The Most Expensive States To Get a Divorce
It's common to hear that half of all marriages end in divorce. However, the divorce rate has come down since the late 1970s. The rate was at its highest in 1979, with 22.8 divorces per 1,000 people, according to the National Center for Family & Marriage Research at Bowling Green University. As of today, while the United States has the sixth highest divorce rate in the world, according to Divorce.com, with Baby Boomers being the demographic with the highest divorce rate, at 34.9%, it's down to 2.5 per 1000 people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
If a couple can work it out, it's not only good for their emotional state, but their bank account; divorce does not come cheaply! In addition to the fees associated with filing for divorce, attorneys' fees vary greatly by state and can cost almost $14,000. Many Americans may struggle to afford these fees, hindering their ability to leave a potentially toxic marriage.
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At the same time, it's cheaper to file for divorce in some states compared to others. If divorce becomes necessary down the line, it's smart to understand the potential impact on your finances. That's why GOBankingRates analyzed data from Lawyers.com to find the average divorce filing fees and overall costs in all 50 states. Note that some states charge flat rates; however, many states have filing fees that vary by county. For states that don't have a flat rate, the average of local divorce filing fees was used. Divorce costs can go up if you share property or children with your ex.
1. New Mexico
Average divorce filing fee: $137
Average divorce cost: $6,637
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2. North Dakota
Average divorce filing fee: $360
Average divorce attorneys' fees: $12,200
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3. Montana
Average divorce filing fee: $170
Average divorce cost: $6,170
4. South Dakota
Average divorce filing fee: $300
Average divorce attorneys' fees: $12,400
5. Maine
Average divorce filing fee: $120
Average divorce cost: $8,120
6. Wyoming
Average divorce filing fee: $210
Average divorce attorneys' fees: $13,500
7. Vermont
Average divorce filing fee: $90
Average divorce cost: $9,090
8. West Virginia
Average divorce filing fee: $134
Average divorce cost: $8,134
9. Kentucky
Average divorce filing fee: $148
Average divorce cost: $8,151
10. Idaho
Average divorce filing fee: $154
Average divorce cost: $8,181
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11. Nebraska
Average divorce filing fee: $158
Average divorce cost: $8,158
12. North Carolina
Average divorce filing fee: $75
Average divorce cost: $10,113
13. Arkansas
Average divorce filing fee: $165
Average divorce cost: $8,165
14. Indiana
Average divorce filing fee: $157
Average divorce cost: $9,157
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15. Wisconsin
Average divorce filing fee: $195
Average divorce cost: $8,690
16. Oklahoma
Average divorce filing fee: $183
Average divorce cost: $9,183
17. Iowa
Average divorce filing fee: $185
Average divorce cost: $9,184
18. South Carolina
Average divorce filing fee: $150
Average divorce cost: $10,150
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19. Hawaii
Average divorce filing fee: $215
Average divorce cost: $9,240
20. Michigan
Average divorce filing fee: $175
Average divorce cost: $10,215
21. Louisiana
Average divorce filing fee: $200
Average divorce cost: $10,200
22. Maryland
Average divorce filing fee: $165
Average divorce cost: $11,165
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23. Virginia
Average divorce filing fee: $150
Average divorce cost: $11,584
24. Nevada
Average divorce filing fee: $217
Average divorce cost: $10,258
25. Missouri
Average divorce filing fee: $150
Average divorce attorneys' fees: $11,500
26. Tennessee
Average divorce filing fee: $260
Average divorce cost: $9,722
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27. Pennsylvania
Average divorce filing fee: $202
Average divorce cost: $11,202
28. Delaware
Average divorce filing fee: $165
Average divorce cost: $12,165
29. Alaska
Average divorce filing fee: $250
Average divorce cost: $10,288
30. Colorado
Average divorce filing fee: $230
Average divorce cost: $11,230
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31. Arizona
Average divorce filing fee: $280
Average divorce cost: $10,280
32. Massachusetts
Average divorce filing fee: $200
Average divorce cost: $12,200
33. Oregon
Average divorce filing fee: $301
Average divorce cost: $10,301
34. Ohio
Average divorce filing fee: $350
Average divorce cost: $9,350
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35. Washington
Average divorce filing fee: $314
Average divorce cost: $10,314
36. Kansas
Average divorce filing fee: $400
Average divorce cost: $8,400
37. Mississippi
Average divorce filing fee: $400
Average divorce cost: $8,400
38. Illinois
Average divorce filing fee: $334
Average divorce cost: $10,334
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39. Minnesota
Average divorce filing fee: $365
Average divorce cost: $9,635
40. Utah
Average divorce filing fee: $325
Average divorce cost: $10,725
41. New Hampshire
Average divorce filing fee: $400
Average divorce cost: $9,400
42. New Jersey
Average divorce filing fee: $300
Average divorce cost: $12,300
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43. Alabama
Average divorce filing fee: $400
Average divorce cost: $10,400
44. Rhode Island
Average divorce filing fee: $400
Average divorce cost: $10,400
45. Texas
Average divorce filing fee: $300
Average divorce cost: $12,792
46. Florida
Average divorce filing fee: $409
Average divorce cost: $10,409
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47. Georgia
Average divorce filing fee: $400
Average divorce cost: $11,400
48. Connecticut
Average divorce filing fee: $360
Average divorce cost: $12,360
49. New York
Average divorce filing fee: $335
Average divorce cost: $13,385
50. California
Average divorce filing fee: $435
Average divorce cost: $14,435
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Jordan Rosenfeld contributed to the reporting of this article.
Methodology: These findings are the result of a GOBankingRates study of divorce fees and conditions in all 50 states. The survey used two fundamental criteria to generate rankings for all 50 states and D.C.: (1) court fee to file a divorce, collected from local court sites and online fee schedules. Some states have flat rates, but most have filing fees that vary locally by county, sourced from individual state and county court websites. For states that don't have a flat rate, the average was taken of the range of local divorce filing fees. (2) Average divorce cost perperson as sourced from Lawyers.com. All data was sourced on April 3, 2023.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The Most Expensive States To Get a Divorce
