WYOMING — The Wyoming Department of Health’s Vital Statistics Services (VSS) department has shared its annual report, noting that the state saw more births, deaths and marriages and slightly fewer divorces in 2024.
According to the report, 6,079 births were recorded among resident mothers last year, topping 2023’s 5,989 births. VSS points out a noteworthy nuance: 5,281 births were recorded within the state, indicating that some residents traveled to give birth outside of Wyoming. In 2023, 5,337 births were recorded within the state.
Wyoming recorded 4,493 marriages in 2024, up from 4,093 the year before. In 2022, there had been 4,273 marriages, preceded by 4,286 in 2021 and 4,016 in 2020. Divorce numbers were slightly down, with 1,901 divorces completed in 2024, down from 1,959 in 2023. Statistics from the past three years suggest a dip in divorces; 2022 saw 1,949 divorces completed, down from 2,183 in 2021 and 2,220 in 2020.
VSS shared that 5,725 deaths were recorded in the state last year, per official death certificate information. In 2023, 5,566 deaths were recorded, preceded by 5,895 in 2022. The state health department listed the top five causes of death for Wyomingites last year in order as heart diseases, cancers, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (and related conditions), “various types of accidents” and cerebrovascular diseases. Those were the same top causes from the year prior.
“While not among Wyoming’s top causes of death, two specific areas of interest in our state continue to be suicide and overdose deaths,” WDH Director Stefan Johansson said via press release. “The tragic and unexpected nature of these deaths can have big impacts within our communities.”
The state saw 168 suicides last year, up from 156 the year before and 155 the year before that. VSS said provisional data indicated that 88% of those suicides were male victims. A reported 72% of 2024’s suicides involved firearms.
According to VSS, there were 97 overdose deaths last year, down from 120 the year before and 110 in 2022. Illicit drugs were linked with 62% of 2024’s overdose deaths; opioids accounted for 45 of the deaths.
