Tennessee demographics & divorce reveal important patterns about marriage dissolution in the state, with divorce rates consistently higher than the national average, placing Tennessee among states with the highest divorce rate rankings despite recent declines in divorces per 1,000 residents, matching national trends explains This southeastern state consistently ranks in the top tier for divorce nationwide.
Tennessee's Current Divorce Rate
Tennessee maintains one of the highest divorce rates in the United States despite recent declining trends.
In Tennessee, there are 19.1 divorces per 1,000 married people, making it the state with the tenth highest divorce rate in the nation, according to recent census bureau data analysis. The 2021 divorce rate for Tennessee was 3.3 per 1,000 total population, representing a significant decline from historical highs but still placing the state well above many others in terms of marital dissolution.
Most recent data suggests Tennessee's divorce rate of 3.3% per 1,000 people is among the highest divorce rates in the country. Tennessee will continue to rank among the top states for divorce despite overall declining rates, with the state consistently appearing in top 10 or top 15 rankings depending on whether measurements use crude rates (per total population) or refined rates (per married women).
Comparing Tennessee to National Averages
Tennessee's divorce statistics consistently exceed national benchmarks across multiple measurement methods.
Following the CDC's reporting of marriage and divorce statistics, the U.S. divorce rate has steadily decreased over the past two-plus decades, right alongside the marriage rate. In 2021, the marriage rate was 6.0 per 1,000 total populatio,n while the divorce rate was 2.5 nationally, meaning for every 6.0 people who get married, 2.5 will be divorced, putting the 2021 crude divorce rate at 42%.
By comparison, Tennessee's crude divorce rate of 3.3 per 1,000 total population is significantly higher than the national average of 2.5 per 1,000, placing it well above the typical American divorce experience. This gap has persisted for decades, suggesting structural or cultural factors specific to Tennessee contribute to its elevated divorce rates beyond simple statistical variation.
Tennessee vs. the United States
Examining trends over time reveals that both Tennessee and the nation have seen declining divorce rates, but Tennessee remains consistently higher.
In 2000, the Tennessee divorce rate was 5.9 per 1,000 total population in the area, while the national rate was 4.0 per 1,000. By 2019, the divorce rate in Tennessee had dropped to 3.5 per 1,000 total population residing in the area, compared to the national rate of 2.7. This represents substantial declines in both Tennessee and nationally, but Tennessee's rate remains approximately 30% higher than the national average.
The most recent 2021 figures show Tennessee at 3.3 per 1,000 total population compared to the national rate of 2.5, continuing the pattern where Tennessee consistently runs higher than the national average by a similar margin. Fewer marriages translate to fewer divorces per total population residing in the area, but Tennessee's persistently elevated rate suggests the state faces unique challenges in marital stability.
Tennessee Population Demographics
The population of Tennessee was estimated by the Census Bureau to be 7,126,489 on July 1, 2023. Tennessee's projected 2024 population growth is 1.16% for a total population of 7,217,315, with a rank of 15 among the states, representing population growth since 2010 of 13.73%. State population growth for 2025 is projected to be around 7,179,307, with growth continuing through 2070, with a population of 9,429,399 projected.
According to the 2021 U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey regarding Tennessee, of the estimated 2,713,115 men 15 years of age and older, 50.8% are married, 3% are widowed, and 11.0% are divorced. Of the estimated 2,877,358 women 15 and older, 40.7% are married, 9.4% are widowed, and 13.3% are divorced, showing that women in Tennessee experience slightly higher divorce rates than men across the adult population.
Tennessee Marriage Demographics
Tennessee shows relatively high marriage rates compared to many states, despite elevated divorce statistics.
Tied with the State of Alaska, Tennessee has an estimated 49.2% married rate for 2024 as compared to Utah's 55.8% (highest rate) and Louisiana's 43.7% (lowest rate). In 2020, the percentage of Tennessee marriages by population was 51.1%, placing Tennessee just below Alaska (51.2%) and just above Missouri (50.9%).
The projected 2024 marriage rate for Tennessee is 49.2%, meaning just under half of Tennessee's adult population is currently married. This relatively high marriage rate contributes to Tennessee's higher absolute numbers of divorces, as more married couples naturally produce more potential divorces, even if the percentage of marriages ending in divorce is similar to other states.
Tennessee Marriage and Divorce Trends
Both marriage and divorce rates have been declining in Tennessee following national patterns.
Marriage rates have been declining for three decades in most states, including Tennessee. In 2000, the marriage rate in Tennessee was 15.5 per 1,000 total population residing in the area. In 2019, the marriage rate was 7.5 per 1,000 total population residing in area, less than half the marriages in less than two decades.
The 2021 marriage rate for Tennessee was up slightly, with 7.6 per 1,000 total population, but still well below the year 2000 rate. According to state data, Tennessee saw a 15% increase in marriages from 2011 to 2021 and a 23% decrease in the divorce rate in the same time frame, following a national trend that has seen a general decline of both marriages and divorces in the past decade.
Regional and Economic Factors Affecting Divorce
Tennessee's divorce patterns reflect broader southern regional trends and economic correlations.
The research found no regional correlations between states with high and low instances of divorce at a national level. However, the South contained 10 out of 14 states in the top quartile for U.S. divorce rate, along with no states in the bottom quartile, while the Northeast predominantly consisted of states in the bottom quartile with no states in the third or top quartiles.
States with lower median family incomes tend to have higher rates of divorce, and states with higher median family incomes tend to have lower rates of divorce. In Tennessee, there are 19.1 divorces per 1,000 married people, making it the state with the tenth highest divorce rate in the nation, and the study notes that Tennessee's unemployment rate is 4.8%, meaning financial stressors could contribute to its high divorce rate. The state's poverty rate at 15.8% is higher than the national average of 14%, suggesting economic challenges play a role in Tennessee's elevated divorce statistics.
