Divorce rate in New Zealand
New Zealand: Divorce rate was 1.48 per 1,000 people in 2022. ▼ Falling
Divorce rate in New Zealand, 1970–2022
Source: OECD (2025) and other sources – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in per 1,000 people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for divorce rate in New Zealand is 1.48 per 1,000 people, measured in 2022.
The figure is up 19.4% on the previous year and down 25.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, divorce rate in New Zealand peaked at 2.7 per 1,000 people in 1992 and was at its lowest, 1.1 per 1,000 people, in 1970.
That places New Zealand 32nd out of 43 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 31 years of available data.
Divorce rate in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.1 per 1,000 people | — |
| 1985 | 2.6 per 1,000 people | +136.4% |
| 1992 | 2.7 per 1,000 people | +3.8% |
| 1995 | 2.6 per 1,000 people | -3.7% |
| 1996 | 2.7 per 1,000 people | +3.8% |
| 1997 | 2.6 per 1,000 people | -3.7% |
| 1998 | 2.6 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 2.6 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 2.5 per 1,000 people | -3.8% |
| 2001 | 2.5 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 2.61 per 1,000 people | +4.4% |
| 2003 | 2.62 per 1,000 people | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 2.61 per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 2.43 per 1,000 people | -6.8% |
| 2006 | 2.43 per 1,000 people | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 2.28 per 1,000 people | -6.0% |
| 2008 | 2.28 per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 2.02 per 1,000 people | -11.0% |
| 2010 | 2.03 per 1,000 people | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 1.94 per 1,000 people | -4.5% |
| 2012 | 1.98 per 1,000 people | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 1.9 per 1,000 people | -4.1% |
| 2014 | 1.8 per 1,000 people | -5.3% |
| 2015 | 1.83 per 1,000 people | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 1.71 per 1,000 people | -6.2% |
| 2017 | 1.65 per 1,000 people | -3.9% |
| 2018 | 1.51 per 1,000 people | -8.4% |
| 2019 | 1.66 per 1,000 people | +10.3% |
| 2020 | 1.51 per 1,000 people | -9.3% |
| 2021 | 1.24 per 1,000 people | -17.8% |
| 2022 | 1.48 per 1,000 people | +19.4% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 1.48 per 1,000 people is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.76 per 1,000 people, 84% of the median. (40 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Divorce rate in New Zealand changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | +136.4% | 1.1 per 1,000 people | 2.6 per 1,000 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.1 per 1,000 people | 1.1 per 1,000 people | 1.1 per 1,000 people | 1 |
| 1980s | 2.6 per 1,000 people | 2.6 per 1,000 people | 2.6 per 1,000 people | 1 |
| 1990s | 2.63 per 1,000 people | 2.6 per 1,000 people | 2.7 per 1,000 people | 6 |
| 2000s | 2.43 per 1,000 people | 2.02 per 1,000 people | 2.62 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.8 per 1,000 people | 1.51 per 1,000 people | 2.03 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.41 per 1,000 people | 1.24 per 1,000 people | 1.51 per 1,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More reference data data for New Zealand
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.4532 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 9.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0459 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 10.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.52 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 42.17 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 47.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2499 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is divorce rate in New Zealand?
- Divorce rate in New Zealand was 1.48 per 1,000 people in 2022, according to OECD (2025) and other sources – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest divorce rate recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 2.7 per 1,000 people in 1992.
- What is the lowest divorce rate recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.1 per 1,000 people in 1970.
- How does New Zealand rank for divorce rate?
- New Zealand ranks 32nd out of 43 countries with data for 2022.
- Is divorce rate rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from OECD (2025) and other sources – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Divorce rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 31 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of divorces during a given year per 1,000 people.