Wyoming’s Suicide Rate Falls—But It’s Still Among America’s Highest

Wyoming has made real progress on suicide prevention—just not enough to climb out of the national danger zone, Casper Star-Tribune reports.

Gov. Mark Gordon and the state health department’s Injury & Violence Prevention team are touting three years of declines after a 2021 peak of 32.5 deaths per 100,000. Since 2022, Wyoming’s rate has eased into the 26.3–28.2 range, landing at 26.5 most recently. That’s improvement—but it still keeps Wyoming in the top three nationally, just behind Alaska (28.1) and in a photo finish with Montana (26.7).

Gordon’s message: keep going.

“September gives us a vital opportunity to bring awareness, normalize help-seeking, and connect people to life-saving support,” he said, crediting state agencies, local partners, and volunteers for pushing stigma down and help up.

The numbers behind the struggle

• Guns and risk: About 74% of Wyoming suicides involve firearms. Wyoming also has one of the nation’s highest household gun-ownership rates—66%+—a pattern researchers link to higher suicide rates.
• National picture (2023): The US recorded 49,316 suicides; 55% involved a firearm. The overall rate ticked down slightly from 14.3 to 14.1 per 100,000, while gun suicide held at 7.6.
• Low-rate states: Massachusetts (7.2), New York (8.3), and New Jersey (8.6) have both lower gun ownership and tougher gun laws—factors often associated with fewer suicides.

The state has leaned into prevention with:

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (signed into law and expanding),
• The Wyoming State Suicide Prevention Plan,
• Community programs like PROSPER and Veterans Talking to Veterans, and
• The governor’s Mental Health Task Force and WY We Care initiative, aimed at training, funding, and coordination.

Officials say the trend is finally bending the right way—just not fast enough. The work ahead: sustaining funding, broadening training, and deepening community networks so help is easy to find the moment it’s needed.

If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available 24/7.
Call or text 988 to reach trained Wyoming caregivers.
Veterans: dial 988, then press 1.