Cities with highest divorce rate in Michigan research summary. We used Saturday Night Science to analyze Michigan’s most recent Census data to determine the divorce rate for each city in Michigan based on the percentage of currently divorced residents. Here are the results of our analysis:
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The city with the highest divorce rate in Michigan is Alpena based on the most recent Census data.
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Alpena is 17.0% Divorced.
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The city with the lowest divorce rate in Michigan is East Lansing.
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East Lansing is 2.0% Divorced.
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Michigan is 9.0% Divorced.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
There are some 724,170 people living in Michigan over fifteen years of age who are divorced. You can compare that to the 28,339,199 Americans who are currently divorced in 2024.
Many people decide to run away – or split up – across the Wolverine State.
Isn’t the divorce rate in America close to 50%? Yes indeed. But we’re measuring something else; we are looking at counts and percentages of people over 15 years old who are currently divorced. That 50% statistic is for the percentage of people who have ever been divorced.
For today’s analysis, the focus will be on the number of currently divorced people.
So now that we have you biting your nails, rethinking your worldview, and pulling out your hair, let’s look at the places in Michigan with the highest rates of divorcees.
The 10 Cities In Michigan With The Highest Divorce Rates
Let’s quickly recap before we dive into the Saturday Night Science behind the data.
What is the city in Michigan with the highest divorce rate? That would be Alpena, with 17.0% of people over 15 years of age being divorced, per the most recent census data.
What is the overall Michigan divorce rate? According to the 2018-2022 Community Survey, the overall divorce rate in Michigan is 9.0%, which compares to the US divorce rate of 10.9%.
Alrighty, on to how we calculated the places with the highest divorce rates in Michigan.
For more Michigan reading, check out:
- Safest Places In Michigan
- Cheapest Places To Live In Michigan
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Michigan
The 10 Places With The Highest Divorce Rate In Michigan For 2024
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Population: 10,200
Divorce Rate: 17.0%
Divorcees: 1,387
Median Income: $43,613
More on Alpena: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 5,942
Divorce Rate: 17.0%
Divorcees: 808
Median Income: $52,083
More on Belding: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 5,701
Divorce Rate: 17.0%
Divorcees: 775
Median Income: $60,505
More on Zeeland: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 9,954
Divorce Rate: 17.0%
Divorcees: 1,353
Median Income: $35,216
More on Muskegon Heights: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 10,067
Divorce Rate: 16.0%
Divorcees: 1,288
Median Income: $53,953
More on Howell: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 9,034
Divorce Rate: 15.0%
Divorcees: 1,084
Median Income: $50,510
More on Lapeer: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 12,403
Divorce Rate: 15.0%
Divorcees: 1,488
Median Income: $38,457
More on Escanaba: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 7,795
Divorce Rate: 15.0%
Divorcees: 935
Median Income: $71,179
More on Grand Ledge: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 13,704
Divorce Rate: 15.0%
Divorcees: 1,644
Median Income: $48,531
More on Coldwater: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
How We Determined The Places In Michigan That Get Un-Hitched The Most
Since this is the 58th category of rankings we are compiling for the site, we had a pretty good idea of where to find data on marriage and divorce in America. We used Saturday Night Science to look at the U.S. Census Bureau on divorce rates. Because who likes tracking misery more than the U.S. government?
Specifically, we looked at the 2018-2022 American Community Survey table S1201 — Marital Status.
Pretty straightforward on that front — we just had to extract the following column of data:
- Population 15 Years and Over -> Divorced
There are some interesting/fun/sad data like .1% of female Americans aged 15-19 are divorced, but 0% of males (That’s probably a rounding issue, but still).
But the national data is for another day. Today, the analysis focuses on the 154 places in Michigan with a population of over 5,000.
We ranked each place by the percentage of divorcees over 15 years of age from highest to lowest. We crowned the divorce capital of Michigan the place with the highest incidence of divorcees, Alpena.
And if you’re trying to avoid divorce, check out East Lansing, the city with the lowest divorce rate in Michigan.
We updated this article for 2024 and this list is our fifth time ranking the cities in Michigan with the highest divorce rates.
Getting Some Closure In Michigan After Untying The Know
Besides just coming up with what we thought would be a great new blog/book title, “Untying the Knot In Michigan: Life After Divorce,” we now have a sense of what places in the Wolverine State don’t pay much attention to the whole “’til death do we part” phrase.
