Colorado Divorce Statistics

Divorce is a difficult process, both emotionally and legally. By the time one or both spouses file a divorce petition in Colorado, they’ve already faced a distressing emotional process before deciding to end their marriage. Colorado divorce statistics indicate that the state has a mid-range to slightly higher divorce rate than the national average, reaching 12% in 2025.

What Is the Most Common Age Range for Colorado Divorces?

The divorce rate in Colorado began to rise after 1972, when the state dropped its requirement for one spouse to prove the other’s fault. Like many states during the 1970s, Colorado moved to a no-fault divorce law, where spouses may only file for divorce on the basis that their marriage is irretrievably broken, without the need to prove that one spouse committed adultery, abandonment, or other wrongdoing.

Spouses between the ages of 25 and 39 are the most likely to file for divorce in Colorado, accounting for about 60% of all divorces in the state. However, “gray divorce” numbers are on the rise for spouses over age 50. The divorce rate for spouses aged 50 to 65 has doubled since the 1990s and has tripled for those over the age of 65.

The lowest risk age group for Colorado divorces is among residents aged 75 and up.

No one ever walks down a flower-strewn aisle expecting their marriage journey to end in divorce court, but sometimes life takes spouses in different directions, leaving divorce as the best option for moving forward into new lives. Fortunately, the overall divorce rate in the United States continues to trend downward, but some attribute this to declining marriage rates. 

Understanding current divorce trends through Colorado’s divorce statistics offers insight into the state of marriage in Colorado and throughout the country. Reach out to our experienced Denver divorce attorney for a free case evaluation at (303) 451-0300.

Is Colorado the State With the Highest Divorce Rate?

Colorado has a reputation as the U.S. state with the highest divorce rate, but that’s inaccurate. In fact, nearby states such as Wyoming, New Mexico, and Oklahoma have higher divorce rates. According to statistics in Colorado:

• Colorado has one of the country’s highest marriage rates, with 52% of all residents over age 18 and 7.5 out of 1,000 people listed as legally married
• The Colorado divorce rate is 2.8 to 3.0 divorces per 1,000 Colorado residents
• Colorado’s divorce rate places the state in the moderate to slightly high divorce rate range
• The median length of Colorado marriages that end in divorce is 17.9 years
• The median age for divorcing spouses in Colorado is 45.5 for men and 42.6 for women, which is slightly younger than the national average
• Marrying young, or under the age of 25, is the highest risk factor for divorce in Colorado
• The age range with the highest divorce rate in Colorado is age 25-39
• The age range with the lowest divorce rate in Colorado is age 75 and over
• There is an increasing number of “gray divorces” or divorces among those aged 50 or older, with this “babyboomer” age range showing the highest growth rate in Colorado and throughout the U.S.
• Colorado’s divorce rate increased by about 4% in the last three years
• 13% of Colorado women and 9% of Colorado men are divorced

Over 23,000 divorces were filed in Colorado in 2025. El Paso County has a dense population of military personnel and the highest divorce rate in the state, reflecting the escalated strain associated with military marriages.

What Types of Divorces Occur In Colorado?

Colorado divorces may be contested or uncontested. In an uncontested divorce, the spouses are able to reach decisions on all required aspects of their divorce, such as a child custody schedule and the division of their marital assets in a way that’s fair and equitable.

When divorcing spouses create a marriage settlement agreement, there is no need for a contentious trial. Instead, the judge signs the agreement into binding orders. If spouses cannot come to mutually agreeable terms, even with professional mediation, they take their disputes to court for a judge to decide. This is a contested divorce. According to Colorado statistics:

• About 90% of Colorado divorces are finalized without a trial
• Only about 10% of divorces in Colorado go to court for unresolved disputes over the division of their assets, child custody, or spousal support (alimony)
• While no firm data exists on the number of collaborative divorces in the state, this type of divorce is a growing trend, although it still remains the least common type of Colorado divorce. In a collaborative divorce, both spouses file for divorce together rather than as a petitioner and respondent, and agree to resolve the terms of their divorce out of court through meetings with their Colorado divorce lawyers and mediation
• Colorado is not one of the 9 U.S. states with community property laws demanding a 50/50 division of marital assets. Instead, Colorado requires spouses to divide their marital assets in a way that’s “fair and equitable.”
• 93% of divorcing spouses in Colorado use alternative dispute resolution methods to avoid court, including mediation and arbitration
• Colorado’s 91-day waiting period and no mandatory separation period before finalization make it one of the states with the fastest divorce processes

Colorado is one of 17 states that allow only no-fault divorces, compared with other states that also offer grounds-based divorce options. In Colorado, the only accepted grounds for divorce is the the marriage is “irretrievably broken.”

Colorado Child Custody Statistics During Divorce 

More than half of all divorces nationwide and in Colorado involve children. Colorado courts uphold the “child’s best interest standard,” which requires the court to prioritize the best interests of involved children in all divorce decisions. The following statistics are relevant to Colorado divorce cases:

• Colorado is not one of the majority of states that begin with a 50/50 rebuttable presumption for shared parenting. Instead, the court considers each parent’s schedule, the parent who interacts most with the child daily, and the parents’ physical proximity to each other’s homes. Still, Colorado offers many examples of child custody schedules with close-to-50/50 custody for parents to consider
• In Colorado, about 78% of divorces between parents with children end in shared child custody
• About half of parents who share child custody in Colorado have an approximately 50/50 custody arrangement
• Colorado is one of 19 states in which the majority of fathers have 50% child custody time

During child custody cases in Colorado, the court considers continued close contact with both parents to be in the child’s best interest; however, this is a rebuttable presumption. If one parent feels that it isn’t in their child’s best interest to have 50/50 parenting time with the other parent, they must rebut the presumption with compelling evidence.

How Can a Colorado Divorce Lawyer Help Me?

Whether you’re contemplating a divorce, you’ve already filed for a Colorado divorce, or you’ve received divorce papers, it’s crucial to have experienced representation throughout the process. A Colorado divorce lawyer protects your best interests and strives for a low-conflict resolution for disputes to avoid court without compromising your goals for your family. Call or contact Ciancio Ciancio Brown, P.C. to learn how a divorce attorney’s well-executed strategy can help you achieve a divorce outcome that aligns with your goals.