Shutterstock/Timothy TattersallMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 30-60 days
Filing fee: $409, though cost varies by county
Average legal fees: $10,700
Divorce rate: 13.0 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 56.10
4 | Massachusetts
ShutterstockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 180 days
Filing fee: $200
Average legal fees: $12,600
Divorce rate: 10.7 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 66.71
3 | Connecticut
Jon Bilous / ShutterstockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 90-120 days
Filing fee: $360
Average legal fees: $12,200
Divorce rate: 10.7 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 67.53
2 | Rhode Island
ShutterstockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 150 days
Filing fee: $400
Average legal fees: $10,400
Divorce rate: 11.1 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 73.62
1 | California
MattGush / iStockMinimum time to finalize a divorce: 183.5 days (6 months plus 1 day)
Filing fee: $435
Average legal fees: $13,800
Divorce rate: 9.3 percent
Divorce Disaster Index Score: 100.00
And for the state where a certain kind of risqué relationship reigns, check out The Kinkiest State in America, According to Data.
