According to data from the General Statistics Office (GSO), 2.9% of Vietnam’s urban population is divorced, with the 40–49 age group having the highest divorce rates.

Marriage and family structure were key components of the 2024 Midterm Population and Housing Census, released in early 2025. The report indicates that being married remains the dominant status among Vietnamese citizens aged 15 and older, with nearly 75% having been married at some point (down from 77.5% in 2019).

In urban areas, 37.8% of people aged 15 and older are single (including never married, widowed, divorced, or separated), compared to 32.7% in rural areas.

Southeast region has the highest percentage of never-married individuals

The Northern Midlands and Mountainous Region has the highest proportion of people who have been married (81.2%), while the Southeast region has the highest proportion of never-married individuals (32.9%).

This trend reflects the socioeconomic differences between regions. In rapidly developing areas like the Southeast, the proportion of single individuals is significantly higher (32.9%), whereas in other regions, this figure ranges from 18% to 25%.

Divorce rates highest in the southern provinces

Nationally, 2.6% of Vietnam’s population is divorced. Compared to 2019, the percentage of widowed and divorced individuals has increased by 1.3 percentage points, equating to an additional 1.3 million people. However, divorce and separation remain relatively uncommon, making up a small proportion of the four marital status categories.

Urban divorce rates are higher than rural rates (2.9% vs. 2.4%).

The Mekong Delta has the highest divorce rate in Vietnam (3.4%), followed by the Southeast region (3.2%).

The Northern Midlands and Mountainous Region has a 2.4% divorce rate.

The Red River Delta and North Central & Central Coastal regions have lower-than-average divorce rates at 2%, while the Central Highlands has a 2.2% rate.

Among provinces, Tay Ninh has the highest percentage of divorced, widowed, and separated individuals (13.6%), followed by Ben Tre (12.8%).

In major cities:

Hanoi: 8.2% of residents are divorced, widowed, or separated.
Ho Chi Minh City: 7.7% fall into these categories.
Divorce rates peak between ages 40–49

The highest divorce rate for men occurs between ages 40–44 (4.2%), followed by ages 35–39 (4.0%) and 45–49 (3.6%). After age 49, divorce rates for men decline.

For women, the highest divorce rates occur in the 40–44 and 45–49 age groups (both at 4.6%), followed by 35–39 (4.3%). However, even among women aged 50–54, divorce remains relatively common (4.1%), compared to 3% among men of the same age.

Vietnamese delaying marriage at record rates

The General Statistics Office notes that as society becomes more modernized and developed, people are increasingly delaying marriage.

The average age at first marriage for Vietnamese youth has risen from 25.2 years in 2019 to 27.3 years in 2024.

For men, the average first marriage age in 2024 is 29.4 years.

As Vietnam moves towards becoming a high-income country, the trend of delayed marriage is expected to continue.

Although women generally marry earlier than men, their chances of remarrying decline significantly after age 45. Among those aged 45–49, only 8.4% of men are still single, compared to 9.6% of women.

Vo Thu