We used Saturday Night Science to analyze Washington’s most recent Census data to determine the divorce rate for each city in Washington based on the percentage of currently divorced residents.
The city with the highest divorce rate in Washington is Hoquiam, with 13.0% of people over 15 years of age being divorced, per the most recent census data. The city with the lowest divorce rate in Washington is Sammamish.
Washington is 4.0% divorced overall. There are some 250,115 people living in Washington over fifteen years of age who are divorced. You can compare that to the 28,339,199 Americans who are currently divorced.
Isn’t the divorce rate in America close to 50%? Yes indeed. But we’re measuring something else; we are looking at counts and percentages of people over 15 years old who are currently divorced. That 50% statistic is for the percentage of people who have ever been divorced.
So now that we have you biting your nails, rethinking your worldview, and pulling out your hair, let’s look at the places in Washington with the highest rates of divorcees.
13.0% divorced · #1 highest divorce rate in Washington
Located in
Grays Harbor County, Washington
Hoquiam is a city in Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States. The town borders the city of Aberdeen at Myrtle Street, with Hoquiam to the west. The two cities share a common economic history in lumbering and exporting, but Hoquiam has maintained its independent identity. Aberdeen is more populated, but the two cities have a long rivalry, especially in high school sports.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
11.0% divorced · #2 highest divorce rate in Washington
Located in
Lewis County, Washington
Centralia is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 16,336 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
9.0% divorced · #6 highest divorce rate in Washington
Located in
Yakima County, Washington
Selah is a city in Yakima County, Washington, United States. The population was 7,147 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
9.0% divorced · #6 highest divorce rate in Washington
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
9.0% divorced · #6 highest divorce rate in Washington
Located in
Grays Harbor County, Washington
Aberdeen is a city in Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States. The population was 16,896 at the 2010 census. The city is the economic center of Grays Harbor County, bordering the cities of Hoquiam and Cosmopolis. Aberdeen is called the “Gateway to the Olympic Peninsula”.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
9.0% divorced · #6 highest divorce rate in Washington
Data | Movers
9.0% divorced · #6 highest divorce rate in Washington
Located in
Jefferson County, Washington
Port Townsend is a city in Jefferson County, Washington, United States. The population was 9,113 at the 2010 census, an increase of 9.3% over the 2000 census. It is the county seat and only incorporated city of Jefferson County. In addition to its natural scenery at the northeast tip of the Olympic Peninsula, the city is also known for the many Victorian buildings remaining from its late 19th century heyday, numerous annual cultural events, and as a maritime center for independent boatbuilders and related industries and crafts. The Port Townsend Historic District is a U.S. National Historic Landmark District.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
9.0% divorced · #6 highest divorce rate in Washington
Located in
Snohomish County, Washington
Stanwood is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. The city is located 50 miles north of Seattle, at the mouth of the Stillaguamish River. Its population was 6,231 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
8.0% divorced · #10 highest divorce rate in Washington
Located in
Lewis County, Washington
Chehalis sh-HAY-lis) is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 7,259 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Lewis County.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
8.0% divorced · #10 highest divorce rate in Washington
Located in
Benton County, Washington
Prosser is a city in and the county seat of Benton County, Washington, United States, along the Yakima River with only one zip code 99350. The population was 5,714 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Washington’s statewide median.
On the map
Where Washington’s highest divorce rates are
Saturday Night Science
How We Determined The Places In Washington That Get Un-Hitched The Most
We used Saturday Night Science to look at the U.S. Census Bureau on divorce rates. Because who likes tracking misery more than the U.S. government?
Specifically, we looked at the 2020-2024 American Community Survey table S1201 — Marital Status. Pretty straightforward on that front — we just had to extract the following column of data:
Today, the analysis focuses on the 122 places in Washington with a population of over 5,000.
- Population 15 Years and Over -> Divorced
We ranked each place by the percentage of divorcees over 15 years of age from highest to lowest. We crowned the divorce capital of Washington the place with the highest incidence of divorcees, Hoquiam.
