20+ Interesting Breakup Statistics 2024 (Must-know Facts)

Nicola-Jane Ford

from Techreport on 2024-10-07 08:56 (#6R9AB)

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Nothing is certain but death and taxes... and a breakup. Breaking up is hard to do, and 99.999% of us have experienced that heartache. But to prove you aren't alone should you find yourself suddenly single, we compiled the top breakup statistics for 2024.

Whether you're the initiator of the breakup or on the other end of the deal, chances are you may be feeling rather bad. Take heart, though. It's not as lonely as you might think. The Singles Club has a significant membership base. In fact, some 30% of American adults are single.

So get comfy and read on to discover our top 20-plus interesting breakup statistics.

In This Guide

10 Key Breakup Statistics
General Breakup Statistics
Final Thoughts...

References

10 Key Breakup Statistics
General Breakup Statistics
Final Thoughts...

References 10 Key Breakup Statistics

Here's a quick glance at some of the key breakup statistics. They make for pretty grim viewing for those of you still in relationships. Strap in - it only gets worse from here.

More than 50% of people have been broken up with in person. Other techniques include phone, email, texting, and ghosting.
Two-thirds of Tinder users are already in a relationship.
Women are more likely to end a marriage, but it's usually the men who call a relationship quits.
The average person will have around eight to nine relationships before finding the one". And the older you are, the longer your relationship is likely to last.
Overall, divorce rates are on the decline, but there's an increase in divorces in the 45-plus age group.
A five-year age gap between you and your partner means an 18% likelihood of a breakup.
98% of childhood sweethearts part ways before heading down the aisle.
Just 32% of people reunite with their ex, while 44% aren't even friends with them.
It takes an average of six months to recover from the heartache of a breakup.
More than a quarter of divorce cases involve the custody of pets, hence a significant increase in pet-nups".

General Breakup Statistics1. Breakup techniques in the Digital Age

We need to talk..." Most of us have heard that line before, and we know the chat rarely ends well. We saw the movie; we got the T-shirt. But an in-person exit interview" is generally kinder (although no less unpleasant) than the alternatives-phone call, text, or email.

A 2022 Statista survey found that 57% of US respondents had been dumped in person, 29% had at least received a phone call, and 17% had experienced being unceremoniously relieved of their duties" via text.

Taking insensitive breakups up to boss level is ghosting (when communication is suddenly and inexplicably terminated). And it's a breakup technique that's becoming more popular, thanks to today's hyper-connected online world.

One scientific paper cites studies with varying ghosting statistics, coming to the conclusion that an estimated 13% to 23% of adults have experienced ghosting by their former other halves.

The paper also notes that ghosters considered the method the path of least resistance" and a less messy way out. Being ghosted, however, throws a lot of salt in that breakup wound, leaving ghostees (ghosting victims) with a range of unresolved emotions.

The same paper says that around 59% of ghostees blamed the ghoster (and their personality traits) for the breakdown of the relationship.

Meanwhile, a heartbreaking 37% of ghostees blamed themselves for the breakup, convinced they had done something wrong or were unworthy of the relationship. Something to bear in mind if you're considering pulling the plug on your relationship Casper style.

2. Social Media's Role in Breakups

Social media - including online dating apps - has revolutionized the search for the perfect partner. But it's also been the downfall of many once-healthy relationships.

Dating site Tinder claims 55 billion matches through its platform. However, in an Ashley Madison-esque twist, a recent study of 1,387 Tinder users found that nearly two-thirds of survey respondents were already in a relationship, and as much as 30% of users were married.

It's not only dating apps that are causing relationship issues - another study by 1Password found that 43% of adults have some type of online account their romantic partner doesn't know about. Facebook, meanwhile, is cited in around 33% of divorce filings.

Back to Ashley Madison. Despite a massive and highly public data breach in 2015, the controversial dating site for married people currently has a thriving user base of more than 70 million.

And with various spy apps now on the market, Ashley Madison is no doubt joining Tinder, Facebook and co in the divorce records of courts.

