Overview
- Preliminary CDC data show a little over 48,800 suicide deaths in 2024, about 500 fewer than in 2023, for a national rate of 13.7 per 100,000 and the 10th-leading cause of death.
- The decline was concentrated among adults in their late 20s and early 30s, with most other age groups showing little change.
- Rates fell in parts of the South and Midwest but did not improve in the Mountain West.
- Experts point to possible contributions from expanded screening in large health systems, including the VA, and the 3-year-old 988 Lifeline, which includes a dedicated veterans option.
- Researchers warn that causes for the decline remain unclear; firearms are involved in about 55% of suicides, and the Trump administration last summer removed a 988 option for LGBTQ+ callers under 25, drawing concern.