Divorce Rates by Tennessee County
Divorce rates vary significantly across Tennessee's counties, with some areas showing much higher rates than others.
With Tennessee's 22,359 total divorces in 2020, the counties with the highest divorce rates per 1,000 people that year were Madison County (9.9), Tipton County (7.4), Montgomery County (6.6), Cumberland County (5.4), McNairy County (5.4), and Weakley County (4.8). These counties show divorce rates significantly above the state average of 3.3 per 1,000 total population.
Counties with the lowest rate of divorce include Lake County (1.9), Hardeman County (2.0), Meigs County (2.1), Carroll County (2.2), Marion County (2.3), and Jackson County (2.4). This dramatic range from 1.9 to 9.9 divorces per 1,000 people demonstrates that local economic conditions, demographics, and cultural factors significantly impact divorce patterns within Tennessee.
Tennessee Divorce Rates by Age Demographics
Age plays a significant role in divorce likelihood, with younger married couples facing a higher risk.
Married couples between the ages of 15 and 24 are more likely to divorce than any other age group. Looking at combined data, the 15-24 age group had a divorce rate of 27 per 1,000 people who were currently married. The 2019 data shows adults between the ages of 25 and 39 had a divorce rate of 24 per 1,000 people currently married.
The 2019 divorce rate for adults between 40 and 49 was 21 per 1,000 currently married, while the 2019 divorce rate for adults age 50 and older was 10 per 1,000. The rate of divorce tends to decline as the age of the married spouses increases, meaning generally, the older the couple and the longer the marriage, the less likely they are to divorce.
Gray Divorce Trends
Divorce among older adults represents the only age group where divorce rates are increasing rather than declining.
Of all divorcing adults in the U.S., 36% are 50 years of age or older. Of all age groups, the only increasing divorce rate is among those 65 and older. Of adults 55 to 64 years of age who were ever divorced, the divorce rate is 43%. For those aged 65 to 74, the divorce rate is 39%. For adults ages 75 and older, the divorce rate is 24%.
The rate of divorce for those 50 and older has more than doubled since the 1990s. Furthermore, divorce among those 50 and older is more likely for persons married multiple times before or married for fewer years, suggesting that serial marriage patterns and shorter marriage durations contribute to elevated divorce rates in this demographic.
Marriage Duration and Divorce Risk
Certain periods during marriage show higher vulnerability to divorce than others.
Two periods in a marriage may have a greater frequency of divorce. The first two years of a marriage is believed to be the high-risk period for divorce. While years 3 through 4 have an average risk of divorce, years 5 through 8 mark the next high-risk period.
Most first marriages that end in divorce do so in just under 8 years. By contrast, second marriages ending in divorce have a duration of about 7 years. A relatively low risk period follows, years 9 through 15. An average risk of divorce is believed to exist from years 15 through 20, with the rate of divorce at its lowest for marriages of 40 or more years duration.
Divorce Rates by Marriage Order
The likelihood of divorce increases with each subsequent marriage.
The rate of divorce increases in relation to the number of times married. Those who remarry are 2.5 times more likely to divorce. About 8 years is the average length of first marriages ending in divorce, representing a divorce rate of around 50%.
About 7 years is the average length of second marriages ending in divorce, representing a divorce rate of around 67%. The divorce rate for third marriages is around 75%, showing that each subsequent marriage faces progressively higher risk of dissolution despite the experience gained from previous marriages.
States with Highest and Lowest Divorce Rates
Comparing Tennessee to states with the most extreme divorce statistics provides valuable context.
Arkansas remained the state with the highest divorce rate in the US, with 23.27 divorces per 1,000 married women in 2022, significantly higher than Tennessee's rate. Vermont reported the lowest divorce rate in the US at 9.2 divorces per 1,000 married women, while Massachusetts has the lowest divorce rate with 12.3 divorces per 1,000 married people.
Tennessee consistently ranks between 7th and 10th highest among states for divorce rate, depending on the measurement method and year, placing it well above the median but not at the absolute extreme. This consistent high ranking across different time periods and measurement approaches suggests Tennessee faces endemic factors contributing to elevated divorce rates rather than temporary statistical aberrations.
Median Age at First Marriage
Tennesseans are following national trends toward later first marriages.
In 2021, census bureau data indicated the median age at first marriage was 30.4 for men and 28.6 for women. The trend has been an increase in age at first marriage for both men and women. Historically, with first marriages, women are younger than men.
The reason for the declines in both marriage and divorces may be that younger couples are getting married at older ages and being with partners longer prior to getting married. This delay in first marriage appears to contribute to greater marital stability, as couples who marry older tend to have lower divorce rates than those who marry younger.
COVID-19 Impact on Divorce Trends
The pandemic affected both marriage and divorce patterns in Tennessee and nationally.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the U.S. has seen a 12% reduction in administrative counts of divorces. The American Community Survey shows a parallel trend with a nearly 10% decline in the adjusted divorce rate from 15.5 in 2019 to 14.0 in 2020. The divorce rate in 2021 remained stable at 14 divorces per 1,000 married women.
After reaching a 40-year record low for two consecutive years (2020 and 2021 at 14.0 divorces per 1,000 married women), the divorce rate rose slightly in 2022 to 14.56 divorces per 1,000 married women. Court backlogs from the pandemic were resolved with a divorce rate normalized, suggesting that while COVID-19 temporarily suppressed divorce filings, the long-term trend toward lower divorce rates resumed once court operations normalized.