American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
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Facts and Figures

The latest data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that 38,364 suicide deaths were reported in the U.S. in 2010. This latest rise places suicide again as the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S. Nationally, the suicide rate increased 3.9 percent over 2009 to equal approximately 12.4 suicides per 100,000 people. The rate of suicide has been increasing since 2000. This is the highest rate of suicide in 15 years.

suicide_rate_since_1993_2010.jpg

  • Every 13.7 minutes someone in the United States dies by suicide.

  • Nearly 1,000,000 people make a suicide attempt every year.

  • 90% of people who die by suicide have a diagnosable and treatable psychiatric disorder at the time of their death.

  • Most people with mental illness do not die by suicide.

  • Recent data puts yearly medical costs for suicide at nearly $100 million (2005).

  • Men are nearly 4 times more likely to die by suicide than women. Women attempt suicide 3 times as often as men. Click here to view.

  • Suicide rates are highest for people between the ages of 40 and 59. Click here to view.

  • Native American peoples are most likely to die by suicide, followed by white individuals . Click here to view.

YearNumber of Suicide DeathsPopulationRate per 100,000
199331,102259,918,59512.0
199431,142263,125,82611.8
199531,284266,278,40311.8
199630,903269,394,29111.5
199730,535272,646,93211.2
199830,575275,854,11611.1
199929,199279,040,18110.5
200029,350281,421,90610.4
200130,622285,081,55610.7
200231,655287,803,91411.0
200331,484290,326,41810.8
200432,439293,045,73911.1
200532,637295,753,15111.0
200633,300298,593,21211.2
200734,598301,579,89511.5
200836,035304,374,84611.8
200936,909307,006,55012.0
201038,364308,745,53812.4


Most recent figures from the Centers for Disease Control for the year 2010.
All rates are per 100,000 population.

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