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While it might be a bit late for Valentine’s Day, it seems that love is in the air for Australia. In 2023, the divorce rate hit a historic low, with just 2.3 divorces per 1,000 residents aged 16 years and over. This is the lowest level since the mid-1970s, when divorce, as we know it today, first became a reality. Before the Family Law Act 1975, divorces were only granted if one party could prove fault, such as adultery or cruelty – a concept almost unrecognisable to modern couples. However, this statistic shouldn’t come as a surprise, as the crude divorce rate has been steadily declining since 2000. But what’s behind this decrease? What do divorces really look like today? And can the numbers tell us something more?
While it might be a bit late for Valentine’s Day, it seems that love is in the air for Australia. In 2023, the divorce rate hit a historic low, with just 2.3 divorces per 1,000 residents aged 16 years and over. This is the lowest level since the mid-1970s, when divorce, as we know it today, first became a reality. Before the Family Law Act 1975, divorces were only granted if one party could prove fault, such as adultery or cruelty – a concept almost unrecognisable to modern couples. However, this statistic shouldn’t come as a surprise, as the crude divorce rate has been steadily declining since 2000. But what’s behind this decrease? What do divorces really look like today? And can the numbers tell us something more?
The decrease in the divorce rate might be attributed to the enduring power of love — maybe. But when we look at empirical evidence, it’s more likely due to a broader trend of fewer marriages, and those happening later in life. As societal attitudes evolve, so too do people's views and behaviours regarding relationships, cohabitation, and family structures. Today, fewer people are choosing to formalise their relationships through marriage, and those who do are waiting until later in life to tie the knot. As a result, there are fewer marriages to end in divorce, and those who marry later tend to be less likely to divorce.
Divorce takes many forms, but some key statistics stand out. For one, there are distinct gender differences in the age-specific divorce rates, reflecting varying marriage patterns between men and women. Generally, men (but not always) marry younger women, meaning that the median age at marriage for men (47.1 years) is older than for women (44.1 years). The same is true when it comes to the median age at divorce, which is typically older for men than for women. So, gender matters. So does age. While younger people are still more likely to divorce, the likelihood of divorce at a younger age has decreased, while the chances of divorce at an older age have actually risen. For a bit of curiosity, the median duration of marriage before divorce in 2023 was 13 years.
While learning about Australian divorce statistics and trends is insightful, is there more to this data than just numbers? Is there a greater purpose of looking at these figures? I think so. The data shows that while we mostly like to think of our relationships as being driven by love, marriage is still very much influenced by external factors – the whims and pressures of the world around us. Take, for example, the 2021 spike in divorces, largely attributed to the COVID pandemic. While the aforementioned may be a well-known fact, consider this statistic: during the 2008 Global Financial Crisis in the United States, divorce rates actually decreased. External events and crises can not only tear families apart, but surprisingly, they can also sometimes force them to stay together. A recent article from The New Yorker that inspired this piece explores the idea of who really gets to decide the meaning of divorce. While there’s no definitive answer, it does suggest that today’s deeply polarised political climate is also significantly impacting marriages.
In conclusion, marriage is a big commitment – no wonder the marriage rate is down. But, in all seriousness, you don’t need me to give unsolicited relationship advice. However, if there’s one takeaway from all this data, it’s that lasting marriages might just come from partners who don’t mind being stuck with each other through a pandemic or financially tied together through a recession.
‌ ‌AIFS. (2025). Divorces in Australia. https://aifs.gov.au/research/facts-and-figures/divorces-australia-2024
AIFS. (2025). Marriages in Australia. https://aifs.gov.au/research/facts-and-figures/marriages-australia-2024
Fischer, M. (2025, March 24). Who gets to define divorce. The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/03/31/no-fault-haley-mlotek-book-review