SALT LAKE CITY — Along with the rest of the United States, Utah's marriage rates are following and the lack of "I do's" has a larger impact on every single person in the state.
According to the Utah Marriage Commission, one in four married adults has had recent thoughts about divorce.
Lawmakers recently gathered to discuss the hard costs of divorce as one study estimated the burden of broken families on taxpayers in 2023 is $400 million.
"Statistics are very clear that when a marriage exists, the economics are more sustainable," explained former Gov. Mike Leavitt. "A lot of state governments resources, go to sustain families and circumstances that are the result of a family that has not been successful."
Leavitt led the state when the Utah Marriage Commission was created by the legislature 25 years ago in an effort to foster healthier families and couples.
The commission provides free resources to all Utahns on premarital assessments, how to resolve conflict in marriage and families, how to communicate better and more.
"Not every marriage in society succeeds. But every marriage that succeeds helps society," Leavitt explained.
Utah is unique with resources to help relationships succeed.
The commission also helps couples through the "Stronger Marriage Connection" podcast, webinars, social media, a YouTube channel, free relationship assessments and courses with experts from across the country.
"We are the happiest state in the nation," Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson said. "We also have the highest marriage rates in the nation. I don't know if those two things are correlated...I'd like to think that maybe they are."
Though divorce normally has a bad reputation. Henderson said some marriages, like in cases of domestic violence, should not succeed.
"There are a lot of really good things about our state, those marriage rates are declining, though and it is a worry, it is a concern because there are so many important social goods that are attached to marriage," Henderson reflected.