The cities with the highest divorce rate in Michigan are Alpena, Belding, Zeeland, Davison, Muskegon Heights, Howell, Lapeer, Escanaba, Grand Ledge, and Coldwater.
Try to keep in mind that the reason cities rank where they do in Michigan could be because of the age, education, and income distribution, as all of those things impact the rate of divorce.
And that’s probably for the best. Getting out of a toxic relationship is much better than staying in it.
Just make sure you have your running shoes ready to go.
For more Michigan reading, check out:
- Safest Places In Michigan
- Cheapest Places To Live In Michigan
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Michigan
Cities With The Highest Divorce Rates In Michigan
| Rank | City | Population | Divorcees | Divorce Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alpena, MI | 10,200 | 1,387 | 17.0% |
| 2 | Belding, MI | 5,942 | 808 | 17.0% |
| 3 | Zeeland, MI | 5,701 | 775 | 17.0% |
| 4 | Davison, MI | 5,114 | 695 | 17.0% |
| 5 | Muskegon Heights, MI | 9,954 | 1,353 | 17.0% |
| 6 | Howell, MI | 10,067 | 1,288 | 16.0% |
| 7 | Lapeer, MI | 9,034 | 1,084 | 15.0% |
| 8 | Escanaba, MI | 12,403 | 1,488 | 15.0% |
| 9 | Grand Ledge, MI | 7,795 | 935 | 15.0% |
| 10 | Coldwater, MI | 13,704 | 1,644 | 15.0% |
| 11 | Milan, MI | 6,153 | 738 | 15.0% |
| 12 | Springfield, MI | 5,268 | 632 | 15.0% |
| 13 | Jackson, MI | 31,420 | 3,519 | 14.0% |
| 14 | Hastings, MI | 7,504 | 840 | 14.0% |
| 15 | Bay City, MI | 32,664 | 3,658 | 14.0% |
| 16 | Richmond, MI | 5,852 | 655 | 14.0% |
| 17 | Charlotte, MI | 9,273 | 1,038 | 14.0% |
| 18 | Dundee, MI | 5,408 | 605 | 14.0% |
| 19 | Ionia, MI | 13,081 | 1,465 | 14.0% |
| 20 | Port Huron, MI | 28,881 | 3,234 | 14.0% |
| 21 | Walled Lake, MI | 7,262 | 813 | 14.0% |
| 22 | Fenton, MI | 11,967 | 1,340 | 14.0% |
| 23 | Burton, MI | 29,568 | 3,311 | 14.0% |
| 24 | Greenville, MI | 8,866 | 992 | 14.0% |
| 25 | Muskegon, MI | 38,286 | 4,288 | 14.0% |
| 26 | St. Louis, MI | 6,932 | 776 | 14.0% |
| 27 | Mason, MI | 8,284 | 927 | 14.0% |
| 28 | Ecorse, MI | 9,292 | 966 | 13.0% |
| 29 | Marshall, MI | 6,806 | 707 | 13.0% |
| 30 | Manistee, MI | 6,248 | 649 | 13.0% |
| 31 | Swartz Creek, MI | 5,865 | 609 | 13.0% |
| 32 | Grand Haven, MI | 10,961 | 1,139 | 13.0% |
| 33 | Battle Creek, MI | 52,469 | 5,456 | 13.0% |
| 34 | Cadillac, MI | 10,400 | 1,081 | 13.0% |
| 35 | Traverse City, MI | 15,468 | 1,608 | 13.0% |
| 36 | Harper Woods, MI | 15,296 | 1,590 | 13.0% |
| 37 | Mount Clemens, MI | 15,679 | 1,630 | 13.0% |
| 38 | Trenton, MI | 18,420 | 1,915 | 13.0% |
| 39 | Wayne, MI | 17,568 | 1,827 | 13.0% |
| 40 | Riverview, MI | 12,390 | 1,288 | 13.0% |
| 41 | Milford, MI | 6,483 | 674 | 13.0% |
