Of course, there really is no such thing as a “normal” marriage, and marriages are just as individual as the people who enter into them.
But nonetheless, there are trends that can be gleaned from looking at statistics, when published, and those that analyses these statistics are quick to try to work out what we can take away from these trends.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics has recently published its latest statistics on marriages and divorce in Australia.
People may know that in Australia, about one in every three marriages will end in divorce, but probably not some of the more obscure facts that were released on 23 July 2025 by the Bureau, including the following:
- In 2024, the median age for a male to marry in Australia was 32.8 years, and for women the age was 31.2 years. How far away from the 2024 normal are you?
- Of the 120,844 marriages that took place in Australia in 2024, a whopping 55,000 of them, or about 46%, occurred on a Saturday. In fact, the top 42 marriage dates in 2024 were all Saturdays!
- If your marriage wasn’t on a Saturday, maybe like just over 20,000 marriages in 2024, or about 20% of marriages, it occurred on a Friday – the second most popular day of the week to get married.
- The most popular date to get married on in 2024 was (drum roll…) 24 February 2024 with 1,773 marriages occurring in Australia.
- Divorce rates were down by 3% in 2024, bringing rates back to an almost all time low since no fault divorce was first introduced in Australia in 1975.
This last statistic is thought to be largely driven by the increased cost of living, particularly housing, and housing and rental shortages in many states due, in no small part, to the issues experienced by builders during COVID and its aftermath.
Unfortunately, this sadly means that many people are making the decision that they simply can’t afford to get divorced and are staying in unhappy marriages. Not only does this discontent with a relationship have a negative impact on people’s mental health and general well-being, but if often results in higher rates of domestic violence, sometimes fuelled by alcohol and/or drug abuse, which some people will turn to more readily in times of discontent.
There are ways and means that people can put some financial measures in place to ensure that they can separate with some financial security even in these times of high living costs and housing shortages.
If you, or someone you know, is in an unhappy relationship (either a marriage or a de facto relationship) but is worried about what the financial consequences might be if that relationship were to end, please make a time for your friend, relative or yourself to see one of our experienced family lawyers for confidential advice regarding options that might not otherwise be considered. Call us today on 9375 3411 to make an appointment
About the Author: This article is authored by Jacueline Brown. With over 20 years of experience practicing, Jacqui prides herself on resolving legal matters in the best interest of her clients with due care and sensitivity. As a director of Lynn & Brown Lawyers, she focusses on providing exceptional family law, wills and probate advice. Her thoughtful approach and out-of-the-box thinking allows Jacqui to achieve client-focussed solutions resulting in positive outcomes for her clients.With over 20 years of experience practicing, Jacqui prides herself on resolving legal matters in the best interest of her clients with due care and sensitivity. As a director of Lynn & Brown Lawyers, she focusses on providing exceptional family law, wills and probate advice. Her thoughtful approach and out-of-the-box thinking allows Jacqui to achieve client-focussed solutions resulting in positive outcomes for her clients.
