85
Marriage & Divorce
Marriages in South Dakota
In 2021, the South Dakota marriage rate
increased to 6.3, up from 6.0 in 2020. The
marriage rate in 2020 was the lowest ever in
South Dakota.
Table 66, below, provides the United States
and South Dakota marriage rates from 2007
through 2021.
Year
United States*
South Dakota
Number
Crude Rate
Number
Crude Rate
2021
NA**
NA**
5,636
6.3
2020
1,676,911
5.1
5,359
6.0
2019
2,015,603
6.1
5,403
6.1
2018
2,132,853
6.5
5,757
6.5
2017
2,236,496
6.9
5,862
6.7
2016
2,251,411
7.0
6,271
7.2
2015
2,221,579
6.9
6,195
7.2
2014
2,140,272
6.9
6,040
7.1
2013
2,081,301
6.8
5,919
7.0
2012
2,131,000
6.8
6,236
7.5
2011
2,118,000
6.8
6,145
7.5
2010
2,096,000
6.8
5,939
7.3
2009
2,080,000
6.8
5,887
7.2
2008
2,157,000
7.1
6,148
7.6
2007
2,197,000
7.3
6,138
7.7
An Overview: 2021
Marriages:
Number Occurring in S.D. 5,636
S.D. Rate per 1,000 Population 6.3
U.S. Rate per 1,000 Population 5.1*
**Divorces:
Number Occurring in S.D. 2,211
S.D. Rate Per 1,000 Population 2.5
U.S. Rate per 1,000 Population 2.3*
Years Married Before Termination in S.D.
Mean 12
Median 9
Mode 3
Range
Lower Less Than 1
Upper 58
Note: *The U.S. marriage and divorce rates are provisional from 2020.
The U.S. divorce rate only includes 45 reporting states and the District of Columbia.
** Divorces include annulments.
Table 66
Marriages and Marriage Rates by Occurrence,
South Dakota and United States, 2007-2021
Note: *The marriage data for the United States are provisional for all years. **2021 data are not available at the time of publication.
Crude marriage rates are per 1,000 population. The 2013 and 2014 U.S. number and rate excludes data from Georgia.
Source: National Center for Health Statistics and South Dakota Department of Health, Office of Health Statistics
86
Note: *The U.S. data are provisional for all years. Crude divorce rates are per 1,000 population. **2021 data are not
available at time of publication. The years 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 excludes data from California, Hawaii, Indiana,
Minnesota, and New Mexico. The year 2016 excludes data for California, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Minnesota, and New
Mexico. The years 2013-2015 exclude California, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, and Minnesota. The years 2007-2012
exclude data for California, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Louisiana, and Minnesota.
Source: National Center for Health Statistics and South Dakota Department of Health, Office of Health Statistics
Table 67, below, displays marriages by
month over the past five years. The most
common time to have a wedding for most
years is from June to October.
Table 67
Month of Marriages Occurring in South Dakota, 2017-2021
Year
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
Num
%
Num
%
Num
%
Num
%
Num
%
Total
5,862
100
5,757
100
5,403
100
5,359
100
5,636
100
January
211
3.6
217
3.8
204
3.8
209
3.9
212
3.8
February
220
3.8
244
4.2
207
3.8
276
5.2
199
3.5
March
288
4.9
277
4.8
229
4.2
220
4.1
238
4.2
April
340
5.8
329
5.7
245
4.5
217
4.0
282
5.0
May
493
8.4
447
7.8
459
8.5
333
6.2
524
9.3
June
805
13.7
841
14.6
816
15.1
587
11.0
774
13.7
July
761
13.0
609
10.6
584
10.8
545
10.2
710
12.6
August
685
11.7
815
14.2
771
14.3
803
15.0
655
11.6
September
903
15.4
833
14.5
771
14.3
789
14.7
775
13.8
October
548
9.3
587
10.2
538
10.0
761
14.2
658
11.7
November
263
4.5
274
4.8
290
5.4
295
5.5
286
5.1
December
345
5.9
282
4.9
289
5.3
324
6.0
323
5.7
Source: South Dakota Department of Health, Office of Health Statistics
Divorces in South Dakota
Table 68, below, lists the divorce rates for
South Dakota and the United States. The
2021 South Dakota divorce rate was 2.5
divo
divorces per 1,000 population, which is the
lowest divorce rate since 1972.
