How Much Does Divorce Cost?
Updated for 2026 — national average costs with state-by-state breakdowns
Low End
$1,500
Average
$7,500
High End
$30,000
per case
What Does Divorce Include?
Divorce costs vary enormously depending on whether it's contested or uncontested, whether children are involved, and how much attorney time is needed.
The national average cost for divorce is $7,500 per case. Most homeowners pay between $1,500 and $30,000, though costs can vary significantly based on your location, the scope of work, and other factors outlined below.
What Affects the Price?
Type
Uncontested: $1,500-$5,000. Contested: $10,000-$30,000+. With trial: $20,000-$100,000+
Attorney
Average divorce attorney charges $250-$350/hour
Mediation
Divorce mediation: $2,000-$5,000 total vs $15,000+ for litigation
Key Cost Factors
- ✓Contested vs uncontested
- ✓Child custody issues
- ✓Property division complexity
- ✓Attorney hourly rates
- ✓Mediation vs litigation
- ✓Geographic location
💡 Tips to Save Money
- 1.Consider mediation — it's much cheaper than litigation
- 2.Uncontested divorces can cost as little as $500-$1,500
- 3.Agree on as much as possible before involving attorneys
- 4.Use a paralegal service for simple uncontested divorces
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📈 Divorce Cost Trends (2022–2026)
Prices have increased +17.7% over the last 5 years
$6,370
2022
$6,638
2023
$7,069
2024
$7,267
2025
$7,500
2026
| Year | National Avg | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $6,370 | — |
| 2023 | $6,638 | +4.2% |
| 2024 | $7,069 | +6.5% |
| 2025 | $7,267 | +2.8% |
| 2026 | $7,500 | +3.2% |
Based on national averages adjusted for annual inflation. Actual costs vary by location and project scope.
Divorce Cost by State
Costs vary significantly by state due to labor rates, cost of living, and local market conditions. Click any state for a detailed breakdown.
| State | Low | Average | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $1,230 | $6,150 | $24,600 |
| Alaska | $1,920 | $9,600 | $38,400 |
| Arizona | $1,425 | $7,125 | $28,500 |
| Arkansas | $1,200 | $6,000 | $24,000 |
| California | $2,025 | $10,125 | $40,500 |
| Colorado | $1,620 | $8,100 | $32,400 |
| Connecticut | $1,830 | $9,150 | $36,600 |
| Delaware | $1,575 | $7,875 | $31,500 |
| District of Columbia | $1,875 | $9,375 | $37,500 |
| Florida | $1,470 | $7,350 | $29,400 |
| Georgia | $1,350 | $6,750 | $27,000 |
| Hawaii | $2,130 | $10,650 | $42,600 |
| Idaho | $1,380 | $6,900 | $27,600 |
| Illinois | $1,575 | $7,875 | $31,500 |
| Indiana | $1,320 | $6,600 | $26,400 |
| Iowa | $1,290 | $6,450 | $25,800 |
| Kansas | $1,275 | $6,375 | $25,500 |
| Kentucky | $1,260 | $6,300 | $25,200 |
| Louisiana | $1,305 | $6,525 | $26,100 |
| Maine | $1,530 | $7,650 | $30,600 |
| Maryland | $1,725 | $8,625 | $34,500 |
| Massachusetts | $1,950 | $9,750 | $39,000 |
| Michigan | $1,380 | $6,900 | $27,600 |
| Minnesota | $1,530 | $7,650 | $30,600 |
| Mississippi | $1,170 | $5,850 | $23,400 |
| Missouri | $1,305 | $6,525 | $26,100 |
| Montana | $1,425 | $7,125 | $28,500 |
| Nebraska | $1,320 | $6,600 | $26,400 |
| Nevada | $1,530 | $7,650 | $30,600 |
| New Hampshire | $1,680 | $8,400 | $33,600 |
| New Jersey | $1,875 | $9,375 | $37,500 |
| New Mexico | $1,350 | $6,750 | $27,000 |
| New York | $1,980 | $9,900 | $39,600 |
| North Carolina | $1,350 | $6,750 | $27,000 |
| North Dakota | $1,350 | $6,750 | $27,000 |
| Ohio | $1,350 | $6,750 | $27,000 |
| Oklahoma | $1,245 | $6,225 | $24,900 |
| Oregon | $1,650 | $8,250 | $33,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $1,530 | $7,650 | $30,600 |
| Rhode Island | $1,725 | $8,625 | $34,500 |
| South Carolina | $1,305 | $6,525 | $26,100 |
| South Dakota | $1,275 | $6,375 | $25,500 |
| Tennessee | $1,290 | $6,450 | $25,800 |
| Texas | $1,395 | $6,975 | $27,900 |
| Utah | $1,425 | $7,125 | $28,500 |
| Vermont | $1,620 | $8,100 | $32,400 |
| Virginia | $1,575 | $7,875 | $31,500 |
| Washington | $1,725 | $8,625 | $34,500 |
| West Virginia | $1,200 | $6,000 | $24,000 |
| Wisconsin | $1,410 | $7,050 | $28,200 |
| Wyoming | $1,380 | $6,900 | $27,600 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a divorce take?
