Divorce Rates and Income

Divorce rates are tied to job security, age, and occupation, so it should make sense that we see a pattern when we plot divorce rates against income.

PERCENTAGE

DIVORCED

BY INDIVIDUAL ANNUAL INCOME

OUT OF POPULATION WHO MARRIED AT LEAST ONCE AND EARNED INCOME DURING PAST YEAR

50%

40%

30%

Rates appear to level off around 30 percent.

20%

There is less data at higher incomes, so there is more noise.

10%

0%

$0

$200,000

$400,000

$600,000

$800,000

$1,000,000+

TOTAL ANNUAL INCOME

Compiled from estimates from the 2019 American Community Survey

PERCENTAGE

DIVORCED

BY INDIVIDUAL ANNUAL INCOME

OUT OF POPULATION WHO MARRIED AT LEAST ONCE AND EARNED INCOME DURING PAST YEAR

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

$0

$200k

$400k

$600k

$800k

$1M+

TOTAL ANNUAL INCOME

Compiled from estimates from the 2019 American Community Survey

There’s a tight decrease in divorce rate for incomes between $10,000 and $200,000 per year, and then rates seems to flatten out around 30 percent after that.

There’s some fluctuation showing in the higher incomes. But it’s hard to say if that’s actually what’s happening or if there are just fewer data points at higher incomes to calculate rates. I suspect the latter.

Become a member. Support an independent site. Make great charts.

See What You Get

Learn to Visualize Data See All →

A Quick and Easy Way to Make Spiral Charts in R

Now that we’ve discovered another way to annoy chart snobs, here’s how you can make your own spirals.

How to Draw and Use Polygons in R

R provides functions for basic shapes, but you can also draw your own for maximum fun.

How to Make Gridded, Equal-Distance Dot Maps

For when your geographic data is evenly spread rather than aggregated by government boundaries.

How to Make Marimekko Charts in Excel

Marimekko charts, or mosaic plots, allow you to compare categories over two quantitative variables.

Favorites

Interactive: When Do Americans Leave For Work?

We don’t all start our work days at the same time, despite what morning rush hour might have you think.

Who We Spend Time with as We Get Older

In high school, we spend most of our days with friends and immediate family. But then we get jobs, start a family, retire, and there’s a shift in who we spend our days with.

Most popular porn searches, by state

We’ve seen that we can learn from what people search …

How You Will Die

So far we’ve seen when you will die and how other people tend to die. Now let’s put the two together to see how and when you will die, given your sex, race, and age.