The Census Bureau recently released a report that is the first of its kind. The Marital Events of Americans: 2009 used a survey to determine trends in marriage, divorce and widowhood across the country. The study grouped findings based on geographic locations. So, how did New Jersey measure up? According to the report, the New Jersey divorce rate is below the national average, along with about four other states located in the Northeast.

The study also found that the South has the highest divorce rate in the country. Demographers suggest these results may have something to do with the average age at which people in either location choose to marry as well as how many people choose to marry.

In the South, it is more common for people to get married earlier in life. Marriage rates are also higher in the South. This, in turn, leads to higher divorce rates. In the Northeast, however, people tend to wait longer before getting married. Marriage rates are lower, so divorce rates are also lower. New Jersey is among roughly 10 states that have divorce rates below the national average for both men and women.

The latest study also detailed the aftermath of divorce for certain people. According to the Census Bureau, about 75 percent of divorced households with children were headed by a woman. However, divorced men still seem to fare better – at least financially – than divorced women. Nearly 30 percent of newly divorced women earned a salary less than $25,000. On the other hand, 83 percent of divorced men made more money than that annually.

Source: Reuters, “More untie the knot in South, Northeast divorces least: Census,” Molly O’Toole, Aug. 25, 2011