Bad News for Couples: Census Data Puts Louisiana Among the Top States for Divorce

Ever wonder about your chances of staying happily married? Could the state you live in actually factor into your long-term happiness? Between Louisiana’s already scary STI rates causing dating-scene setbacks and a "sex recession", these new divorce numbers really make you pause.

READ MORE: The Sex Recession is Real and It's Hitting Louisiana Hard

Nationally, divorce is becoming less common. We're either avoiding marriage altogether or showing up to couples therapy absolutely determined to save our relationships, maybe because everyone agrees divorce is just too expensive.

The U.S. Census Bureau found that between 2012 and 2022, the divorce rate dropped a significant 28%. However, here in the Bayou State, we’re bucking the national trend.

Louisiana is one of just 14 states with divorce rates still "significantly higher" than the national average. In 2022, the national rate was 7.1 new divorces per 1,000 women. But Louisiana came in at 8.5, tying with Colorado for 11th place on the high-divorce-rate list. To make matters worse, our neighbor, Arkansas, holds the top spot, with about 12 women per 1,000 filing for divorce.

It’s surprising when you see populated states like California, New York, and Pennsylvania on the list of states with significantly lower rates.

While divorces are trending down, the marriage rate across the country has stayed pretty steady since 2012, save for a dip in 2021 when the pandemic forced couples to delay their big day.

So, if marriage is holding steady, why are we having so much trouble making it last here in Louisiana?