A study by Reiss Edwards Family Law has identified the two South Wales areas as having the highest divorce rates in Wales, with 16.97% of people who have ever been married now divorced or with dissolved civil partnerships.
The data, drawn from the latest Census legal partnership status report, ranks Welsh local authorities by the percentage of residents who answered ‘married,’ ‘widowed,’ or ‘divorced’—with Neath Port Talbot and Blaenau Gwent jointly topping the list.
Denbighshire follows closely in second place with a divorce rate of 16.66%, while Conwy ranks third at 16.49%. Torfaen and Wrexham complete the top five, with rates of 16.47% and 16.41% respectively.
Popular coastal city Swansea ranks sixth, with 16.16% of its ever-married population now divorced.
The full top 15 includes:
| Rank | Area | Ever-Married Population | Number Divorced | % Divorced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| =1 | Neath Port Talbot | 74,247 | 12,603 | 16.97% |
| =1 | Blaenau Gwent | 33,818 | 5,738 | 16.97% |
| 2 | Denbighshire | 51,808 | 8,631 | 16.66% |
| 3 | Conwy | 65,087 | 10,732 | 16.49% |
| 4 | Torfaen | 48,304 | 7,957 | 16.47% |
| 5 | Wrexham | 69,588 | 11,418 | 16.41% |
| 6 | Swansea | 118,821 | 19,206 | 16.16% |
| 7 | Bridgend | 77,554 | 12,431 | 16.03% |
| 8 | Rhondda Cynon Taf | 118,578 | 18,815 | 15.87% |
| 9 | Caerphilly | 90,890 | 14,419 | 15.86% |
| 10 | Merthyr Tydfil | 28,949 | 4,533 | 15.66% |
| 11 | Pembrokeshire | 69,985 | 10,912 | 15.59% |
| 12 | Isle of Anglesey | 38,298 | 5,957 | 15.55% |
| 13 | Carmarthenshire | 105,104 | 16,309 | 15.52% |
| 14 | Flintshire | 84,746 | 13,095 | 15.45% |
| 15 | Gwynedd | 58,721 | 9,040 | 15.40% |
Amar Ali, Managing Director of Reiss Edwards Family Law, said the findings suggest a regional trend:
“Communities facing long-term economic hardship or limited access to local services may experience additional strain on personal relationships. While every divorce has personal causes, these broader patterns point to a deeper link between where people live and relationship stability.”
The study adds to growing interest in how socioeconomic factors may influence family dynamics across Wales.