Uncontested: 2-3 months. Contested: 6-18 months. Complex cases with trials: 1-3 years.
Do I need a lawyer for divorce?
For uncontested divorces without children or significant assets, you may not need one. For anything complex, an attorney is strongly recommended.
🏙️ Divorce Cost by City
Compare divorce costs in the most popular US cities:
New York City
NY
$10,875
Los Angeles
CA
$10,350
Chicago
IL
$8,625
Houston
TX
$7,125
Phoenix
AZ
$7,350
Philadelphia
PA
$8,400
San Antonio
TX
$6,600
San Diego
CA
$9,900
Dallas
TX
$7,650
San Jose
CA
$11,400
Austin
TX
$7,875
Jacksonville
FL
$6,900
Fort Worth
TX
$7,125
Columbus
OH
$6,750
Charlotte
NC
$7,125
Indianapolis
IN
$6,600
View all 219 cities →
San Francisco, CA
$11,625
Seattle, WA
$9,750
Denver, CO
$8,625
Washington D.C., DC
$10,125
Nashville, TN
$7,500
Oklahoma City, OK
$6,150
El Paso, TX
$6,150
Boston, MA
$10,500
Portland, OR
$8,850
Las Vegas, NV
$7,650
Memphis, TN
$6,150
Louisville, KY
$6,375
Baltimore, MD
$8,250
Milwaukee, WI
$6,900
Albuquerque, NM
$6,600
Tucson, AZ
$6,600
Fresno, CA
$7,875
Sacramento, CA
$8,850
Mesa, AZ
$7,125
Kansas City, MO
$6,750
Atlanta, GA
$7,875
Omaha, NE
$6,600
Colorado Springs, CO
$7,650
Raleigh, NC
$7,350
Long Beach, CA
$10,125
Virginia Beach, VA
$7,875
Miami, FL
$9,000
Oakland, CA
$10,875
Minneapolis, MN
$8,100
Tampa, FL
$7,650
Tulsa, OK
$6,150
Arlington, TX
$7,125
New Orleans, LA
$7,125
Pittsburgh, PA
$7,125
St. Louis, MO
$6,600
Bakersfield, CA
$7,650
Anaheim, CA
$10,125
Honolulu, HI
$11,250
Santa Ana, CA
$9,900
Riverside, CA
$8,625
Corpus Christi, TX
$6,375
Lexington, KY
$6,600
Stockton, CA
$8,250
Henderson, NV
$7,650
St. Paul, MN
$7,875
Cincinnati, OH
$6,600
Anchorage, AK
$9,600
Greensboro, NC
$6,600
Plano, TX
$7,875
Newark, NJ
$9,375
Lincoln, NE
$6,375
Orlando, FL
$7,650
Irvine, CA
$10,500
Durham, NC
$7,125
Chula Vista, CA
$9,600
Toledo, OH
$6,150
Fort Wayne, IN
$6,150
Jersey City, NJ
$10,125
St. Petersburg, FL
$7,650
Laredo, TX
$6,000
Madison, WI
$7,350
Chandler, AZ
$7,350
Buffalo, NY
$6,900
Lubbock, TX
$6,150
Scottsdale, AZ
$8,400
Reno, NV
$7,875
Glendale, AZ
$7,125
Gilbert, AZ
$7,650
Winston-Salem, NC
$6,375
North Las Vegas, NV
$7,350
Norfolk, VA
$7,350
Chesapeake, VA
$7,650
Irving, TX
$7,500
Fremont, CA
$10,875
Richmond, VA
$7,350
Boise, ID
$7,350
San Bernardino, CA
$8,100
Spokane, WA
$7,125
Des Moines, IA
$6,375
Tacoma, WA
$8,625
Modesto, CA
$7,875
Fontana, CA
$8,250
Moreno Valley, CA
$8,100
Fayetteville, NC
$6,375
Birmingham, AL
$6,150
Rochester, NY
$6,900
Salt Lake City, UT
$7,875
Oxnard, CA
$9,150
Knoxville, TN
$6,375
Worcester, MA
$8,625
Brownsville, TX
$5,850
Grand Rapids, MI
$6,750
Newport News, VA
$7,125
Huntsville, AL
$6,375
