This Florida City Has the Highest Divorce Rates in the State

By Mia Davis On Jan 18, 2024

Travelers, retirees, and people looking for a lively, diverse location to live are drawn to Florida. Still, according to recent figures, it is one of the states with the highest divorce rates in the country.

We will investigate which Florida city has the highest divorce rate as well as possible causes driving this trend. We will also examine possible ways to improve marital and family stability in the Sunshine State and compare Florida’s divorce rate to those of other states.

What Is the Divorce Rate in Florida in Relation to Other States?

Florida is well known for its gorgeous beaches, warm climate, and rich cultural diversity. Notwithstanding these positive attributes, the most recent data indicates that it is among the states with the highest divorce rates in the nation.

According to RoadSnacks, which used data from the most recent Census, DeFuniak Springs has the highest divorce rate in Florida, with 12.0% of people over the age of 15 having had a divorce.

In contrast, Florida has a 3.0% overall divorce rate, which is significantly lower than the 10.9% national divorce rate in the United States.

The Florida city of DeFuniak Springs has the highest divorce rates in the state.

Located in Bay County, DeFuniak Springs is a little community about thirty miles east of Panama City Beach. It covers an area of 14 square miles and has a population of about 6,000. The municipality was incorporated in 1962 and adopted the name of the 1937-founded DeFuniak Springs State Park.

What Could Be Causing Defuniak Springs’ High Divorce Rate?

The high divorce rate of DeFuniak Springs could be caused by a number of factors, including:

1. Being close to Panama City Beach, which draws retirees and tourists with different expectations and lifestyles than locals.

2. Couples that are having a hard time making ends meet are experiencing financial stress and conflict due to the low median income of $53,984 and the high poverty rate of 28%.

The low educational attainment of the population (only 13% possessing a bachelor’s degree or above) restricts the prospects for both personal and professional development.

4. A high crime rate that caused dread and insecurity among locals (1,057 violent crimes and 1,057 property crimes reported annually between 2019 and 2021).
Divorce rates are influenced by a number of factors in addition to these, including age, gender, color, religion, economic level, education level, and different personal histories.

In order to lower the divorce rate and enhance the town’s quality of life, it is imperative to address these issues through community involvement and support services including social clubs, legal aid clinics, and counseling facilities.

Florida’s Lowest Divorce Rate

With a divorce rate of only 9.9% per 1,000 residents, Alachua County has Florida’s lowest divorce rate, which is significantly lower than the state’s median rate of 13%. It’s interesting to note that divorce rates for men and women are different, at 8.6% and 11.1%, respectively.

In addition, the age group of 20 to 34 has the lowest divorce rate in Alachua County, which may be explained by the fact that this age group marries at a rate that is half that of other age groups.

Last Words

Despite Florida’s sun and beaches, the state suffers from a high divorce rate, with DeFuniak Springs having the regrettable distinction of having the highest rate in the state.

DeFuniak Springs and other Florida municipalities can endeavor to lower divorce rates and improve family ties by fostering a more stable and secure atmosphere.

It’s critical to acknowledge that divorce is a complicated problem with many underlying causes, and that finding workable solutions will require a sophisticated grasp of the social and economic dynamics at work.

Florida can only truly aim to be a haven for content and prosperous families by taking coordinated action and making targeted interventions.