“Grey divorce” on the rise among the Dutch over-60s
The number of couples divorcing in the Netherlands is still falling, but a growing share of those who do split...
Over-60 couples in the Netherlands are increasingly choosing to divorce, a trend dubbed "grey divorce." In 2025, 24,555 marriages ended in divorce, a decline from 30,729 in 2018. While overall marriage rates have fallen, and couples tend to stay together longer, older couples are the exception, with divorce rates rising among those over 60.
The percentage of total divorces among this age group has risen from around 8% a decade ago to about 13% last year. Some couples are now divorcing after 40 years or more together, including some celebrating a 50-year anniversary, which was uncommon at the turn of the century. Relationship therapists attribute this shift to changing attitudes and the reality of children leaving home or retirement, leading older partners to realize they have little left in common.
This rise in grey divorces also impacts housing, as many older individuals opt for living apart together rather than moving in with a new partner, keeping two homes and reducing the number of available properties in a tight market.
Written by urgent.news from DutchNews's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
