80% divorce rate

[Michele]

I heard a statistic that said 80% of people married before 24 years old get divorced.

That seems crazy high. Is there any way to verify a statistic like that?

This is in the public debate forum, govern your responses accordingly.

[Pollyanna]

I am not sure about 80%, that seems unreasonable high to me. Here is a divorce stats page, not sure who put it together though: http://www.divorcestatistics.org/

[GrayMatterWife]

I've have heard that number cited for the divorce rate among neurosurgeons as well. In both contexts, it seems insanely high and not right. I have developed a theory to explain the statistic among neurosurgeons:

there are a handful of neurosurgeons who pathologically marry and divorce. While most neurosurgeons we know are either bachelors or happily married (often for a very long time), we know a few that have been married and divorced over and over. They throw the average off for everyone...

[scrub-jay]

I thought it was skewed by uneducated individuals who married young, I'll look for the stats on that, I cant remember where I heard that.

[GrayMatterWife]

I thought it was skewed by uneducated individuals who married young, I'll look for the stats on that, I cant remember where I heard that.

?? Do less educated people have a higher divorce rate? I did not realize that.

Where I grew up, most people were less educated and married younger, and--if anything--seemed to have a better-than-average divorce rate. Maybe it was because it was a primarily second-generation immigrant, heavily Catholic community... maybe my experience is skewed through that lens.

Or maybe it's because I know a LOT of really, really overeducated people who overthink their relationships into misery. They tend not to have kids and have a lot of disposable income. And a lot of degrees. hahaha...

[lovelight]

I don't know how to verify the stats, but in my own personal life of all the people I know who we're married before 24 only one of those couples is still married.

[Pollyanna]

I don't know how to verify the stats, but in my own personal life of all the people I know who we're married before 24 only one of those couples is still married.

Same here. Of our 5 close friends, all married between 18-22, all still married. We are the youngest and heading into our 20th anniversary, our other friends have all celebrated their 25th. Of course this is just an n=6, lol.

[diggitydot]

I don't know how to verify the stats, but in my own personal life of all the people I know who we're married before 24 only one of those couples is still married.

Ditto. I grew up in a very small town where many friends married right out of high school. Of all the people I know who married before age 24, only one couple is still together out of probably 20+ couples.

[Pollyanna]

?
Or maybe it's because I know a LOT of really, really overeducated people who overthink their relationships into misery. They tend not to have kids and have a lot of disposable income. And a lot of degrees. hahaha...

There is an interesting discussion of that group in the talk: Contraception: Why not?

[Vanquisher]

Well, I was married at 19, and I am married to a surgeon! We're at 15+ years. Suck it, MIL.

[SuzySunshine]

Hmm, interesting. I think the age of marriage is deceptive unless its really young. Why 24? I know a lot of friends that got married right after high school or college and therefore would have fallen into the under 24 group and I can only think of 1 that is divorced. DH and I started dating when we were 21, we could have gotten married before 24 but waited because of med school timing, etc.

[SuzySunshine]

well, i was married at 19, and i am married to a surgeon! We're at 15+ years. Suck it, mil.

lol :d

[scrub-jay]

?? Do less educated people have a higher divorce rate? I did not realize that.

I'd read that a while ago, but I honestly have no idea whether it holds true overall or if it is regional.

Where I grew up, most people were less educated and married younger, and--if anything--seemed to have a better-than-average divorce rate. Maybe it was because it was a primarily second-generation immigrant, heavily Catholic community... maybe my experience is skewed through that lens.

I am sure my experience is skewed as well, I also saw many people marry and immediately get jobs (and forgo college) because they were pregnant and were forced (by parental and church pressure) to get married. Many of these couples were not compatible as couples, but became parents unexpectedly.

[scrub-jay]

Hmm, interesting. I think the age of marriage is deceptive unless its really young. Why 24? I know a lot of friends that got married right after high school or college and therefore would have fallen into the under 24 group and I can only think of 1 that is divorced. DH and I started dating when we were 21, we could have gotten married before 24 but waited because of med school timing, etc.

Maybe we should be looking at reasons why they got married. I would hypothesize that if you got married young because you were compatible as a couple, you would have a higher likelihood of avoiding divorce than a couple that got married because it was "the right thing to do" due to unplanned pregnancy.

[PrincessFiona]

I got married at 23. Had my first baby 9 mo later at 24. I've been married for nearly 18 years .... anecdote though.