Marriage and divorce rates per 1000 eligible adults

Since a peak in 1971, the rate unmarried people enter into marriage or civil union has steadily dropped. Covid-19 was the likely cause of sharp drop in marriages in 2020.
The divorce rate has stayed roughly steady in recent years. Couples must separate for at least two years prior to applying for a divorce, which means the effect of Covid-19 cannot be determined yet.

Marriage rate: marriages and civil unions per 1000 people aged 16+ who are not married or in a civil union
Divorce rate: number of divorces per 1000 estimated existing marriages and civil unions
Source: Statistics NZ