The rate of gray divorce has increased sharply from 1990 to 2010. According to a study published in The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 4.9 in 1,000 people over the age of 50 had divorced in 1990, whereas 10.1 in 1,000 people over 50 had divorced in 2010. Because the divorce rate of all age groups remained near-constant, this translates to those over 50 having a 1 in 10 chance of divorce in 1990 and a 1 in 4 chance of divorce in 2010.
Specifically looking at people between the ages of 50 and 64, the study found that the divorce rate rose from 6.9 in 1,000 to 13.1 in 1,000 in those years, and for people 65 and older, the rate nearly tripled, increasing from 1.8 in 1,000 to 4.8 in 1,000, respectively.
Gray divorces have become increasingly common for a number of reasons, and many people have to deal with the challenges of gray divorce each year.