How common is divorce in Texas?

If you are going through a divorce or have recently gone through divorce in Texas, you are certainly not alone. However, since peaking in the early 1980s, the divorce rate in the state has actually dropped, right alongside the marriage rate.

In 1981, there was a record-high of 101,856 divorces recorded in the state, and since then, both the numbers of divorces and marriages have fallen in the state. For example, in 2012, 80,030 Texas couples legally untied the knot, MySanAntonio.com reported.

When it comes to counties, Bell County had the highest divorce rate in 2012 (only including counties with 10,000 residents or more) with 12.89 divorces per every 1,000 residents. Harris County had the highest overall number of divorces in 2012 with 14,030 couples calling it quits.

The Department of State Health Services also told MySanAntonio.com that about 45 percent of divorce ceases in 2012 involved children. That means there were around 62,196 children who were affected by divorce that year.

As we all know, divorce can be difficult on children, but its effect depends greatly on how a child’s parents handle the transition. For some great trips on co-parenting after a divorce, see our post on how divorced parents can break down communication barriers.

Ultimately, if you are going through divorce or have recently gone through divorce, you can rest-assured knowing that this is a process that hundreds of thousands of Texas residents have gone through and survived.

In many cases, Texas residents and their children have ended up leading happier, healthier lives after ending an unhappy marriage and moving on.