Why are Illinois divorce rates so low?

 Posted on August 19, 2022 in Divorce

Illinois has very low divorce rates. According to World Population Review, Illinois ranks number six with a crude divorce rate of 6.2 per 1,000 people.

The question you might ask is, why? There is no perfect explanation for why divorce rates increase or decrease, but several plausible theories help paint a general picture.

High median income

Income is one of the most significant indicators of divorce rates. When people get divorced, many couples say money is the main factor. Illinois residents have a high median income compared to other states. In southern states with much higher divorce rates, income tends to be much lower.

Fewer marriages

The low divorce rate does not necessarily mean couples get along better now than in the past. It could be the result of significantly fewer marriages happening overall. If fewer people get married, less divorce happens. Illinois’s official website indicates a clear downward trend of marriage occurrences since the 1970s.

More late-in-life marriages

With the decrease in marriage frequency also comes an increase in later marriages. People tend to wait longer until they get married, and the older you are, the more likely your marriage will work out. People who get married younger have more frequent feelings of regret but also become different from their spouse as they age.

These are only some explanations for lower divorce rates in Illinois. It is difficult to classify such a personal experience on a broad spectrum. However, whether you want to marry for the first time or try again, you may want to consider the most common factors that lead to divorce.