U.S. divorce rates: for various faith groups, age groups and geographical areas

[-Cp]

http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_dira.htm

Variation in divorce rates among Christian faith groups:
Denomination (in order of decreasing divorce rate) % who have been divorced
Non-denominational (small conservative groups; independents) 34%
Baptists 29%
Mainline Protestants 25%
Mormons 24%
Catholics 21%
Lutherans 21%


Variation in divorce rates by religion:
Religion % have been divorced
Jews 30%
Born-again Christians 27%
Other Christians 24%
Atheists, Agnostics 21%

Variation in divorce rates by age:
Age group % have been divorced
Baby boomers (33 to 52 years of age) 34%
Builders (53 to 72 years of age) 37%
Seniors (above 72 years of age) 18%

Variation in divorce rates by location:
The Barna Group study found:

Area % are or have been divorced
South 27%
Midwest 27%
West 26%
Northeast 19%

[5stringJeff]

I'd love to see cohabitation numbers with this. I'd imagine the number of cohabitating couples is much higher amongst atheist/agnostic couples than it is among Christian couples, which would explain the higher divorce rate among Christians.

[glockmail]

That would prolly explain the low NE numbers as well.

[Powerman]

I'd love to see cohabitation numbers with this. I'd imagine the number of cohabitating couples is much higher amongst atheist/agnostic couples than it is among Christian couples, which would explain the higher divorce rate among Christians.
I think the rates are a good bit higher for cohabitation couples. BUT

I'd also like to know how many couples decided to part ways because they were living together before marriage.

i.e. they never got married and thus made the divorce rates artificially lower because they effectively divorced before they got married

[glockmail]

I think the rates are a good bit higher for cohabitation couples. BUT

I'd also like to know how many couples decided to part ways because they were living together before marriage.

i.e. they never got married and thus made the divorce rates artificially lower because they effectively divorced before they got married That is what I am referring to, and I think Jeff also.

[Powerman]

Don't shoot the messenger

But I do think that there is some logic that goes with this



any of the media reports about the study exaggerate the link between cohabitation and divorce. The study found a small difference (9%) in the rate of divorce in the first ten years for spouses who cohabited before marriage compared to those who didn't. However, many other studies find that most or all of this link is explained by the differences between the kinds of people who cohabit and those who don't. Since most couples who marry today are already living together, those who don't are a more religious, conservative group with different divorce patterns. As sociologist Judith Seltzer wrote in a 2000 article in the Journal of Marriage and the Family, "Claims that individuals who cohabit before marriage hurt their chances of a good marriage pay too little attention to this evidence."

http://www.unmarried.org/cdc2002.html

[glockmail]

My point is that couples who live together and break up are not measured in the study, and when they do so they learn from the experience.