While divorce rates have fallen significantly since a peak in the 1980s, the number of divorces among people age 50 and older—known as “gray divorce”—has risen. Experts spoke with Newsweek about what they think the driving factors are.

The “gray divorce” rate was 3.9 divorces per 1,000 married women ages 50 and older in 1990, according to an analysis of federal data by the Pew Research Center.

That rate rose to 11 in 2008 and has remained relatively steady ever since, according to Pew. In 2023, the rate was 10.3 divorces per 1,000 married women.

Why It Matters

Divorce at an older age can have a significant impact on a person’s life, particularly their financial situation and living arrangements.

But the “gray divorce" rate suggests that many baby boomers are choosing to leave their

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