Have Tennesseans Loved And Lost More?

Tennessee Rates High In Both Marriage And Divorces

Are you expecting an engagement ring this Valentine’s Day or anticipating a break up? You might have a good chance of both here in Tennessee. 

The Tennessee Department of Health, Division of Health Statistics reports that more than 65,000 people tied the knot in 2005, a 2.5 percent decrease from the 67,104 marriages in 2004.

“It is important to remember that one year of statistics is not necessarily indicative of a trend,” said George Plumlee, statistical analyst supervisor for the Office of Policy, Planning and Assessment. “To get a meaningful picture of Tennessee’s marriage and divorce trends, several years must be examined.”

Topping the list of locations to get hitched in Tennessee was Sevier County, which is home to popular marriage destinations Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. Sevier County represented 18,682 or 28.6 percent of all 2005 marriages in the state.

Just over 38 percent of unions in 2005 were first marriages for both the bride and groom, while 34.2 percent included both man and wife who were previously divorced. Senior citizen couples made up 734 marriages.

The state’s divorce rate did drop 3.6 percent to 27,823 recorded divorces in 2005, compared to 28,858 couples who split in 2004. More than half of the couples who divorced in 2005 did not have a minor child, while 21.4 percent included one minor child. Only 10 divorces included six or more children.

Both marriage and divorce data are recorded after a couple obtain a marriage license or a divorce or annulment, respectively. All statistics are courtesy of the Division of Health Statistics, Tennessee Department of Health. To find more Tennessee statistics, visit http://www2.state.tn.us/health/data.htm.