WYOMING — Despite some improvement, Wyoming continues to struggle with high suicide rates. According to the latest data from the American Association of Suicidology, Wyoming had the second-highest suicide rate in the United States in 2018.
The study found 147, or 25.4 out of every 100,000 Wyoming residents, took their own lives in 2018. That figure was down slightly from 2017 when more than 27 out of 100,000 died by suicide. New Mexico led all states with 536 suicide deaths—good for a 25.6 rate. The national average was 14.2.
Wyoming has found itself in the top five for more than a decade. Typically joined by neighboring Mountain West states Montana, Idaho, Colorado, and Alaska.
Easy accessibility to firearms is often blamed for the higher suicide rates in the west. In Wyoming, firearms accounted for 73% of the suicides in 2018. The national average was 50.5%.
Suicide ranks as the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S. It is the second-leading cause of death for 15-34-year-olds.
