More than four of every 1,000 residents in Deschutes County got a divorce in 2014, make the Central Oregon county rate about one person higher than the state average of 3.39, according to data from the Oregon Health Authority and the U.S. Census Bureau.

Over a 25-year period beginning in 1989, the number of divorces filed in Deschutes County rose from 325 in the first year to 732 in 2014, with a high of 869 in 2011. Deschutes County was also the only one in Oregon to show divorces going up when the data was broken into 20, 10 and five year increments.

The rate of increase is in line with county-wide population growth for the time period, but still drew the surprise of Oregon Center for Public Health Statistics staff and local family counselor Colleen McNally.

“I wouldn’t have ever guessed it was that high,” McNally said. “Without knowing specific details, I would say there are economic and age stressors in Bend that could contribute to a higher divorce rate.”

One of the more common factors in a divorce is retirement. McNally said that in her experience, the breadwinner (of either gender) retiring can lead to a loss of identity for him or her, and thus the marriage fails.

– Will Rubin