These Counties Have the Highest Divorce Rates in California

Divorce is less common than it used to be. According to recent studies, the divorce rate in the United States hit a 50-year low in 2019, down from its peak in 1980. However, marriage rates have also declined precipitously since the 1970s, and even the 50-year low in divorce rates in 2019 still equated to hundreds of thousands of divorces nationwide. While the divorce rate in California is lower than the national average, it is not uniform across the state. In many counties, it is higher. A Stockton divorce attorney gives an overview below, as well as explains why many marriages end in divorce. 

Counties with the Highest Divorce Rates in California 

According to available 2019 census data by the American Community Survey, 9.3% of individuals over the age of 15 in California were divorced, compared to 10.9% nationwide. Santa Clara County has the state’s lowest rate, at 7.5%. At the other end of the spectrum, the 10 California counties with the highest divorce rates are as follows: 

Shasta County: 13.1%

Shasta County is located in northern California and has a 2019 population of 180,080. Its largest city is Redding. The median household income is $54,667 and 13.3% of the population lives under the poverty line. The overall divorce rate for all persons over the age of 15 is 13.1%. The divorce rate is 11.0% for males and 15.0% for females.  

Sonoma County: 12.8%

Sonoma County is located in the Bay Area of northern California and has a 2019 population of 494,336. Its largest city is Santa Rosa. The median household income is $81,018 and 7.2% of the population lives under the poverty line. The overall divorce rate for all persons over the age of 15 is 12.8%. The divorce rate is 11.0% for males and 14.4% for females.  

Butte County: 11.9%

Butte County is located in northern California and has a 2019 population of 219,186. Its largest city is Chico. The median household income is $52,537 and 16.1% of the population lives under the poverty line. The overall divorce rate for all persons over the age of 15 is 11.9%. The divorce rate is 9.8% for males and 14.0% for females.  

Sacramento County: 11.8%

Sacramento County is located in northern California and has a 2019 population of 1.6 million. Its largest city is Sacramento. The median household income is $67,151 and 12.6% of the population lives under the poverty line. The overall divorce rate for all persons over the age of 15 is 11.8%. The divorce rate is 10.0% for males and 13.6% for females.  

Solano County: 11.1%

Solano County is located in northern California and has a 2019 population of 447,643. Its largest city is Vallejo. The median household income is $81,472 and 9.0% of the population lives under the poverty line. The overall divorce rate for all persons over the age of 15 is 11.1%. The divorce rate is 9.0% for males and 13.1% for females.  

Stanislaus County: 10.8%

Stanislaus County is located in northern California and has a 2019 population of 550,660. Its largest city is Modesto. The median household income is $60,704 and 13.0% of the population lives under the poverty line. The overall divorce rate for all persons over the age of 15 is 10.8%. The divorce rate is 9.5% for males and 12.1% for females.  

Santa Cruz County: 10.6%

Santa Cruz County is located in the Bay Area of northern California and has a 2019 population of 273,213. Its largest city is Santa Cruz. The median household income is $82,234 and 10.6% of the population lives under the poverty line. The overall divorce rate for all persons over the age of 15 is 10.6%. The divorce rate is 8.4% for males and 12.8% for females.  

Placer County: 10.3%

Placer County is located in northern California and has a 2019 population of 398,329. Its largest city is Roseville. The median household income is $89,691 and 6.6% of the population lives under the poverty line. The overall divorce rate for all persons over the age of 15 is 10.3%. The divorce rate is 8.9% for males and 11.6% for females.  

Riverside County: 10.0%

Riverside County is located in southern California and has a 2019 population of 2.5 million. Its largest city is Riverside. The median household income is $67,005 and 11.3% of the population lives under the poverty line. The overall divorce rate for all persons over the age of 15 is 10.0%. The divorce rate is 8.6% for males and 11.3% for females.  

San Diego County: 9.7%

San Diego County is located in southern California and has a 2019 population of 3.3 million. Its largest city is San Diego. The median household income is $78,980 and 10.3% of the population lives under the poverty line. The overall divorce rate for all persons over the age of 15 is 9.7%. The divorce rate is 7.8% for males and 11.6% for females.  

San Joaquin County, which includes Stockton, has a divorce rate of 8.3% — lower than both the state and national averages. However, the county’s divorce rate increases by age. For males aged 55 to 64 years, the rate jumps to 16.2%. For females in the same age group, the rate is 17.6%. For more information about divorce in San Joaquin County, please contact a Stockton divorce attorney. 

Risk Factors for Divorce 

Every divorce is different, just as every marriage is different. But there are certain factors that statistically increase the risk of one’s marriage ending in divorce. Some of the factors that are most strongly correlated with divorce include: 

• Marrying at a young age: Marrying at a young age increases the likelihood that a couple will eventually divorce, especially during the early years of the marriage
• Having less income: Income is strongly correlated with divorce rates. Having less income increases the risk of stress over money and disputes over how finances are handled, which in turn can increase the risk of divorce.
• Having lower educational attainment: Educational attainment is correlated with income. The lower one’s educational attainment, the lower his or her income is likely to be. 
• Cohabitating with a future spouse before marriage: Studies show that cohabitating with a future spouse increases the risk of divorce, but that the risk is lower for couples who cohabitate only after becoming engaged. 
• Having parents who are divorced or who never married: Individuals whose parents are divorced or were never married are more likely to divorce because they have been exposed to it
• Having a prior marriage that ended in divorce: Studies show that divorce rates are generally higher for individuals in second marriages where his or her first marriage ended in divorce
• Having different religious beliefs than one’s spouse: Religious beliefs significantly affect one’s outlook on the world and relationships with others. Differences in religious belief among spouses can create tensions that increase their risk of divorce. 

It should be noted that the above risk factors are merely correlated with increased divorced rates; they do not necessarily cause divorce. Cohabitating with a spouse before marriage or having parents who divorced does not mean that that individual’s marriage is certain to end in divorce. However, each factor is a red flag that everyone anyone contemplating marriage should consider. 

Contact a Stockton Divorce Attorney for More Information 

If you are considering a divorce, you need a zealous advocate who can protect your interests. For more information, please contact a Stockton divorce attorney at McKinley, Conger, Jolley & Galarneau at 209-477-8171 or use our online contact form.