3. Who Does the Deed?

When it comes to unmarried couples, a man is more likely than a woman to end a relationship. According to Statista, 76% of males had ended a relationship, compared to 62% of females. Just 17% of the men surveyed had never given a partner the ax, unlike 33% of the women.

However, it's a different story when it comes to ending a marriage. Women are more likely than men to file for divorce. In 2022, 62% of divorces in the UK were petitioned by the wife. In the US, that figure is estimated at around 70%.

4. Relationship Longevity Across Ages

The average length of a relationship depends on different factors, age included. The bottom line is - the more years your relationship has under its proverbial belt, the lower the likelihood of it heading for splitsville.

Take 12- to 14-year-olds, for instance. The average romantic relationship span for kids of these ages is five months. The average relationship length of teenagers aged 16 to 18 is 1.8 years, compared to two to four years for people in their 20s.

Unmarried couples are less likely than their married counterparts to stay together. But once a relationship passes the one-year mark, its likelihood of longevity becomes more promising. After five years together, the average relationship has an 80% success rate.

Hang in there for another five years, and the breakup risk drops to 10%. By year 15, you're looking at a 95% chance of a happily ever after.

5. The Role of Infidelity in a Breakup

Infidelity is often the reason behind a breakup, particularly in a marriage. According to one survey, 15% to 20% of married couples cheat. And sorry, guys, but men are more likely to do the deed.

Married men are about 25% more likely to report having one-night stands than women. Married women, on the other hand, are 15% more likely to have an emotional affair.

The same survey found that 53.5% of people who admitted to an affair said they were unfaithful with someone they knew well, a close friend, for instance. Meanwhile, 12% of the male respondents had paid for sex, compared to 1% of women.

Source: LoveToKnow

Interestingly, married men reported the highest rate of infidelity in their 70s, while women were more likely to explore outside of their relationships in their 60s.

Infidelity doesn't necessarily mean the end of a relationship, though. It's a major issue and a contributing factor to a breakup, but in the US, infidelity accounts for 20% to 40% of divorces.

6. The Average Number of Heartaches to Expect

The jury is still out on this one. The number three frequently pops up on the interwebs as the amount of breakups we can expect to experience (well, this writer is clearly not average).

Realistically, though, the average number of relationships for women-and nine for their male counterparts-before settling down with the one" is more likely to be eight.

7. Mark It on the Calendar

A relationship can end at any time. And while for one party, it may seem sudden, the breaker-upper will likely have been mulling over the decision for some time. According to dating site Bumble, however, Breakup Season is coming...

It tends to happen a couple of weeks before the winter holidays, which makes sense. Chances are that if you're unsure your significant' other is a dead cert, you're less likely to take them home to Mom and Dad (and dodgy Uncle Phil) for festive family time.

The New York Post proffers a more specific date. December 11 (International Breakup Day), it reports, is the day of the year that sees the most breakups, according to Facebook relationship status updates.
March is also a strong contender for breakup frenzies, which Bumble refers to as Spring Purge." Milestone birthdays can set the mind racing and the bags a-packing.

8. Divorces on the Decline

The stats paint a dismal picture of divorce rates, but there's a silver lining. Divorces are on the decline. More good news? The older you are, the less likely your marriage will end with a lawyer.

Research shows that divorce rates for men and women decline with age. In a comparison of rates in 1990 and 2021, the combined divorce rate dropped from 19% to 13.2%. But here's where things get interesting.

The divorce rates by age group declined in that 21-year period for both women and men between the ages of 15 and 44.

However, divorce rates grew for both genders over the age of 45. And women aged 65+ had the biggest increase in divorce rates - from 1.4/1,000 in 1990 to 5.6/1,000 in 2021.

As for the younger generation, the divorce rate for the 15-24 age group has dropped by a massive 27.5% since 1990, but it's still the demographic where divorce is most prevalent.

9. Mind the Age Gap

You may believe that age ain't nothing but a number," but when it comes to age gaps in a relationship, think again.

Ask anyone who has battled it out with their 28-year-old partner who wants them to join him at the club when all they wanted to do was curl up in front of the fridge to ease their menopause-induced hot flashes. It's a one-way ticket to Breakup Central.

