This indicator is part of Secure and stable families.

Indicator description:                                                           

This indicator notes the percentage of adults who indicated that they were divorced and had not remarried during the prior 12 months. This indicator includes all divorced individuals who are still single, whether or not their divorce was adjudicated through the local courts. Albuquerque has the highest rate of divorced persons in the Southwest in 2007, although many other communities are not far behind. The divorce rate in Albuquerque rose until 2004, after which it began to decline. It is unclear if more individuals are getting divorced in Albuquerque than in other cities, or if the divorce rates are actually similar, but Albuquerque adults choose to remain single while those in other communities remarry.

Why is this indicator relevant?

Although divorce is stressful for adults, divorce is hardest on children. Research is clear that the pain experienced by children at the beginning of a divorce is composed of: a sense of vulnerability as the family disintegrates, a grief reaction to the loss of the intact family, loss of the non-custodial parent, a feeling of intense anger at the disruption of the family, and strong feelings of being powerless. Although divorce may eventually improve the family situation, including removing an abusive adult, the event of the divorce is still stressful.

Data Source:
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2001-2007.

What can we tell from the data?

• Albuquerque has the highest rate of divorced adults in the Southwest, as of 2007.
• The percentage of divorced adults in Albuquerque has declined overall since 2004.
• It is unclear whether Albuquerque has a higher rate of divorce than other communities, or if adults here simply prefer to remain unmarried once they have divorced.

For Help in understanding this page, see Understanding Indicators.