Divorced women more often live alone

Four years after their separation, half of divorced men have remarried or live together with new partners. Divorced women are much more often living alone four years later. Fewer women than men expect to find a new partner to share their lives with.

Share of exes who found a new partner or hope to find one in the future

Most divorced men have already found a new partner or hope to find one

Half of men divorced between 2000 and 2004 had found new partners to live with within four years. Part of them have remarried. Most men who had not found someone to share their lives with within four years after their divorce hoped to do so in the future.

Divorced women more often anticipate a life without a new partner

One third of women divorced in the period 2000–2004 had found new partners to live with within four years. Women appeared to be less keen than men to share their lives with a new partner. Four in every ten women anticipated to remain single. Women more often prefer to engage in a LAT relationship or remain single for the time being.

Children living at home reduce the chance of a new relationship

Most children stay with their mothers after their parents’ divorce. The presence of children reduces the chance of finding a new partner. Single mothers also tend to postpone cohabitation until their children have left the house permanently.

Unmarried men and women have equal chance of new relationship

About half of people who divorced between 2000 and 2004 after having lived together without being married had found a new partner within four years. Men and women have an equal chance of finding a new person to share their lives with. This is because when unmarried couples decide to divorce, they less often than married couples have children. On average, unmarried couples are also younger by the time they decide to separate.

Share of people who found a new partner or hope to find one in the future

Elma Wobma