This Is the Worst State to Get Divorced in America, According to Data

FROM FILING FEES TO ATTORNEY COSTS, GETTING A DIVORCE HERE IS HARDER THAN ELSEWHERE.

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
Shutterstock

Minimum 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
iStock

Minimum 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
Shutterstock

Minimum 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
iStock

Minimum 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 / Shutterstock

Minimum 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
Shutterstock

Minimum 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
Shutterstock

Minimum 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
Shutterstock

Minimum 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
iStock

Minimum 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
Shutterstock

Minimum 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
Shutterstock

Minimum 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
iStock

Minimum 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
Shutterstock

Minimum 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 / Alamy

Minimum 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
iStock

Minimum 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
Shutterstock

Minimum 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
Shutterstock

Minimum 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
Shutterstock

Minimum 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
Shutterstock

Minimum 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/Shutterstock

Minimum 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
Shutterstock

Minimum 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
iStock

Minimum 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 Boomsma

Minimum 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
iStock

Minimum 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
Shutterstock

Minimum 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
Shutterstock

Minimum 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
Shutterstock

Minimum 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
Shutterstock

Minimum 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
Shutterstock

Minimum 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
Shutterstock

Minimum 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
iStock

Minimum 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
iStock

Minimum 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
iStock

Minimum 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
iStock

Minimum 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
Shutterstock

Minimum 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
iStock

Minimum 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
iStock

Minimum 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
iStock

Minimum 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
Shutterstock

Minimum 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 / iStock

Minimum 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
Shutterstock

Minimum 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
Shutterstock

Minimum 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
Shutterstock

Minimum 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
iStock

Minimum 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
iStock

Minimum 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 Tattersall

Minimum 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
Shutterstock

Minimum 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 / Shutterstock

Minimum 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
Shutterstock

Minimum 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 / iStock

Minimum 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.