A couple with a five-year age gap is 18% more likely to split up than partners who are the same age. Add a 10-year age difference, and the chances of a breakup spike to 39%.

That said, 8% of married couples have an age gap of 10 years or more. And, yes, no surprise that it's the men who are usually the older partners. Just 1% of those couples with a 10-year-plus age gap comprise older women.

When it comes to same-sex coupling, 25% of male-male relationships and 15% of female-female relationships have an age gap of 10 years or more.

That said, it all comes down to life stages. The older the age group, the better the chances of overcoming the age gap curse.

10. Happily Ever After Childhood Sweethearts?

Compared to the figures for adults, teenage relationships are often short-lived. That said, around 2% of childhood sweethearts stay the course and tie the knot at an early age.

Unfortunately, though, people who exchange vows when they're 18 or younger face a 10% chance of their marriage not making it past the first year.

If that marriage makes it to year five, it has a 29% chance of ending in divorce. And - with apologies for being the bearer of more bad news - divorce rates within the first 10 years of those marriages is a sobering 54%.

11. Going the Distance

Absence may make the heart grow fonder, but distance can be a relationship killer. In the US, 14 million people are in a long-distance relationship (LRD). However, the average length of an LRD is just 4.5 months.

While 10% of married couples began as LRDs, relationships with miles in between have a 48% breakup rate.

Among the factors keeping the relationship from going the distance, so to speak, are the lack of physical intimacy (the number one factor for 66% of people) and the fear of the partner meeting someone else (55%).

12. Talking It Over

When the going gets tough, sometimes the tough go to couples therapy before calling it quits.

MidAmerica Nazarene University surveyed 1,000 engaged, married, or divorced Americans. It found that 49% had attended couples therapy. Most of those couples decided on therapy after two years of battling it out.

Of those respondents, 51% of millennials had attended therapy, followed by baby boomers (48%) and Gen Xers (46%).

Source: Infographic Journal: The State of Marriage Counseling

Therapy requires equal effort from both parties to be effective. While 55% of women are generally open to couples counseling, 54% of men are not.

As for the Million-Dollar Question, does marriage counselling work? The good news is that 70% of the time, couples therapy has a positive impact.

13. Giving It Another Go

Familiarity, companionship, insight, hindsight, and regret are among the reasons why people rekindle a relationship with an ex. While it might not be the best idea - especially if the cause of the initial breakup hasn't been resolved - it's not unusual.

The Good Man Project surveyed respondents in the US, Canada, and Australia and found a 32% reconciliation rate. The average breakup period was 2.5 months before reuniting with the ex.

37% of the exes got back together in just one month, while 57% took up to five months to consider giving it a second shot. The remaining 5% reunited after a five-month-plus hiatus.

Sadly, more than half of those rekindled relations were doomed to die a quick death - just 18% of respondents who had reunited with an ex were still together a year down the line.

14. Can We Still Be Friends?

So one of you has pulled the plug on your relationship. Or perhaps it was a mutual decision. Either way, is friendship an option after a relatively amicable breakup?

According to a 2022 survey in the US, 37% of respondents would prefer to remain friends with their ex after breaking up with them. But 29% didn't think it was a good idea if they were doing the dumping.

Just 31% of the respondents said they'd be open to friendship after being dumped, but for 34%, friendship was a hard no.

Men and women differ on this subject, too. Women are less likely to remain friends. Of the 44% of people who aren't friends with any of their exes, 49% are female, and 38% are men.

15. Time To Move On

Remember Sex and the City? Charlotte had a theory that it takes half the total time you go out with someone to get over them. But it's just a theory.

Everyone heals from a breakup differently - some prefer to take some time out from the dating scene, while others (please forgive this writer) get right back on the horse.

A 2017 consumer poll found that the average American endures four days of despair, followed by a six-month relationship sabbatical before they feel ready to date again.

Furthermore, according to MBG Relationships, it takes around 18 months after a divorce before the average person is ready to move on.

16. Goodbye My Lover, Hello My Fridge

A common mechanism for coping with a breakup is to eat, drink, and be not-so-merry.