And if you’re trying to avoid divorce, check out Sammamish, the city with the lowest divorce rate in Washington. We updated this article for 2026 and this list is our eleventh time ranking the cities in Washington with the highest divorce rates.
The full plate
Cities With The Highest Divorce Rates In Washington
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Divorcees | Divorce Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hoquiam | 8,800 | 915 | 13.0% |
| 2 | Centralia | 18,830 | 1,657 | 11.0% |
| 5 | Selah | 8,437 | 607 | 9.0% |
| 5 | Sultan | 6,116 | 440 | 9.0% |
| 5 | Aberdeen | 17,088 | 1,230 | 9.0% |
| 5 | Omak | 5,036 | 363 | 9.0% |
| 5 | Port Townsend | 10,438 | 752 | 9.0% |
| 5 | Stanwood | 8,373 | 603 | 9.0% |
| 9 | Chehalis | 7,587 | 486 | 8.0% |
| 9 | Prosser | 6,305 | 404 | 8.0% |
| 17 | Shelton | 10,612 | 594 | 7.0% |
| 17 | Ephrata | 8,560 | 479 | 7.0% |
| 17 | Burlington | 10,003 | 560 | 7.0% |
| 17 | East Wenatchee | 14,199 | 795 | 7.0% |
| 17 | Snohomish | 10,239 | 573 | 7.0% |
| 17 | Airway Heights | 11,245 | 630 | 7.0% |
| 17 | Grandview | 11,187 | 626 | 7.0% |
| 17 | Kelso | 12,684 | 710 | 7.0% |
| 17 | Longview | 38,069 | 2,132 | 7.0% |
| 17 | Spokane | 230,293 | 12,896 | 7.0% |
| 17 | Enumclaw | 12,798 | 717 | 7.0% |
| 17 | Yakima | 96,961 | 5,430 | 7.0% |
| 17 | Port Angeles | 20,118 | 1,127 | 7.0% |
| 17 | Spokane Valley | 106,365 | 5,956 | 7.0% |
| 32 | Lakewood | 62,937 | 3,021 | 6.0% |
| 32 | Milton | 8,894 | 427 | 6.0% |
| 32 | Everett | 111,845 | 5,369 | 6.0% |
| 32 | Arlington | 21,095 | 1,013 | 6.0% |
| 32 | Wenatchee | 35,484 | 1,703 | 6.0% |
| 32 | Walla Walla | 33,925 | 1,628 | 6.0% |
| 32 | Ocean Shores | 7,302 | 350 | 6.0% |
| 32 | Moses Lake | 26,083 | 1,252 | 6.0% |
| 32 | Sumner | 10,733 | 515 | 6.0% |
| 32 | Puyallup | 42,746 | 2,052 | 6.0% |
| 32 | Ellensburg | 20,874 | 1,002 | 6.0% |
| 32 | Connell | 5,054 | 243 | 6.0% |
| 32 | Sedro-Woolley | 12,831 | 616 | 6.0% |
| 32 | Marysville | 73,002 | 3,504 | 6.0% |
| 32 | Mount Vernon | 35,377 | 1,698 | 6.0% |
| 32 | Woodland | 6,487 | 311 | 6.0% |
| 49 | Tacoma | 222,758 | 8,910 | 5.0% |
| 49 | Des Moines | 32,823 | 1,313 | 5.0% |
| 49 | Yelm | 11,102 | 444 | 5.0% |
| 49 | Poulsbo | 12,165 | 487 | 5.0% |
| 49 | Lynnwood | 40,110 | 1,604 | 5.0% |
| 49 | Tumwater | 26,956 | 1,078 | 5.0% |
| 49 | Richland | 62,753 | 2,510 | 5.0% |
| 49 | Auburn | 85,676 | 3,427 | 5.0% |
| 49 | Clarkston | 7,191 | 288 | 5.0% |
| 49 | Kennewick | 85,295 | 3,412 | 5.0% |
| 49 | Mukilteo | 21,323 | 853 | 5.0% |
| 49 | Olympia | 55,951 | 2,238 | 5.0% |
| 49 | Port Orchard | 17,149 | 686 | 5.0% |