Amarillo, TX
$6,150
Little Rock, AR
$6,150
Montgomery, AL
$6,000
Akron, OH
$6,150
Augusta, GA
$6,150
Baton Rouge, LA
$6,375
Mobile, AL
$6,000
Shreveport, LA
$6,000
Tallahassee, FL
$6,750
Hartford, CT
$8,625
Providence, RI
$8,400
Charleston, SC
$7,350
Savannah, GA
$6,600
Columbia, SC
$6,375
Chattanooga, TN
$6,375
Fort Lauderdale, FL
$8,850
Dayton, OH
$6,150
Sioux Falls, SD
$6,375
Springfield, MO
$6,000
Jackson, MS
$5,850
Palm Bay, FL
$7,125
Lakeland, FL
$6,900
Cape Coral, FL
$7,350
Pensacola, FL
$6,600
Port St. Lucie, FL
$7,350
Naperville, IL
$8,625
Tempe, AZ
$7,500
Overland Park, KS
$7,125
McKinney, TX
$7,650
Frisco, TX
$7,875
Cary, NC
$7,650
Clarksville, TN
$6,375
Cedar Rapids, IA
$6,150
Peoria, AZ
$7,350
Surprise, AZ
$7,125
Denton, TX
$7,350
Roseville, CA
$8,625
Gainesville, FL
$6,600
Bellevue, WA
$10,500
Murfreesboro, TN
$6,900
Round Rock, TX
$7,650
Columbia, MD
$8,625
Boulder, CO
$9,375
Ann Arbor, MI
$8,250
Santa Fe, NM
$7,875
Wilmington, NC
$6,900
Greenville, SC
$6,600
Fargo, ND
$6,375
Provo, UT
$7,350
Duluth, MN
$6,600
Billings, MT
$6,900
Missoula, MT
$7,350
Cheyenne, WY
$6,600
Burlington, VT
$8,100
Portland, ME
$8,100
Concord, NH
$7,875
Bismarck, ND
$6,375
Rapid City, SD
$6,375
Casper, WY
$6,600
Bangor, ME
$7,125
Charleston, WV
$6,000
Dover, DE
$7,350
Manchester, NH
$8,100
Bridgeport, CT
$9,000
Stamford, CT
$10,125
Wichita, KS
$6,150
Topeka, KS
$6,000
Springfield, IL
$6,375
Rockford, IL
$6,375
Erie, PA
$6,150
Scranton, PA
$6,375
Flint, MI
$5,850
Lansing, MI
$6,375
Syracuse, NY
$6,600
Albany, NY
$7,125
Eugene, OR
$7,875
Salem, OR
$7,650
Fort Collins, CO
$8,250
Pueblo, CO
$6,375
Aurora, CO
$8,100
Santa Barbara, CA
$10,500
Santa Rosa, CA
$9,600
Pasadena, CA
$10,350
Visalia, CA
$7,500
Pomona, CA
$8,850
Myrtle Beach, SC
$6,600
Daytona Beach, FL
$6,900
Sarasota, FL
$7,875
Naples, FL
$8,850
Ocala, FL
$6,375
Athens, GA
$6,375
Macon, GA
$6,000
Lexington, SC
$6,375
Asheville, NC
$7,650
Flagstaff, AZ
$8,100
Rochester, NY
$6,900
New Haven, CT
$8,100
Manchester, NH
$7,875
Augusta, GA
$6,150
Fort Myers, FL
$7,350
Wilmington, NC
$7,125
Arlington, VA
$9,750
Green Bay, WI
$6,375
South Bend, IN
$6,150
Bend, OR
$8,400
Bellingham, WA
$8,250
Midland, TX
$7,125
Waco, TX
$6,150
Newark, NJ
$9,000
Related Cost Guides
💬 What Did You Pay?
Real costs reported by homeowners for Divorce
$7,571
Avg Reported
$5,300
Lowest Reported
$10,978
Highest Reported
Recent Reports
$6,072
Dallas, TX · Jan 2026
★★★☆☆
$8,505
Chicago, IL · Feb 2026
★★★★☆
$6,270
Phoenix, AZ · Mar 2026
★★★★★
$9,240
Denver, CO · Apr 2026
★★★☆☆
$6,555
Atlanta, GA · May 2026
★★★★☆
$9,882
Seattle, WA · Jun 2026
★★★★★
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