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Marriage and Divorce Statistics

Change in the Reporting of Marriage and Divorce Statistics

Information on the total numbers and rates of marriages and divorces at the national and State levels are published in the NCHS National Vital Statistics Reports. The collection of detailed data was suspended beginning in January 1996 (See Federal Register Notice, Dec. 15, 1995). Limitations in the information collected by the States as well as budgetary considerations necessitated this action. The most recent comprehensive analyses of detailed marriage and divorce data are published in Advance Report of Final Marriage Statistics, 1989-90 and Advance Report of Final Divorce Statistics, 1989-90.

Detailed State Tables

Beginning with the June 2003 data, detailed State tables of marriage and divorce levels have been included in the monthly reports of provisional data published in the NCHS National Vital Statistics Reports.  Prior to this, these data were available in the Detailed Statistical Tables section of NCHS' Data Warehouse website.

Marriage and divorce rates currently may be calculated from provisional counts received from State health departments. Trend marriage and divorce rates by State for 1990, 1995, and 1999-2004 are available.

Other Sources of Marriage and Divorce Statistics

The National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG), conducted by NCHS, collected detailed data on cohabitation, marriage, divorce and remarriage.  These data were published in Series 23, Number 22, "Cohabitation, Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage in the United States".

The U.S. Census Bureau is another Federal source of marriage and divorce statistics. Census data are survey- rather than records-based and cover many aspects of marriage and divorce patterns in the United States.

For further information on this subject, please contact either:

Data Dissemination Branch, Room 5407
Division of  Data Services
National Center Health Statistics
Phone: 301-458-4636
E-mail: nchsquery@cdc.gov

or

Public Affairs Office, Room 1050
Phone:  at 301-458-4800
E-mail: paoquery@cdc.gov

NCHS Home | NVSS Home | Birth Data | Mortality Data
Fetal Death Data | Marriages and Divorces
Linked Births/Infant Deaths | NSFG | NMFS | NMIHS | National Death Index
2003 Revisions of the US Vital Certificates | CDC/NCHS Privacy Policy Notice
Accessibility | Search NCHS | Contact us