Burgers and candy are the number one breakup foods for Americans. Accordingto a 2017 survey, two-thirds of people list ice cream, pizza, and fried foods as their go-to" comfort choices.

Ice cream brand Elena's released a special edition product for those with an achy breaky heart. A tub of Adios Amor Adios ice cream has five layers of different flavors - vanilla (denial), matcha (anger), chocolate (sadness), red berries (acceptance), and mango (hope).

But junk food isn't the only thing that can soothe a broken heart. Research by Pacific Foods found that 88% of people going through a breakup crave soup-chicken noodle soup, to be exact.

The company has since launched its It's Not Me, It's You Chicken Noodle Soup, Broken Heart(y) Vegetable Soup, and Seeing Red Tomato Bisque.

It comes as no surprise that alcohol also enters the equation when nursing a broken heart.

According to Harris Poll research, 40% of legal-age drinkers hit the bottle after a breakup. It may numb the pain, but the relief is fleeting. At least ice cream and chicken noodle soup won't end in a hangover.

17. Top Breakup Songs

After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." That's a line by Aldous Huxley, but it's also our way of stating the obvious - music and breakups go hand in hand when soothing a broken heart.

No surprises here as to who sings the Number 1 breakup song, according to Billboard. Swifties will be pleased to know that the honor goes to Taylor Swift's All Too Well. (Ms Swift pops up again at #74 in Billboard's list with We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together).

These are the top 10 hits from Billboard's 75 Best Breakup Songs of All Time. Get the tissues (and the chicken noodle soup, ice cream, and wine) ready:

Rank	Song	Artist
#1	All Too Well (10-minute version)	Taylor Swift
#2	Dancing On My Own	Robyn
#3	I Want You Back	The Jackson 5
#4	Kill Bill	SZA
#5	I Have Nothing	Whitney Houston
#6	Back to Black	Amy Winehouse
#7	You Oughta Know	Alanis Morissette
#8	Supercut	Lorde
#9	Someone Like You	Adele
#10	Bye Bye Bye	*NSYNC

18. Who gets Fido?

Breakups can be messy, particularly when there are children involved. But what happens when the child in question has four legs and a tail?

Logically speaking, the decision of who gets custody' of the pet should take into consideration who bought or adopted the fur kid, who is the primary caregiver, and who is best equipped to look after them. When a breakup is messy, however, logic often takes a back seat.

According to a report by a UK insurance firm, 27% of 2021's 10f1,500 divorce cases in courts involved the custody or care of a dog or cat.

Pet-nups" - prenuptial agreements regarding the custody of pets in the event of a breakup - have also become something to consider. Since 2019 there has been a 20% rise in the demand for pet-nups.

The notion of signing a pet-nup might seem a little extreme, but bear in mind the legal fees if you find yourself battling in court over who keeps Mr Fluffybutt.

The same report notes when pet custody is at stake, family lawyers spend an average of 24 hours discussing the issue. At an average hourly rate of 308, that equates to around 7,000 in legal fees.

19. The Dark Side of Breakups

A breakup can be difficult, but the consequences can be devastating. While it's normal to experience sadness, grief, and even anger, the black dog" - depression - may potentially be at your side. And that's when things could become serious.

A US study conducted between 2003 and 2020, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine last year, found that of the 402,391 adults who took their own lives in that period, 80,717 were related to issues with current or former intimate partners.

That equates to 20% of deaths by suicide being related to divorce, separation, romantic breakups, conflicts, or intimate partner violence.

Ready for some more unsettling figures? The United Nations reports that in 2022, a daily worldwide average of 133 females were killed. Current and former intimate partners were the most likely perpetrators - accounting for an average of 55% of those murders.

A Canadian organization adds that 77% of domestic violence-related homicides occur on separation.

20. From I Do" to I'm Out" Speed Trials

You don't need to have been unfortunate enough to watch an episode of The Bachelor to know just how fleeting a romantic relationship can be. Many of us have found ourselves relegated to the Singles Club in the blink of an eye.

On the upside, though, our misery and pain are usually confined to friends and family. Whereas when you're a high-profile celeb, news of your fast and (then) furious marriage becomes everyone's business.

