Number of divorces in New Zealand - Data and Analysis (1982-2034)

IBISWorld forecasts the number of divorces to drop by 1.4% during 2026-27, to reach 7,753. This is expected to coincide with an economic recovery following the cost-of-living and inflationary pressures. Falling discretionary income increases the level of financial stress in relationships. Financial stress is commonly cited as a reason for divorce. Discretionary incomes are expected to increase in the current year, contributing to a fall in the number of divorces in 2026-27. This forecast reflects an estimate of around 7.5 divorces per 1000 marriages in New Zealand, a figure that has trended downwards since the mid-1990s, when the divorce rate was above 12.0 divorces per 1000 marriages.The number of divorces has remained largely stable over the past five years, outside of a persistent spike stemming from a 15.2% expansion in divorces in 2022-23. This spike coincided with a sharp decline in discretionary incomes, as government pandemic assistance packages tapered off. While discretionary incomes have gradually rebounded, they haven't met the peaks set during the pandemic. The greater financial stress being felt among married couples can be partially blamed for this expansion in divorce numbers since 2022-23.The latest statistics from Statistics New Zealand show that the number of divorces in 2025 totalled 7,887. This equates to a divorce rate of 7.9 divorces for every 1,000 marriages. This represents a decline over the past decade, with a divorce rate of 8.8 in 2015. Despite a lack of conclusive research, one explanation for the falling rate is that because couples are marrying later in life and, therefore, more likely to have a stable relationship. The median age of women at divorce in 2025 was 45.5, while the median age of men at divorce was 48.2. The median age of divorce has pushed up over the past decade. This reflects both the fact that couples in New Zealand are marrying later in life and that marriages are lasting longer, with the median duration of divorces climbing from 13.7 years in 2015 to 14.7 years in 2025. Overall, IBISWorld forecasts the number of divorces to climb at a compound annual rate of 3.0% over the five years through 2026-27.