Minnesota's Suicide Statistics Show Stable Rates In 2024

UNDATED (WJON News) -- The suicide rate in Minnesota remained the same in 2024, compared to 2023. There were 813 suicides among Minnesota residents.

This marks two years since the suicides have been below the state high set in 2022. MDH Suicide Prevention Epidemiologist Stefan Gingerich:

And one of the big trends that we've seen over the past 20 years is this increase that we've seen in suicide cases. Recently just in the last few years, we've been beginning to see signs that that increase might be slowing, which I think is a positive sign.

The rate is based on death certificates.

The 2024 data also shows an ongoing trend that rural areas in Minnesota have higher suicide rates, on average, than more urban areas. The suicide rate in entirely rural counties was twice that of the Twin Cities metro counties. The report from the Minnesota Department of Health says some contributing factors putting Greater Minnesotans more at risk could be higher rates of gun ownership, less access to health and mental care, and higher poverty rates.

The decades-long trends also show that more males than females died by suicide, with males comprising almost 80 percent of suicides.

Preliminary data shows that 988 Minnesota Lifeline Centers answered over 90,000 contacts, a 75 percent increase from 2023.

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If you need immediate emotional or mental health support, or are worried about someone else, you can call or text 988 or visit the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988lifeline.com.