It couldn't have been easy for Eddie Murphy and Tracey Edmonds. In 2008 they headed down the aisle in a romantic wedding in French Polynesia. But it took just 14 days before the honeymoon - and marriage - were over.

Then there's Pamela Anderson and Jon Peters. They called it quits just 12 days after exchanging I Dos at their 2020 wedding in Malibu.

Nicholas Cage set the bar pretty high in 2019 when he married Erika Koike in Las Vegas - and applied for an annulment four days later.

It's Britney Spears, however, who takes the (wedding) cake for the shortest high-profile marriage. A mere 55 hours after tying the knot with Jason Alexander in Las Vegas in 2004, the then-22-year-old pop icon filed for an annulment.

Final Thoughts...

No one willingly joins the Broken Hearts Club, but such is life. It's something most of us have experienced - and not necessarily for the last time. At the risk of sounding like a Debbie Downer, the numbers don't lie. Breakups happen. A lot.

Think of it this way, though. After a breakup, your chances of being with someone better suited to you increase exponentially. So take heart - however unpleasant, a breakup is a perfectly normal aspect of the human condition. And Gloria Gaynor is right. You will survive.

ReferencesClick to expand and view sources

Ghosting: What It Means and How to Respond (Very Well Mind)
How Have You Been Broken Up With? (Statista)
Ghosting: Abandonment in the Digital Era (MDPI)
Finding Intimacy Online: A Machine Learning Analysis of Predictors of Success (Mary Ann Liebert Inc Publishers)
Love and logins: password sharing in relationships (1Password)
6 Ways Social Media and Divorce Rates Are Negatively Connected (Marriage.com)
Two people may have committed suicide after Ashley Madison hack: police (Reuters)
UK Divorce Statistics 2024 (Crisp & Co)
Facts About Divorce in America 2024 (Terry & Roberts)
How the chance of breaking up changes the longer your relationship lasts (The Washington Post)
Infidelity Statistics: How Cheating Affects Marriages, Genders, & More (LoveToKnow)
What Exactly Is Breakup Season? (Bumble)
The most popular breakup day of the year is here - you are warned (New York Post)
Age Variation in the Divorce Rate, 1990 & 2021 (Bowling Green State University)
For a Lasting Marriage, Try Marrying Someone Your Own Age (The Atlantic)
What Percent of High-School Relationships Last? | Statistics and Facts (Online Divorce)
31 Long Distance Relationship Statistics for 2024 (LoveToKnow)
The State of Marriage Counseling (Infographic Journal)
How Often Do Exes Get Back Together (The Good Men Project)
Do Americans stay friends with their exes? (YouGov)
Study Reveals How Long It Takes To Get Over An Ex (SWNS Digital)
How Long It Should Really Take To Get Over A Breakup (MBG Relationships)
Science Says You Can Heal From A Breakup With Food (Forbes)
Adios Amor Adios (YouTube)
75 Best Breakup Songs of All Time (Billboard)
All Too Well (YouTube)
Robyn - Dancing On My Own (YouTube)
Jackson 5 - I Want You Back (YouTube)
SZA - Kill Bill (YouTube)
Whitney Houston - I Have Nothing (YouTube)
Amy Winehouse - Back to Black (YouTube)
Alanis Morissette - You Oughta Know (YouTube)
Lorde - Supercut (YouTube)
Adele - Someone Like You (YouTube)
*NSYNC - Bye Bye Bye (YouTube)
Who gets the dog? 56 per cent rise in dog divorces (Direct Line Group)
Five essential facts to know about femicide (United Nations Women)
Eighteen Months After Leaving Domestic Violence is Still the Most Dangerous Time (Battered Women's Support Services)
Eddie Murphy Bio (IMDb)
Tracey Edmonds Bio (IMDb)
Pamela Anderson Bio (IMDb)
Jon Peters Bio (IMDb)
Nicholas Cage Bio (IMDb)
Erika Koike Bio (IMDb)
Britney Spears Bio (IMDb)

The post 20+ Interesting Breakup Statistics 2024 (Must-know Facts) appeared first on The Tech Report.

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