| 49 | Sequim | 8,161 | 326 | 5.0% |
| 49 | Edmonds | 42,735 | 1,709 | 5.0% |
| 49 | Ferndale | 15,999 | 640 | 5.0% |
| 49 | University Place | 34,911 | 1,396 | 5.0% |
| 69 | Burien | 51,513 | 1,648 | 4.0% |
| 69 | Orting | 8,978 | 287 | 4.0% |
| 69 | College Place | 9,854 | 315 | 4.0% |
| 69 | Othello | 8,795 | 281 | 4.0% |
| 69 | Bremerton | 44,830 | 1,435 | 4.0% |
| 69 | Lake Stevens | 40,253 | 1,288 | 4.0% |
| 69 | Fircrest | 7,069 | 226 | 4.0% |
| 69 | Washougal | 17,490 | 560 | 4.0% |
| 69 | Blaine | 6,100 | 195 | 4.0% |
| 69 | Lynden | 16,234 | 519 | 4.0% |
| 69 | Lacey | 57,737 | 1,848 | 4.0% |
| 69 | Monroe | 19,755 | 632 | 4.0% |
| 69 | Bonney Lake | 22,090 | 707 | 4.0% |
| 69 | Mountlake Terrace | 23,104 | 739 | 4.0% |
| 69 | Anacortes | 17,966 | 575 | 4.0% |
| 69 | Edgewood | 13,032 | 417 | 4.0% |
| 69 | Gig Harbor | 12,424 | 398 | 4.0% |
| 69 | Mill Creek | 20,956 | 671 | 4.0% |
| 69 | Lake Forest Park | 13,335 | 427 | 4.0% |
| 69 | Liberty Lake | 12,737 | 408 | 4.0% |
| 69 | Bellingham | 93,438 | 2,990 | 4.0% |
| 69 | Fife | 10,949 | 350 | 4.0% |
| 69 | Steilacoom | 6,686 | 214 | 4.0% |
| 95 | Battle Ground | 21,886 | 525 | 3.0% |
| 95 | Tukwila | 21,451 | 515 | 3.0% |
| 95 | Normandy Park | 6,659 | 160 | 3.0% |
| 95 | Vancouver | 195,300 | 4,687 | 3.0% |
| 95 | Shoreline | 61,431 | 1,474 | 3.0% |
| 95 | Covington | 21,233 | 510 | 3.0% |
| 95 | Snoqualmie | 13,798 | 331 | 3.0% |
| 95 | Sunnyside | 16,277 | 391 | 3.0% |
| 95 | Kirkland | 92,621 | 2,223 | 3.0% |
| 95 | West Richland | 17,586 | 422 | 3.0% |
| 95 | Pacific | 7,066 | 170 | 3.0% |
| 95 | Buckley | 5,371 | 129 | 3.0% |
| 95 | Union Gap | 6,584 | 158 | 3.0% |
| 95 | Seattle | 754,195 | 18,101 | 3.0% |
| 95 | Bothell | 49,610 | 1,191 | 3.0% |
| 95 | Pasco | 79,575 | 1,910 | 3.0% |
| 95 | Kent | 135,603 | 3,254 | 3.0% |
| 95 | Kenmore | 23,741 | 570 | 3.0% |
| 95 | Federal Way | 99,493 | 2,388 | 3.0% |
| 95 | Black Diamond | 5,961 | 143 | 3.0% |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024. 122 cities with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
Getting Some Closure In Washington After Untying The Knot
We now have a sense of what places in the Evergreen State don’t pay much attention to the whole “’til death do we part” phrase.
The cities with the highest divorce rate in Washington are Hoquiam, Centralia, Selah, Sultan, Aberdeen, Omak, Port Townsend, Stanwood, Chehalis, and Prosser.
Try to keep in mind that the reason cities rank where they do in Washington could be because of the age, education, and income distribution, as all of those things impact the rate of divorce.
