BGSU research finds divorce among older adults has nearly tripled since 1990

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – New research by the renowned National Center for Family and Marriage Research at Bowling Green State University finds a nearly threefold increase in the percentage of divorced older adults compared to three decades ago. 

Divorce among those 65 and older increased from 5.2% in 1990 to 15.2% in 2022. In other terms, one in every 10 people divorcing in the United States today is 65 or older.

Although the data doesn’t offer reasons for the rise in divorce, BGSU distinguished sociology professor Dr. Susan L. Brown theorized that increased life expectancy and the fragility of remarriages could be contributing factors.

“This cohort of individuals experienced the divorce revolution in the 1970s as young adults, and many eventually remarried,” Brown said. “We know that remarriages are more likely to end in divorce than first marriages, which could be one cause for the increase.”

Meanwhile, divorce rates among those aged 50 to 64 slightly declined in 2022, indicating that gray divorce — those divorcing at age 50 or older — is largely a phenomenon among the Baby Boomer generation, according to BGSU researchers.

The divorce research, conducted by Brown and second-year applied demography graduate student Jaden Loo, is based on U.S. Census Bureau data. As a comprehensive research university, BGSU prioritizes providing students with opportunities to conduct research alongside world-class faculty members.

“I’ve been very fortunate to have this research experience,” said Loo, who will graduate with his master’s degree in December. “It’s been great working with and learning from such esteemed BGSU researchers. The fact-based research I did as a part of this project will be incredibly beneficial in my future career in applied demography.”

In addition to increased levels of divorce, BGSU researchers also found that an increasing number of older adults never married. The percentage steadily rose from 5.2% in 1990 to 6.6% in 2022.

At the same time, gains in life expectancy have reduced widowhood by more than 14% during the past three decades.

“Traditionally, when we’ve studied older adults, we tend to confine our focus to thinking about marriage and widowhood,” Brown said. “These figures show that we really need to widen the lens and think more broadly about the shifting composition of older adults, who are increasingly divorced or never married.”

Established in 2007, NCFMR is co-directed by Brown and fellow nationally renowned demographer and distinguished BGSU professor Dr. Wendy D. Manning.

The center’s high-impact research focuses on how family structure is connected to the health and well-being of children, adults, families and communities and is used to inform policy development and programmatic responses.