The program’s latest installment of the “I’ve Always Wondered” series looks at how rising home values and rental costs can influence couples’ decisions to divorce. Finance, Real Estate and Law Associate Professor Anthony Orlando explains how divorce can affect housing markets by reducing household wealth and homeownership rates. “When there's a divorce, there's usually a sharp drop in wealth or net worth,” he says, noting that legal costs, asset division and the loss of a second income can make homeownership more difficult.

This story was originally published by Marketplace (American Public Radio) on June 5, 2026.