Here is a listing of the top 7 cities for millennial divorce. Millennials may be defined as an individual born in the 1980s or 1990s. Anyone who is a millennial is young. If they are married they are in an early marriage. People who are in an early marriage have a higher rate of divorce. This may carry over to a community dynamic: cities that attract millennials with early marriages tend to have more divorces even when the people in the relationship are older. Which is a good time to remember the correlation is not causation! The statistics presented here show the rate of divorce per 1,000 individuals in each city and per 100 married individuals.
The 7 Cities with the Highest Level of Millennial Divorce per 1,000 Individuals
- Portland
- Denver
- Dallas
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- Riverside
- Tampa
The 7 Cities with the Highest Level of Millennial Divorce per 100 Married Individuals
- Portland
- Tampa
- San Diego
- Denver
- Riverside
- San Antonio
- Detroit
Defining Terms
It is interesting to note when studying the pattern that the top cities for millennial divorce that while there is a great deal of overlap between the lists, they are not identical.
Location
Before deciding not to set foot in a top-ranked city for millennial divorce, consider the fact that it is not necessarily the conditions of the city that fosters divorce, although, arguably, these cities do have a host of attractive viable dating options that may create conditions that may perhaps facilitate divorce. It may also be that millennials may flock to these cities after a divorce to try to start or save a marriage, or barring that, to begin life anew post-divorce. Or it could be that there is less stigma in divorce in an area where divorce is more commonplace.
Reasons for Divorce
The reasons for divorce remain personal and hard to define across large swaths of the population. For starters, one must believe in and commit to marriage before one can get a divorce, so that, ironically, people who are most open to the idea of marriage may be among those who have the most opportunity to experience divorce.
The Image of Perfection
Millennials who have come of age with online media and who are technologically savvy may keep seeking a partner who fits with their ideas of a perfect mate because with social media and online dating it’s easy to keep looking and very difficult to give up the idea that there’s a perfect person out there.
The As You Like it Effect
Millennials grew up with a high divorce rate and the idea of blended families. They are sometimes unwilling to stay in a union that doesn’t work for them. They are comfortable creating new beginnings, re-defining themselves, and staying fluid when faced with life decisions. As a generation that came of age taking selfies, ordering things that they want when they want them, and crafting their own DIY media presence, this is a generation that seeks to express themselves and their needs honestly and is comfortable in sharing the details of their intimate psychological, spiritual, and physical lives from Facebook to Snapchat, in real time and on their terms.
It may be that cities that attract millennials are the very spaces that encourage marriage and divorce for the very same expression of autonomy.
Honesty is the Best Policy
Millennials value honesty and communication. If a situation is truly not working, whether a workplace interaction or a marriage that is not fulfilling either partner, they will take steps to mitigate the issue.
Options and Millennials
From hanging out in groups or appearing in other people’s media feeds, millennials are comfortable with interacting with others. They tend not to brood alone, they tend to seek the comfort of community, which is perhaps because social media has made the entire world a community.
When a millennial marriage is not working, whether in one of the top 7 cities for millennial divorce, a hamlet, suburb, or a major metroplex, millennials will seek help. Whether a personal life coach in Austin to inspire reaching life goals, therapy in Seattle to settle deep-rooted emotional issues, or Salt Lake City divorce lawyers, millennials have the knowledge and confidence to find the help they need to make major life decisions easier to manage and to express their true selves with clarity and honesty.
