How Does Washington’s Divorce Rate Compare To National Numbers?

Do Washington State residents get divorced more or less often than those in other states? And what factors contribute to the divorce rate?

According to the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, Washington State has one of the higher divorce rates in the nation, ranking 15th in the United States with a rate of 4.0 divorces per 1,000 people in 2007. The national rate of divorce as of 2008 was 3.5 out of 1,000 with 44 states reporting.

The divorce rate in Washington State has been dropping steadily since 1990, following a general trend that has taken place across the nation. In 1990, the divorce rate in Washington was 5.9 out of 1,000. Ten years later, in 2000, the rate had dropped to 4.6 out of 1,000. Divorce rates are lower in coastal and urban areas of Washington and higher in the eastern and rural parts of the state.

A number of factors affect the divorce rate in Washington. The recent recession and housing crisis has caused the divorce rate to plummet in the last two years. Fears about selling a house at a loss, supporting a family on one salary, or finding a job in the wake of a separation are causing more family to stay together out of need rather than want.

On the other hand, experts also believe that the divorce rate in Washington is dropping for generational and cultural reasons: couples are waiting longer to get married, people are more likely to be educated, and more couples are seeking counseling both before and during marriage.