Page 419 - Essencials of Sociology

392 CHAPTER 12 Marriage and Family

FIGURE 12.14 The “Where” of U.S. Divorce

Annual divorces per 1,000 people
WA
Lower than average: 4.2 ME
2.4 to 3.3 MT ND VT 3.8 4.2
Average: OR 3.9 3.1 MN NH 3.8
MA 2.5
3.4 to 4.0 4.0 ID 3.2 WI NY
5.2 SD 2.9 RI 3.2
Higher than average: WY 3.4 3.0 MI CT 2.9
4.2 to 5.9 5.1 IA 3.5 PA NJ 3.0
NV NE 2.4 2.7
5.9 UT 3.6 IL IN OH DE 3.5
3.7 CO 2.6 3.0 3.4 WV VA
CA 4.3 KS MO 5.1 MD 2.8
4.3 KY 3.8 Lowest divorce rate
3.7 3.9 4.5 DC
NC
TN 3.8 2.8
AZ OK 4.2 SC 1. Iowa (2.4)
3.5 NM 5.2 AR 3.1
4.0 5.7 AL GA 2. Massachusetts (2.5)
MS
4.3 4.4 3.3
TX LA 3. Illinois (2.6)
3.3 4.3
FL Highest divorce rate
AK 4.4
4.7
1. Nevada (5.9)
HI 2. Arkansas (5.7)
3.9
3. Oklahoma (5.2)
Source: By the author. Based on Statistical Abstract of the United States 1995:Table 149; 2002:Table 111; 2013:Table 134.
Note: Data for Indiana and Louisiana, based on the earlier editions in the source, have been decreased by the average decrease in U.S. divorce.

FIGURE 12.15 The Increase in Divorce

20%
African Americans
Whites
15% Latinos
Asian Americans 11.5 11.7
Percentage 10% 8.4 10.6 8.1 9.8 10.9 8.2

6.0 5.8 7.0 7.6
5% 4.4 3.9 4.5
3.1

0%
1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
The Percentage of Americans Who Are Divorced
Note: This figure shows the percentage of those who are divorced and have not remarried, not the per-
centage of those who have ever divorced. Only these racial–ethnic groups are listed in the source. The
source only recently added data on Asian Americans.
Source: By the author. Based on Statistical Abstract of the United States 1995:Table 58; 2013:Table 56.