2023 Data

Divorce Statistics in California

Last updated: February 28, 2026 · Reviewed every 3 months · 2023 data

Key Divorce Statistics for California (2023)

Marriage Rate

5.8 per 1,000

Annual Filings

108,403

Median Cost (Uncontested)

$2,500

Median Cost (Contested)

$17,500

Median Attorney Hourly Rate

$415/hr

Median Duration

8 months

Family Law Attorneys

1,019

Attorneys per 100K Population

2.6

Population

39,538,223

Marriage vs. Divorce Rate (2023)

Rates per 1,000 population — 2023 data

Divorce Cost Comparison

Median attorney hourly rate:$415/hr

US Divorce Rate Trend (10-Year)

2013

3.30

2022

2.40

Change

-0.90

California vs. National Average

Comparison of California divorce statistics against national averages
Metric	California	National Avg	Comparison
Divorce Rate (per 1,000)	—	2.4	—
Median Uncontested Cost	$2,500	$7,500	67% lower
Median Contested Cost	$17,500	—	—
Median Duration (Months)	8	11	27% lower
Attorneys per 100K	2.6	—	—

Data Sources & Methodology

Statistics shown reflect 2023 data from the following sources. Attorney counts are computed from our verified directory database.

CDC NVSS (California excluded from reporting) (2022)
Judicial Council of California Court Statistics Report 2025 (2024)
U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates (2024)
U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2022)
Clio Legal Trends Report (2025)

Methodology

Rates calculated per 1,000 population using Census population estimates. Cost figures represent median values from attorney surveys and court fee schedules. All data verified against primary .gov sources where available.