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Suicide in America: A Closer Look at the Statistics

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Suicide in America: A Closer Look at the Statistics

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Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. In 2023 alone, more than 49,000 people died by suicide across the country—equivalent to one death every 11 minutes.

In this map, we use data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to show suicide rates by state in 2023, measured as age-adjusted deaths per 100,000 people.

Suicide Rates Among Men Far Exceed Those of Women

According to CDC data, an estimated 12.8 million adults in the U.S. have seriously considered suicide. Of those, 3.7 million created a plan, and 1.5 million went on to attempt suicide.

Over time, suicide rates have shown troubling trends. Between 2000 and 2018, rates rose by 37%, before declining slightly by 5% from 2018 to 2020. However, they returned to peak levels by 2022.

Rank State Suicide Rate
1 Alaska 28.15
2 Montana 26.65
3 Wyoming 26.31
4 Idaho 23.28
5 New Mexico 22.76
6 Oklahoma 21.79
7 Utah 21.51
8 Colorado 20.89
9 South Dakota 20.66
10 Nevada 20.31
11 Arkansas 20.23
12 Kansas 19.56
13 Oregon 19.41
14 Arizona 19.22
15 West Virginia 18.57
16 Maine 18.47
17 Missouri 18
18 Vermont 17.85
19 North Dakota 17.75
20 Kentucky 17.47
21 Tennessee 17.34
22 Indiana 17
23 Alabama 16.8
24 Washington 15.7
25 Louisiana 15.56
26 Iowa 15.54
27 Mississippi 15.53
28 Hawaii 15.28
29 Wisconsin 14.97
30 Michigan 14.93
31 Georgia 14.77
32 Ohio 14.73
33 South Carolina 14.69
34 New Hampshire 14.56
35 Nebraska 14.47
36 Florida 14.38
37 Pennsylvania 14.32
38 North Carolina 14.25
39 Texas 14.25
40 Minnesota 13.83
41 Virginia 13.6
42 Delaware 12.81
43 Illinois 11.88
44 California 10.16
45 Rhode Island 9.41
46 Maryland 9.26
47 Connecticut 9.1
48 Massachusetts 8.58
49 New York 8.3
50 New Jersey 7.19

Certain groups are more vulnerable than others. In 2023, non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native people, along with non-Hispanic White people, had the highest suicide rates among racial and ethnic groups.

Additionally, men are at significantly higher risk. In 2023, the suicide rate among males was approximately four times higher than that of females. Although men represent 50% of the population, they accounted for nearly 80% of all suicides.

Finally, suicide disproportionately affects older adults. People aged 85 and older had the highest suicide rates of any age group in 2023.

Help is Available
If you or someone you know is in crisis, you’re not alone. Call emergency services in your country. In the U.S., dial 911 or text/call 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Learn More on the Voronoi App 

To learn more about health in America, check this graphic on how Medicare, the U.S. government’s health insurance program primarily for seniors, compares to similar programs in other rich countries.

Source
Social Issues
America
United States