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They say half of all marriages end in divorce, but apparently that often-regurgitated statistic is more a myth than a reality according to the New York Times.
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The Times ran a recent piece called “The Divorce Surge is Over, but the Myth Lives On,” in which we learn divorce rates soared in the 1970s and peaked in the early 1980s, but it’s actually been declining in the decades since.
In fact, about 70 percent of marriages that began in the 1990s lasted at least until the 15 year mark (excluding those in which a spouse died), up from about 65 percent, which was the rate in the 1970s and early 1980s. Even more interesting, that trend continues to pick up steam. According to data from University of Michigan economist Justin Wolfers, if things continue the way they’re going, nearly two-thirds of marriages will never involve a divorce.
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The drop in divorce, according to the piece, can be attributed to a range of factors—later marriages, birth control, and the rise of “for love” marriages.
Head over to the Times now to read the full story, and let us know: Are you surprised to learn that the divorce rate is actually dropping?
