A Lot of Idahoans Get Married but Don't Stay Married

Nearly three-quarters of Idaho adults are married. It’s the highest figure in the country. The trouble is, Idahoans don’t stay married. The state has one of the highest divorce rates in America. CNBC is sharing a story based on figures reported by states and the District of Columbia. Not every state reports divorce figures on a routine basis. People in the District wait the longest to marry. Then they have the shortest marriages on average.

People in Utah marry at the youngest average age, however. They’re also not very good at lifetime commitments. They have the fifth shortest duration on average for marriages. Idaho is ninth. The West and Midwest have eight of the 10 shortest averages for marriage commitments.

Montana has more marriage success. The average is seventh best in the nation. New Hampshire is first. I’ve been there to visit a few times. It’s quite possible couples look around and don’t see many good alternatives!

What I noticed is there’s not one region of the nation that shows a pattern for or against divorce. Some states have easy divorce laws, such as Nevada, whereas others, like New York, require a cause defined by law. It leads people to make up a lot of stories about their soon-to-be former spouses!

I periodically see those stories online about happy marriages. None mention regional culture. Instead, the writers talk about communication. Being a good listener and not going to bed angry at the other.

The good news, the national divorce rate is down, but so are marriages.