Summary: The national average divorce costs about $12,900 per person (median $7,500), but your state moves the number a lot. Filing fees range from under $100 in parts of Georgia to $435 in California. Attorney rates run $150 to $500 per hour, with coastal metros at the top. States with mandatory mediation or parenting classes add hundreds in required costs, while states with streamlined uncontested procedures keep simple splits cheap. The biggest state-level swing is not fees but local attorney rates and how backlogged the family courts are.
Start with the baseline. Forbes Advisor puts the average US divorce at $12,900 per person with a median of $7,500. The gap between average and median tells the story: a minority of high-conflict cases drags the average up, while most divorces cost less than the headline number. About two in five divorces are uncontested, and those cluster in the $1,500 to $5,000 range per spouse.
State averages are harder to pin down than the national figure because nobody surveys every county. What we can compare reliably: filing fees (public, set by courts), typical attorney hourly rates (reported by bar surveys and attorney directories), and procedural requirements that add mandatory costs. Together they explain most of the state-to-state spread.
Court filing fees are the most visible state difference and the smallest part of most bills. California charges $435 per spouse to file, among the highest in the country. New York charges $335 for the index number that starts the case. Florida is around $408. At the other end, some Georgia counties charge under $100, and Pennsylvania counties range roughly $185 to $215.
Texas, Illinois, Ohio, Arizona, and Washington all land in the $250 to $350 band, with county-level variation. Two cautions: these are first-petition fees only, and they exclude the response fee the other spouse pays, motion fees, and service-of-process costs. A fee waiver is available in every state for filers who cannot afford it, typically granted when household income is at or below 125 percent of the federal poverty guidelines.
Attorney billing is where states diverge most. In major coastal metros, experienced family law attorneys routinely charge $350 to $500 per hour. In mid-size Midwestern and Southern markets, $200 to $300 per hour is common. Rural markets can be lower still. Because a contested divorce can consume 60 to 160 attorney hours, a $150-per-hour rate gap becomes a $10,000 to $25,000 total-cost gap.
Retainer expectations follow the same geography: $2,000 to $5,000 upfront is typical nationally, with high-cost markets demanding $7,500 to $10,000 for contested cases. Flat-fee uncontested packages, where offered, range from $500 to $5,000 and are most common in competitive urban markets.
Some states build extra line items into every divorce. Many require parenting classes when minor children are involved, typically $25 to $100 per parent. Several states require mediation before a contested hearing, adding $1,000 to $3,000 per spouse per round. States with mandatory financial disclosure rules add accountant or appraisal costs for complex assets.
Court backlog is the hidden multiplier. In counties where the family court calendar runs 12 to 18 months out, a contested case accrues more status conferences, more motion practice, and more attorney hours than the same dispute in a county that moves cases in six months. Ask any local attorney how long the docket runs; it is a direct input to your cost estimate.
The most expensive divorce states tend to share three traits: high filing fees, high attorney rates, and expensive real estate that makes property division contentious. California, New York, and Connecticut top most informal rankings. A contested California divorce with children can easily reach $25,000 to $50,000 per spouse.
The cheapest states combine low filing fees, moderate attorney rates, and streamlined uncontested procedures: parts of the South and Midwest (Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri, Indiana) regularly produce uncontested totals under $2,000. But the state matters less than the case: an amicable split in California costs less than a war in Mississippi.
Use the calculator on the homepage with these state-adjusted inputs: your county filing fee (call the clerk), the local going hourly rate (ask two attorneys for their rate and retainer), and an honest case-type pick. Then add state-specific line items: parenting class fees, mandatory mediation, and any required appraisals.
The estimate will still be a range, not a quote. The honest purpose of the number is budgeting and decision-making: knowing whether you are facing a $3,000 problem or a $30,000 problem changes how aggressively you pursue settlement, and that choice is where the real money is saved.
California is typically the most expensive, with a $435 filing fee per spouse, top-tier attorney rates of $350 to $500 per hour, and high-cost property division. Contested cases there routinely reach $25,000 to $50,000 per spouse.
States in the South and Midwest with low filing fees and moderate attorney rates, such as Georgia, Mississippi, and Missouri, produce the cheapest uncontested divorces, often under $2,000 total. But an amicable case anywhere beats a contested case in a cheap state.
Yes. Every state offers a fee waiver or deferral for filers who cannot afford court costs, typically granted when household income is at or below 125 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. Ask the clerk for the waiver form.
Enormously. A family law attorney in Manhattan may charge double or triple the rate of one upstate. County-level court backlogs also change total cost. Always get local quotes rather than relying on statewide averages.
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Data current as of October 2026. Sources: Forbes Advisor national divorce cost survey; state court fee schedules (CA, NY, FL, TX, IL, OH, PA, GA, AZ, WA); attorney rate data from bar surveys and legal directories. Legal information only, not legal advice. Verify current fees with your county clerk.