Number of divorces

IBISWorld forecasts the number of divorces to rise by 2.5% during 2024-25, to reach 6,932. Due to the legal requirement of two years separation prior to divorce, relationship breakdowns associated with financial stresses and cost of living pressures, including a sharp drop in discretionary incomes over the past few years, are likely to result in divorces in the current year, contributing to the growth. Financial stress is commonly cited as a reason for divorce, and economic uncertainty in the aftermath of the pandemic put a strain on relationships.

The number of divorces in New Zealand have declined over the past five years. Strong growth in discretionary incomes earlier in the past five years has relieved financial distress for married couples. The latest statistics from Statistics New Zealand show that the number of divorces in 2022 totalled 7593. This equates to a divorce rate of 7.4 divorces for every 1,000 marriages. This represents a decline over the past decade, with a divorce rate of 9.9 in 2012. Despite a lack of conclusive research, one explanation for the falling rate is that because couples are marrying later in life, they are more financially secure and, therefore, more likely to have a stable relationship.

The median age of women at divorce in 2022 was 44.4, while the median age of men at divorce was 47.1. The median age of divorce has pushed up over the past decade. This reflects the fact that couples in New Zealand are marrying later in life rather than marriages lasting longer, with the average length of a marriage ending in divorce remaining relatively stable over the same time period. Overall, IBISWorld forecasts the number of divorces to fall at a compound annual rate 3.3% over the five years through 2024-25.