U.S. and Utah Divorce Rates in the Pandemic

The pandemic tested every facet of life for people in Utah and across the globe. For Utah divorce lawyers and divorce lawyers in every state, it was hard to know exactly what would happen due to COVID-19. However, now that vaccinations are up and infection rates have slowed, some things are coming clear. Utah divorce rates went down slightly in the pandemic.  

What Did the Pandemic Do to Utah Divorce Rates?

The pandemic affected divorce rates in several ways, including:

1. Divorce rates in Utah went up in the summer, but overall went down around 4% through 2020.

Most people are probably not surprised that there was a spike in divorces during June of 2020. The beginning of the pandemic, when lockdowns went into effect and there were so many unknowns, was extremely hard on relationships. Some couples had never spent so much time together. Other couples had been having trouble but were putting off dealing with it until a later time. Whatever the reasons, once married couples were forced together 24-hours a day with no end in sight, it was hard on many marriages. When restrictions started to relax in June, Utah divorce rates jumped along with divorce rates in the rest of the country.

However, the rate stabilized and actually went down. Utah’s overall divorce rate for the year was only slightly lower than it was in 2019.

2. Divorce rates in other parts of the country dropped more drastically at the end of 2020.

Like in Utah, divorce rates went up in many parts of the country a short time into the pandemic. Many U.S. couples were struggling with the same challenges as those in Utah. A lot of stress was put on their relationships and many had had enough by the beginning of the summer. But then the divorce rates started to drop, some dramatically.

According to the Institute for Family Studies, divorce rates went down significantly in multiple states. Florida’s divorce rate went down 19 percent, Oregon’s went down 12 percent, and Rhode Island’s went down 13 percent. These numbers surprised many, particularly since the summer seemed to show divorce rates going up.

The study linked above found that many couples said that the pandemic had made their relationship stronger.

Answering Your Utah Divorce Questions

At the family law firm of Henriksen & Henriksen, we are well aware of how complicated divorce can be. There are so many factors to consider and you want to do it right. We are here to answer your questions about Utah divorce and we are happy to answer them at no cost to you. Just schedule a free consultation and we will provide the detailed answers you need to make an informed decision.

If you are considering divorce in Utah, please contact our firm. You can call us at (801) 521-4145 or fill out our secure online contact form and we will get back to you as soon as possible.