It seems fewer people are choosing the path of marriage these days. At least that seems to be the case in Michigan, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In 1960, 79% of all households in the state were led by married couples. That number is now around 47%. With that number in a downtrend, so are divorce numbers.
In fact, the census data says that the divorce rate in Michigan is at its lowest since the late 60s. The number of divorces in the state hit a high of 45,047 — quite a drop to 28,186 in 2018. Meanwhile, marriages in 1973 were recorded at 94,486, while that number in 2018 was 56,374. Those marriage numbers, experts suggest, may have something to do with the societal acceptance of other living arrangements in the 21st century such as co-habitation.
Divorce may not be as prevalent in Michigan these days since more people are waiting until they’re older and more established before saying I do. The average age of a first-time bride in the state is 27, while for a groom, it’s 28. Marriages among those people under the age of 20 has really plummeted — from 3,498 in 2000 to 1,098 in 2019. Stats show that among couples divorcing in 2018, the median length of the marriage was more than nine years and two-thirds of them had only been married once.
At the time a couple marries, there is no thought of divorce. But, life situations change and those Michigan residents whose marriages come to an end may do well to speak to an attorney experienced in divorce. A lawyer may be able to give a client the legal information he or she needs to get through the divorce process as seamlessly as possible.
