Montana Once Bragged About Being The Divorce Capital Of The U.S.

One may not think divorce would be the most appropriate issue to brag about, but over a century ago on this day, a Montana newspaper did just that.

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On this day in Montana history in 1908, the Little Rockies Miner in Zortman, had a front page headline proclaiming “The Home of Divorce.”

In a strangely competitive lead, the paper took issue with South Dakota claiming to be the national leader in divorce rates.

The paper quoted that “Statistics recently made public by the Department of Commerce and Labor show that, instead of South Dakota being the whole thing in the matter of divorces, Montana is the holder of the belt and is in a class by herself.”

South Dakota’s rate was 95 per 100,000, and Montana’s was 167 per 100,000. It’s more difficult to determine who was the real winner, socially speaking.

Fast forward 115 years later, and there is a new leader in the clubhouse, with Nevada pacing the pack at 420 divorces per 100,000.

Montana and South Dakota have seen their divorce rates rise since the early 1900's; however, they both pale in comparison to the top of the list at only 250 per 100,000.

Massachusetts has the lowest divorce rate nationwide, with 1,000 per 100,000.

Adults frequently go through both marriage and divorce, even though they can be difficult. In Western cultures, by the time they are 50 years old, 90% of individuals are married to someone of the same sex or heterosexual.

In the US, divorce rates for first-time marriages range from 35% to 50%; these rates rise to roughly 60% for second marriages and over 70% for marriages beyond the second. As a result, the US has one of the highest divorce rates worldwide.

Divorces can be emotionally and financially taxing, and they can have a lasting effect on the divorcing parties' children as well.