We live in a world seemingly dominated by statistics. That's a rather ironic reality considering how much stock we put in the notion that we are each individuals with individual free wills. Like it or not, we can't get away from numbers and analytics - like a new U.S. Census Bureau report showing that people in Pennsylvania marry and divorce at lower rates than in the rest of the country.

It's actually a trend that the bureau says applies across the Northeast of the country. A cross reference of the data shows that the rate of divorces is lower in states like Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York than it is in states like Arkansas, Georgia and West Virginia. Why is that? Analysts have differing views.

In general, sociologists point to factors such as age, income, religion and education. But a family demographer with the Census Bureau points to timing. She notes that many people in the Northeast tend to be busy getting their various college degrees. She says that translates into men and women across the region marrying later. And later marriages have traditionally been seen as more likely to last.

Yet another view comes from a theology professor at Duquesne University. He says higher marital stability in Pennsylvania could be due to its cultural heritage. The culture has been thriving there for a lot of generations and people have tended to stay closer to home. That means tighter social networks that he says can deliver stronger family continuity. He says age is a big factor though, too, noting that if couples wed at ages 22 or below, nine times out of 10 they wind up divorced. The professor says they're just too young to know how to resolve conflicts.

All these numbers frame marriage and divorce as just data. The fact is though that they both involve human beings and emotions. Still, there are times when both sides in a marriage conclude it is best to split and to do it without acrimony. And Pennsylvania provides for that through no-fault, uncontested divorce processes. It can be easily handled but shouldn't be done without the help of experienced lawyers.

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "Marriage works better in Pennsylvania," Gary Rotstein, Aug. 25, 2011