| 42 | Owosso, MI | 14,678 | 1,526 | 13.0% |
| 43 | Ludington, MI | 7,691 | 799 | 13.0% |
| 44 | Clawson, MI | 11,388 | 1,184 | 13.0% |
| 45 | Wyandotte, MI | 24,857 | 2,386 | 12.0% |
| 46 | Three Rivers, MI | 7,923 | 760 | 12.0% |
| 47 | Northville, MI | 6,088 | 584 | 12.0% |
| 48 | Roseville, MI | 47,476 | 4,557 | 12.0% |
| 49 | St. Clair Shores, MI | 58,656 | 5,630 | 12.0% |
| 50 | Allen Park, MI | 28,395 | 2,725 | 12.0% |
| 51 | Ishpeming, MI | 6,191 | 594 | 12.0% |
| 52 | Flushing, MI | 8,349 | 801 | 12.0% |
| 53 | Iron Mountain, MI | 7,522 | 722 | 12.0% |
| 54 | Allegan, MI | 5,180 | 497 | 12.0% |
| 55 | River Rouge, MI | 7,200 | 691 | 12.0% |
| 56 | Dowagiac, MI | 5,680 | 545 | 12.0% |
| 57 | Sault Ste. Marie, MI | 13,409 | 1,287 | 12.0% |
| 58 | Fraser, MI | 14,668 | 1,290 | 11.0% |
| 59 | Taylor, MI | 62,937 | 5,538 | 11.0% |
| 60 | Rockford, MI | 6,144 | 540 | 11.0% |
| 61 | Lincoln Park, MI | 39,807 | 3,503 | 11.0% |
| 62 | Utica, MI | 5,195 | 457 | 11.0% |
| 63 | Flint, MI | 81,863 | 7,203 | 11.0% |
| 64 | Westland, MI | 84,806 | 7,462 | 11.0% |
| 65 | Petoskey, MI | 5,859 | 515 | 11.0% |
| 66 | Saginaw, MI | 44,316 | 3,545 | 10.0% |
| 67 | Monroe, MI | 20,400 | 1,632 | 10.0% |
| 68 | Adrian, MI | 20,607 | 1,648 | 10.0% |
| 69 | Southfield, MI | 76,107 | 6,088 | 10.0% |
| 70 | Benton Harbor, MI | 9,101 | 728 | 10.0% |
| 71 | St. Joseph, MI | 7,852 | 628 | 10.0% |
| 72 | St. Johns, MI | 7,711 | 616 | 10.0% |
| 73 | Lansing, MI | 112,986 | 9,038 | 10.0% |
| 74 | Marysville, MI | 9,973 | 797 | 10.0% |
| 75 | Grand Blanc, MI | 8,034 | 642 | 10.0% |
| 76 | Norton Shores, MI | 24,984 | 1,998 | 10.0% |
| 77 | Holly, MI | 5,997 | 479 | 10.0% |
| 78 | Romulus, MI | 25,055 | 2,004 | 10.0% |
| 79 | South Lyon, MI | 11,788 | 943 | 10.0% |
| 80 | Eaton Rapids, MI | 5,201 | 416 | 10.0% |
| 81 | Garden City, MI | 27,203 | 2,176 | 10.0% |
| 82 | Midland, MI | 42,404 | 3,053 | 9.0% |
| 83 | Highland Park, MI | 9,032 | 650 | 9.0% |
| 84 | Southgate, MI | 29,948 | 2,156 | 9.0% |
| 85 | Chelsea, MI | 5,440 | 391 | 9.0% |
| 86 | Woodhaven, MI | 12,867 | 926 | 9.0% |
| 87 | Walker, MI | 25,175 | 1,812 | 9.0% |
| 88 | Eastpointe, MI | 34,087 | 2,454 | 9.0% |
| 89 | Pontiac, MI | 61,965 | 4,461 | 9.0% |
| 90 | Hazel Park, MI | 15,065 | 1,084 | 9.0% |
| 91 | Warren, MI | 138,588 | 9,978 | 9.0% |
| 92 | Big Rapids, MI | 7,915 | 569 | 9.0% |
| 93 | Kingsford, MI | 5,127 | 369 | 9.0% |
| 94 | Berkley, MI | 15,150 | 1,090 | 9.0% |
| 95 | Beverly Hills, MI | 10,550 | 759 | 9.0% |
| 96 | Alma, MI | 9,436 | 679 | 9.0% |
| 97 | New Baltimore, MI | 12,104 | 871 | 9.0% |
| 98 | Inkster, MI | 25,839 | 1,860 | 9.0% |
| 99 | Niles, MI | 11,871 | 854 | 9.0% |
| 100 | Oak Park, MI | 29,495 | 1,887 | 8.0% |