Suicide Rates Largely Unchanged in 2023, but Still High

A new NCHS report, “Changes in Suicide Rates in the United States From 2022 to 2023,” sheds light on the trends surrounding suicide rates over the past two decades. This report tracks the statistics from 2003 to 2023 and focuses on notable changes in 2022 and 2023.

Recent Stability in Overall Rates

From 2003 to 2018, the suicide rate in the U.S. saw a steady increase, but since then, it has mostly stabilized. Between 2018 and 2023, the rate did not significantly change between 14.2 to 14.1 deaths per 100,000 people.

Differences in Rates

For males, the suicide rate rose from 18.1 per 100,000 in 2003 to 22.8 in 2018. Since then, it has remained relatively stable, from 23.0 in 2022 to 22.7 in 2023.

For females, the suicide rate increased from 4.2 in 2003 to 6.1 in 2017, but by 2022, it had dropped to 5.9 and remained there in 2023.

Throughout this period, the suicide rates for males have consistently been three to four times higher than those for females.

Age-Specific Trends

The only significant age-related changes between 2022 and 2023 were observed in adults ages 75 and older. For women in this age group, the suicide rate increased by nearly 11%, while for men, it decreased by 7.3%.

Interestingly, the lowest suicide rates for both males and females were found among those ages 10-14, while the highest rates for males were in the 75 and older group, and for females, the highest rates were among those ages 45–64.

State-Level Changes

Most states did not show any statistically significant changes in age-adjusted suicide rates between 2022 and 2023. Only one state saw a significant increase (12% increase): Arkansas. Four other states saw significant decreases: Arizona (7% decrease), Connecticut (14% decrease), Iowa (16% decrease), and North Dakota (21% decrease).