The Most Expensive States To Get a Divorce

It’s common to hear that half of all marriages end in divorce. However, the divorce rate has come down since the late 1970s. The rate was at its highest in 1979, with 22.8 divorces per 1,000 people, according to the National Center for Family & Marriage Research at Bowling Green University. As of today, while the United States has the sixth highest divorce rate in the world, according to Divorce.com, with Baby Boomers being the demographic with the highest divorce rate, at 34.9%, it’s down to 2.5 per 1000 people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
If a couple can work it out, it’s not only good for their emotional state, but their bank account; divorce does not come cheaply! In addition to the fees associated with filing for divorce, attorneys’ fees vary greatly by state and can cost almost $14,000. Many Americans may struggle to afford these fees, hindering their ability to leave a potentially toxic marriage.
At the same time, it’s cheaper to file for divorce in some states compared to others. If divorce becomes necessary down the line, it’s smart to understand the potential impact on your finances. That’s why GOBankingRates analyzed data from Lawyers.com to find the average divorce filing fees and overall costs in all 50 states. Note that some states charge flat rates; however, many states have filing fees that vary by county. For states that don’t have a flat rate, the average of local divorce filing fees was used. Divorce costs can go up if you share property or children with your ex.
1. New Mexico
- Average divorce filing fee: $137
- Average divorce cost: $6,637
2. North Dakota
- Average divorce filing fee: $360
- Average divorce attorneys’ fees: $12,200
3. Montana
- Average divorce filing fee: $170
- Average divorce cost: $6,170
4. South Dakota
- Average divorce filing fee: $300
- Average divorce attorneys’ fees: $12,400
5. Maine
- Average divorce filing fee: $120
- Average divorce cost: $8,120
6. Wyoming
- Average divorce filing fee: $210
- Average divorce attorneys’ fees: $13,500
7. Vermont
- Average divorce filing fee: $90
- Average divorce cost: $9,090
8. West Virginia
- Average divorce filing fee: $134
- Average divorce cost: $8,134
9. Kentucky
- Average divorce filing fee: $148
- Average divorce cost: $8,151
10. Idaho
- Average divorce filing fee: $154
- Average divorce cost: $8,181
11. Nebraska
- Average divorce filing fee: $158
- Average divorce cost: $8,158
12. North Carolina
- Average divorce filing fee: $75
- Average divorce cost: $10,113
13. Arkansas
- Average divorce filing fee: $165
- Average divorce cost: $8,165
14. Indiana
- Average divorce filing fee: $157
- Average divorce cost: $9,157
15. Wisconsin
- Average divorce filing fee: $195
- Average divorce cost: $8,690
16. Oklahoma
- Average divorce filing fee: $183
- Average divorce cost: $9,183
17. Iowa
- Average divorce filing fee: $185
- Average divorce cost: $9,184
18. South Carolina
- Average divorce filing fee: $150
- Average divorce cost: $10,150
19. Hawaii
- Average divorce filing fee: $215
- Average divorce cost: $9,240
20. Michigan
- Average divorce filing fee: $175
- Average divorce cost: $10,215
21. Louisiana
- Average divorce filing fee: $200
- Average divorce cost: $10,200
22. Maryland
- Average divorce filing fee: $165
- Average divorce cost: $11,165
23. Virginia
- Average divorce filing fee: $150
- Average divorce cost: $11,584
24. Nevada
- Average divorce filing fee: $217
- Average divorce cost: $10,258
25. Missouri
- Average divorce filing fee: $150
- Average divorce attorneys’ fees: $11,500
26. Tennessee
- Average divorce filing fee: $260
- Average divorce cost: $9,722
27. Pennsylvania
- Average divorce filing fee: $202
- Average divorce cost: $11,202
28. Delaware
- Average divorce filing fee: $165
- Average divorce cost: $12,165
29. Alaska
- Average divorce filing fee: $250
- Average divorce cost: $10,288
30. Colorado
- Average divorce filing fee: $230
- Average divorce cost: $11,230
31. Arizona
- Average divorce filing fee: $280
- Average divorce cost: $10,280
32. Massachusetts
- Average divorce filing fee: $200
- Average divorce cost: $12,200
33. Oregon
- Average divorce filing fee: $301
- Average divorce cost: $10,301
34. Ohio
- Average divorce filing fee: $350
- Average divorce cost: $9,350
35. Washington
- Average divorce filing fee: $314
- Average divorce cost: $10,314
36. Kansas
- Average divorce filing fee: $400
- Average divorce cost: $8,400
37. Mississippi
- Average divorce filing fee: $400
- Average divorce cost: $8,400
38. Illinois
- Average divorce filing fee: $334
- Average divorce cost: $10,334
39. Minnesota
- Average divorce filing fee: $365
- Average divorce cost: $9,635
40. Utah
- Average divorce filing fee: $325
- Average divorce cost: $10,725
41. New Hampshire
- Average divorce filing fee: $400
- Average divorce cost: $9,400
42. New Jersey
- Average divorce filing fee: $300
- Average divorce cost: $12,300
43. Alabama
- Average divorce filing fee: $400
- Average divorce cost: $10,400
44. Rhode Island
- Average divorce filing fee: $400
- Average divorce cost: $10,400
45. Texas
- Average divorce filing fee: $300
- Average divorce cost: $12,792
46. Florida
- Average divorce filing fee: $409
- Average divorce cost: $10,409
47. Georgia
- Average divorce filing fee: $400
- Average divorce cost: $11,400
48. Connecticut
- Average divorce filing fee: $360
- Average divorce cost: $12,360
49. New York
- Average divorce filing fee: $335
- Average divorce cost: $13,385
50. California
- Average divorce filing fee: $435
- Average divorce cost: $14,435
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Jordan Rosenfeld contributed to the reporting of this article.
Methodology: These findings are the result of a GOBankingRates study of divorce fees and conditions in all 50 states. The survey used two fundamental criteria to generate rankings for all 50 states and D.C.: (1) court fee to file a divorce, collected from local court sites and online fee schedules. Some states have flat rates, but most have filing fees that vary locally by county, sourced from individual state and county court websites. For states that don’t have a flat rate, the average was taken of the range of local divorce filing fees. (2) Average divorce cost perperson as sourced from Lawyers.com. All data was sourced on April 3, 2023.
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