New York Ranks No. 2 Most Expensive State for Divorce, Study Finds

A divorce in New York runs more than $27,000 on average, the second-highest price tag of any state behind California, according to new data from fintech company Self Financial cited by the New York Post. The figure places New York inside the top five costliest states to end a marriage, with New Jersey landing close behind on the same list.

How much does a New York divorce cost?

The $27,000-plus average covers the full cycle of ending a marriage in the state, not a single court fee. Self Financial researchers broke the total into court costs, legal representation, and, in applicable cases, settlements and alimony payments. "The cost of divorce can be spread into various parts, [including court] fees, legal representation, and, where applicable, settlements and alimony," the study's authors wrote, according to the Post.

Which state costs more than New York?

California claims the No. 1 spot nationally, with New York trailing in second place, the report found. The ranking puts two of the country's largest, highest-cost-of-living states at the top of the divorce-expense list, a pattern consistent with elevated legal and housing costs that typically factor into settlement calculations in both states.

How does New Jersey compare?

New Jersey sits just behind New York among the most expensive states to divorce, according to the Post's reporting on the study, though the figures provided do not break out an exact Garden State dollar total. The proximity of the two neighboring states on the list underscores how regional legal and housing markets, not just state divorce statutes, can drive the price of a split.

What does the national average look like?

Against that backdrop, the countrywide figure is far lower. "The average divorce in the U.S. costs $10,080," the study's authors said, "with the cost increasing by an average of 37.17% ($3,747) when children are involved." That math puts the average divorce involving children at roughly $13,827 nationally — still well under half of New York's average, underscoring how far above the national baseline the state's costs run. Self Financial compiled the figures from a range of sources, including Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, per the Post.

Why are New York's divorce costs so high?

The Post's reporting frames New York's divorce economics alongside its wedding economics: a New York wedding costs more than $53,000 on average, meaning couples in the state face elevated price tags on both ends of a marriage. The report's publication also lands amid a run of high-profile, high-dollar splits, including Lululemon founder Chip Wilson's reported $6.1 billion separation from his wife of 20 years and former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's divorce filing, which the Post reported followed allegations that her husband spent more than $50,000 on sex workers. Those cases involve settlement sums far beyond the study's state averages, but they illustrate the same underlying cost categories — legal fees, asset division, and settlements — that researchers used to calculate New York's $27,000-plus figure.

Self Financial's report did not specify a breakdown of attorney fees versus settlement costs within New York's total, and the company's full ranking of all 50 states was not detailed in the available reporting.