Number of divorces

IBISWorld forecasts a 0.4% decline in the number of divorces in 2025–26 to 47,012, reflecting subdued divorce activity in 2025-26. Divorce volumes remain constrained by longer marriage durations and an older divorce cohort, which continue to limit the number of separations progressing to formal divorce.

According to the ABS, as of 2024 (the latest available data), there was one divorce for every 2.3 marriages registered. The crude divorce rate has eased to 2.1 divorces per 1,000 people aged 16 and over, marking a gradual decline over the past decade. At the same time, the median duration from marriage to divorce rose to 13.2 years in 2024, up from 11.8 years in 2001, indicating that marriages are lasting longer before formal dissolution. The median age at divorce has also increased, reaching 47.1 years for males and 44.1 years for females, highlighting a shift towards later-life divorce as opposed to early marital breakdown.

Australians are marrying later, with the median age at marriage rising to 31.4 years for men and 30.1 years for women. Later marriage is typically associated with greater relationship stability, as individuals are more likely to have completed education, established careers and entered marriage after longer periods of cohabitation or relationship testing. These factors reduce the likelihood of early-life divorces and contribute to structurally lower divorce rates over time. In parallel, a growing share of couples are opting for long-term de facto relationships, limiting growth in the population exposed to divorce. Together, these factors have reduced the likelihood of divorce occurring earlier in the marital lifecycle.

The number of divorces has declined over the past five years, falling by 3.5% through 2025–26. This tightening follows a temporary surge in 2021, which was driven by pandemic-related court processing and administrative changes rather than a sustained increase in relationship breakdowns. As these one-off effects have unwound, divorce numbers have returned to a structurally lower long-term trend, reflecting sustained declines in divorce rates as opposed to temporary volatility. This is reinforced by longer marriage durations, older ages at divorce and a growing preference for de facto relationships over formal marriage, which has reduced the share of couples exposed to divorce. While population growth and higher marriage registrations may provide some longer-term support, later marriage, extended relationship formation and shifting norms around formal separation are expected to keep divorce activity subdued in the near term.