U.S. Suicide Rate Edges Down in 2024 After Years Near Record Highs

Preliminary federal data indicate the U.S. suicide rate dipped slightly in 2024 after hovering at some of the highest levels on record. According to provisional figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were a little more than 48,800 deaths by suicide in 2024 — roughly 500 fewer than the year before — bringing the overall rate to 13.7 per 100,000 people.

Key Findings

Suicide had been rising for nearly two decades, aside from a two-year decline early in the COVID-19 pandemic, before increasing again to above 14 per 100,000 from 2021 through 2023. In 2024, declines were not uniform: the rate fell notably for people in their late 20s and early 30s, while most other age groups remained relatively stable. Some states in the South and Midwest recorded decreases, but rates did not fall in the Mountain West.

What Experts Say

Researchers caution that suicide is complex and driven by many factors, so it is difficult to know whether the 2024 dip is a short-term fluctuation or the start of a sustained decline. “There’s a lot to dig into as we’re starting to think about what could be responsible for a potential decline,” said Katherine Keyes, a Columbia University public health professor who studies suicide.

Contributing factors include rising rates of depression, limited access to mental health services, social and economic stressors, and the availability of firearms. CDC data show about 55% of suicide deaths involve guns, a persistent driver of lethality in attempts.

Prevention Efforts and Policy Notes

Experts point to expanded screening programs in large health systems — including efforts by the Department of Veterans Affairs — as possible contributors to improved identification and connection of at-risk people to care. The national 988 crisis line, launched three years ago, also likely played a role by giving callers access to mental health specialists quickly; it includes a veterans option aimed at a higher-risk group.

However, officials removed an option last summer that had connected callers under age 25 with counselors trained to support LGBTQ+ youth, a population with elevated suicide risk. Some researchers have voiced concern about eliminating targeted resources for the highest-risk groups.

Data Caveats

Suicide deaths are often undercounted because families and communities sometimes resist labeling a death as suicide for cultural or personal reasons; reporting practices can vary across jurisdictions. The CDC numbers are provisional and may be revised as investigations and record updates continue.

“We need careful analysis before concluding this is a sustained trend,” said Dr. Christine Moutier, chief medical officer of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. She added that reduced stigma and greater willingness to seek help are encouraging, but that continued investment in prevention and access to care is essential.

Reporting note: These are provisional CDC data and subject to revision as investigations and final reporting proceed.

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