Suicide Facts and Statistics

General Statistics (USA)

Suicide is the 10^th leading cause of death in the US for all ages. (CDC)
Every day, approximately 130 Americans die by suicide. (CDC)
There is one death by suicide in the US every 11 minutes. (CDC)
Depression affects 20-25% of Americans ages 18+ in a given year. (CDC)
Suicide takes the lives of over 47,500 Americans every year. (CDC)
The highest suicide rates in the US are among Whites, American Indians, and Alaska Natives.
Only half of all Americans experiencing an episode of major depression receive treatment. (NAMI)
80% -90% of people that seek treatment for depression are treated successfully using therapy and/or medication. (TADS study)
An estimated 285,000 each year become suicide survivors. (AAS)
There is one suicide for every estimated 25 suicide attempts. (CDC)
There is one suicide for every estimated 4 suicide attempts in the elderly. (CDC)
Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in the world among young people ages 10-34 years. (CDC)

Suicide among males is 4x’s higher than among females. Male deaths represent 79% of all US suicides. (CDC)
In 2019, firearms were the most common method used in suicide deaths in the United States, accounting for a little over half of all suicide deaths (23,941). (CDC)
Firearms are the most commonly used method of suicide by gender: among males (55.6%); among females (31.4%). (CDC)
Among females, the most common methods of suicide were firearm (31.4%), poisoning (30.0%), and suffocation (29.0%). Among males, the most common methods of suicide were firearm (55.6%) followed by suffocation (28.4%). (CDC)
In 2019, among adults across all age groups, the prevalence of serious suicidal thoughts was highest among young adults aged 18-25 (11.8%). (CDC)

Also see the CDC’s “Facts about Suicide”: www.cdc.gov/suicide/facts/index.html

Last reviewed January 2022