A new 2007 report from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that in 2004 (the year of the study)

• 12 percent of men and 13 percent of women had married twice
• 3 percent each had married three or more times
• 58 percent of women and 54 percent of men 15 and older had married only once

Below we have converted the statistics to graphs to make the data easier to understand.  See the last page of the article if you would like to use any tables or graphs.

Summary of Statistics on Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage after Divorce

A new report from the U.S. census bureau shows that

• First marriages lasted about 8 years on average.
• Most people seem to have waited about three and half years between their first and second marriages.
• For those 25 and older, 52 percent of men and 44 percent of women were remarried.

In examining longer lasting marriages, the report found that just over half of currently married women in 2004 had been married for at least 15 years, and 6 percent had been married at least 50 years.

Current Marital Status (2004) for Men and Women 25 years and older

Current Marital Status (2004) for Men

As you can see, a slight majority of men have remarried after divorce and the next largest group are currently divorced.

Current Marital Status (2004) for Women

Less women seem to remarry after divorce than men and a larger number of women are widowed. This may in part reflect the longer life span of women.

Current Marital Status (2004) for Men and Women 50 years and older

The number of women, 50 and older who are widowed is significantly greater than men who are widowed. This lends weight to the idea that the longer life span of women contribute to this trend.

Characteristics of Remarriage after Divorce

Median age for marital event in first and second marriages

• Men and women do not seem to differ much on when they marry, divorce and remarry after divorce.

Duration of marriages (years) for people 15 and older

• First marriages lasted about 8 years
• They tended to separate for about 1 year prior to divorce
• People remarry after about three and half years
• Their second marriages last about as long as their first marriages
• There is not a major difference between men and women

Number of Times Married for Currently Married Wives and Their Husbands: 2004

• No significant difference between men and women.

The Effect of a Marriage or Divorce

Employment Characteristics of People 15 Years and Over with a Marriage or Divorce Event During 2003

• The number of men who did not work the previous month after a divorce increased slightly whereas for women it was reduced.
• The number of women working full time in the previous month increased with divorce whereas it decreased slightly for men after divorce

Poverty Level Characteristics of People 15 Years and Over with a Marriage or Divorce Event During 2003

• The standard of living dropped for both men and women but dropped by a larger amount for women

These statistics were obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau report Marriage and Divorce: 2004

These statistics were modified by these authors into tabular or graphic form and are copyrighted as such.

If you would like a copy of the original tables and graphics used in this article, you may obtain them here in PDF format or in Powerpoint format . You are permitted to use them as long as you reference their source with a link to this website or to this article.