Table 68
Number and Rate of Divorces by Occurrence,
South Dakota and United States, 2007-2021
Year
United States*
South Dakota
Number
Crude Rate
Number
Crude Rate
2021
NA**
NA**
2,211
2.5
2020
630,505
2.3
2,226
2.5
2019
746,971
2.7
2,308
2.6
2018
782,038
2.9
2,265
2.6
2017
787,251
2.9
2,340
2.7
2016
776,288
3.0
2,400
2.8
2015
800,909
3.1
2,252
2.6
2014
813,862
3.2
2,374
2.8
2013
832,157
3.3
2,450
2.9
2012
851,000
3.4
2,550
3.1
2011
877,000
3.6
2,694
3.3
2010
872,000
3.6
2,774
3.4
2009
840,000
3.5
2,686
3.3
2008
844,000
3.5
2,459
3.1
2007
856,000
3.6
2,438
3.1
87
For South Dakota, the mean or average
duration of the marriages ending in divorce
during 2021 was 12 years, the median
duration was nine years, and the modal
duration was three years. The length of time
before terminating the marriage ranged from
less than one year to 58 years for South
Dakota divorces in 2021.
Table 69, below, displays the duration of
marriages ending in divorce for the past 10
years. In 2021, zero to four years and five to
nine years is the length most marriages
lasted with 29.5 and 23.7 percent,
respectively.
Table 69
Duration of Marriage Ending in Divorce Occurring in South Dakota, 2012-2021
Year
0-4 Years
5-9 Years
10-14 Years
15-19 Years
20-24 Years
25-29 Years
30+ Years
Num
%
Num
%
Num
%
Num
%
Num
%
Num
%
Num
%
2021
653
29.5
524
23.7
371
16.8
243
11.0
165
7.5
114
5.2
141
6.4
2020
646
29.0
583
26.2
354
15.9
240
10.8
185
8.3
92
4.1
126
5.7
2019
658
28.5
560
24.3
410
17.8
259
11.2
169
7.3
100
4.3
152
6.6
2018
692
30.6
563
24.9
368
16.2
276
12.2
165
7.3
98
4.3
103
4.5
2017
719
30.8
543
23.2
374
16.0
278
11.9
178
7.6
115
4.9
131
5.6
2016
791
33.0
553
23.0
386
16.1
253
10.5
175
7.3
105
4.4
137
5.7
2015
735
32.6
528
23.4
355
15.8
231
10.3
182
8.1
94
4.2
127
5.6
2014
755
31.8
591
24.9
359
15.1
235
9.9
193
8.1
114
4.8
127
5.3
2013
783
32.0
626
25.6
389
15.9
266
10.9
167
6.8
109
4.4
110
4.5
2012
845
33.0
648
25.4
387
15.2
235
9.2
198
7.8
119
4.7
121
4.7
Source: South Dakota Department of Health, Office of Health Statistics
Table 70, below, displays the number of
children involved in divorces for the past 10
y
years. Over half (54.2%) of all divorces in
2021 did not involve children.
Table 70
Number of Children Involved in Divorce Occurring in South Dakota, 2012-2021
Year
Total
No Children
Involved
1 Child
Involved
2 Children
Involved
3 Children
Involved
4 or More
Children
Involved
Not Stated
Num
%
Num
%
Num
%
Num
%
Num
%
Num
%
Num
%
2021
2,211
100
1,198
54.2
402
18.2
382
17.3
161
7.3
68
3.1
0
-
2020
2,226
100
1,174
52.7
420
18.9
404
18.1
179
8.0
49
2.2
0
-
2019
2,308
100
1,204
52.2
443
19.2
423
18.3
186
8.1
52
2.3
0
-
2018
2,265
100
1,164
51.4
412
18.2
446
19.7
179
7.9
64
2.8
0
-
2017
2,340
100
1,227
52.4
410
17.5
485
20.7
159
6.8
59
2.5
0
-
2016
2,400
100
1,298
54.1
459
19.1
432
18.0
166
6.9
43
1.8
2
-
2015
2,252
100
1,190
52.8
444
19.7
404
17.9
166
7.4
48
2.1
0
-
2014
2,374
100
1,256
52.9
502
21.2
414
17.4
156
6.6
45
1.9
1
-
2013
2,450
100
1,220
49.8
484
19.8
494
20.2
199
8.1
53
2.2
0
-
2012
2,550
100
1,290
50.6
503
19.7
523
20.5
181
7.1
52
2.0
1
-
Source: South Dakota Department of Health, Office of Health Statistics
Figure 33, on the next page, displays
causes for the divorce. The majority of
divorces in 2021 stated irreconcilable
differences with 97.6 percent.
88
Source: South Dakota Department of Health, Office of Health Statistics
REFERENCES
Osterman MJK, Hamilton BE, Martin JA, Driscoll AK, Valenzuela CP. Births: Final data
for 2020. National Vital Statistics Reports; vol 70 no 17. Hyattsville, MD: National Center
for Health Statistics. 2022.
Xu JQ, Murphy SL, Kochanek KD, and Arias E. Deaths: Final data for 2019. National
Vital Statistics Reports; vol 70 no 08. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health
Statistics. 2021.
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