Arkansas has higher marriage and divorce rates than most places, census data says
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Arkansans get married and divorced more than most.
Driving the news: Arkansas' divorce rate is nearly 67% higher than the national average, with 11.5 divorces per 1,000 residents ages 15 and older compared to 6.9 nationally in 2022, according to U.S. Census data.
The big picture: The national divorce rate has been on a slow but steady decline, dropping below 10 divorces per 1,000 residents in 2009 and staying below that threshold through 2022. Arkansas' rate remained higher in the same timeframe.
Zoom in: Arkansas' marriage rate has generally trended downward in the past several years but remains above the national average. In 2022, the state saw 19.5 marriages per 1,000 people ages 15 and older, compared to 17.3 nationally.
Be smart: Wedding planning was a real bummer in 2020. Spikes in marriages in the past couple years were likely a post-pandemic boom.
Go deeper: Younger generations are embracing prenups as Americans get hitched later in life, when they often have assets and debts to consider. Half of U.S. adults say they're open to signing a prenup, writes Axios' Carly Mallenbaum.