MN Suicide Rate Ticks Down From Historical High, With 815 Deaths

ST. PAUL, MN — A total of 815 Minnesotans died from suicide in 2023, down from the historically high number of 860 in 2022, according to state data.

The suicide rate fell from 14.8 per 100,000 in 2022 to 14.1 per 100,000 in 2023, according to a preliminary analysis.

Though a positive drop in the rate, deaths by suicide in Minnesota have been trending up for the past 20 years, mirroring patterns across the United States.

Officials note that firearms are often involved in suicides, making up the largest percentage of suicide deaths (47 percent) in 2023.

Year to year, white males account for about 80 percent of the suicide deaths by firearm in Minnesota, and men in general account for about 80 percent of all suicides in Minnesota, officials said.

However, women and girls have higher rates of non-fatal suicide attempts, according to the data.

These patterns are likely related to the lethality of firearm injuries compared to other injuries, authorities said.

In 2022 and 2023, American Indians or Alaska Natives had a higher suicide rate than the most populous racial or ethnic groups in Minnesota.