Minnesota suicides remain stable for second year after 2022 peak
After trending upward for two decades, hitting a record high in 2022, suicide deaths in Minnesota have remained flat for the past two years, state health officials say.
According to preliminary data, the number of Minnesota suicides in 2024 — 813 — was the same as in 2023, ending a 20-year upward trend.
This marks two years of suicides below the state high set in 2022, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.
Until 2023, 'deaths by suicide in Minnesota have been trending up for the past 20 years with some slight fluctuations each year, mirroring patterns' across the country.
'The overall increase in deaths by suicide over the last couple of decades continues to be concerning,' Health Commissioner Brooke Cunningham said in a statement. 'Every death by suicide is a tragedy and can have an ongoing impact on families and communities. Our aim is to help make sure people know suicide is preventable and recovery is possible.'
Some key points in the 2024 data:
• The suicide rate in entirely rural counties was twice that of Twin Cities metro counties. State health officials say contributing factors that make rural residents more at risk could include higher rates of firearm ownership, less access to health and mental health care, and higher poverty rates.
• More males died by suicide than females, with males making up nearly 80% of the deaths.
• Nearly 51% of the deaths were caused by firearms, a higher percentage than in recent years.
State officials are 'closely watching initial proposed federal funding cuts that could significantly undermine this work to protect Minnesotans. Specifically, it calls for the elimination of both the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at CDC and key SAMHSA Mental Health Programs, as well as possible cuts to some 988 funding.'
If you need immediate emotional or mental health support, or are worried about someone else, call or text 988 or visit the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988lifeline.org to connect with a trained specialist.
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