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About Suicide Statistics in Arizona

Understanding suicide statistics is essential for developing effective prevention strategies and providing the necessary support to those at risk. This page is dedicated to offering a comprehensive look at suicide data, both nationally and within Arizona, helping to shed light on trends, risk factors, and the impact of suicide on different communities.

                                   State-wide

1. Overall Suicide Rate
  • The overall suicide rate in Arizona has been steadily increasing, reaching approximately 19.22 suicides per 100,000 people in 2023, which is higher than the national average (CDC).
2. Demographic Breakdown
  • By Age: The highest rates of suicide are seen among adults aged 45 to 64, with significant increases also noted among young adults aged 25 to 34.
  • By Gender: Males have a suicide rate three times higher than females in Arizona. Suicide is the 8th leading cause of death for males and the 11th for females.
  • By Veteran Status: From 2012-2022, it was found that Veterans were more than twice as likely to commit suicide than non-Veterans, highlighting the need for targeted support and interventions for this group.
3. Methods of Suicide
  • Over half of the suicides in Arizona involve firearms, accounting for 61.1% of completed suicides. Other common methods include suffocation and poisoning, with poisoning by drugs being more common among women.
4. Rural and Urban County Differences
  • The suicide rate in rural counties was almost twice as high than the rate in urban counties in 2022.
Source: (AZ Suicide Surveillance Report 2022)

                      Variations in Arizona Counties
​
A. Maricopa County 
  • Overall Suicide Rate: The suicide rate in Maricopa County for 2023 was 17.5 per 100,000.
  • Trends Over Time: Over the past decade, the suicide rate has varied but shows an overall increasing trend. There was a 72% decrease in the rate of suicide among children younger than 15 over the last decade, but rates of suicide among adults between 25 and 34 have increased by 50% during that period.
  • Methods: Firearms remain the most common means of suicide, accounting fore 60% of completed suicides. Other means include suffocation (21%), poisoning (13%), and other/unspecified (6%).
  • Gender: Males had a 27.4 per 100,000 suicide rate, which was 3 times higher than the suicide rate of females (7.7 per 100,000).
  • Race: Suicide rates for each race were White (23 per 100,000), American Indian (20 per 100,000), Hispanic (11.5 per 100,000), Black/African American (19.5 per 100,000), and Asian (6.5 per 100,000).
Source: (Maricopa.gov)

B. Pima County
  • Overall Suicide Rate: The number of suicides in Pima County in 2024 was approximately 206, with the suicide rate being 19.0 per 100,000.
  • Trends Over Time: 2024 marked the second year in a row of declining suicide deaths, with a 4% decrease from 2023. Suicides by firearm made up a majority of suicide deaths, with the rate being 3 times higher than the next method of suicide deaths (suffocation). 
  • Methods: Firearms were used in 59% of suicides, followed by suffocation (20%). Other methods of suicide include asphyxia, sharp force injury, jump from height, and other.
  • Gender: 78% of suicides were males and 22% were females. 
  • Race: Suicide rates for each race were White (67%), Hispanic (24%), American Indian/Alaskan Native (4%), Black/African American (2%), and Asian/Pacific Islander (2%).
Source: (Annual Report 2024)

C. Pinal County
  • Overall Suicide Rate: The number of suicides in Pinal County in 2024 was approximately 98.
  • Trends Over Time: Suicide by firearm made up a majority of suicide deaths. The suicide rate increased by 8.8% from 2023 to 2024.
  • Methods: Firearms (handgun) remain the most common means of suicide, accounting for 66.3% of completed suicides. Other means include asphyxia (hanging and chemical), firearm (long gun), overdose, blunt force, and thermal injury.
  • Gender: 88.7% of suicides were males and 11.3% were females.
  • Race: Out of 98 suicide deaths, 64 were White/non-Hispanic, 21 were Hispanic, 7 were Native American, 3 were African American, 2 were Unknown/other, and 1 was Pacific Islander.
Source: (Pinal.gov)

D. Yavapai County
  • Overall Suicide Rate: 18% of all deaths in Yavapai County were due to suicide in 2023.
  • Trends Over Time: The largest amount of suicide continued to occur in individuals 60 years and older. Firearms continue to be the leading cause in suicides, and have been for several years. 
  • Methods: Firearms remain the most common means of suicide, accounting for 82% of completed suicides. Other means include suffocation (11%), overdose (5%), and other/unspecified (2%).
  • Gender: Males had a 27.4 per 100,000 suicide rate, which was 3 times higher than the suicide rate of females (7.7 per 100,000).
  • Race: The suicide rates for each race include non-Hispanic White (23 per 100,000), American Indian (20 per 100,000), Black/African American (19.5 per 100,000), Hispanic (11.5 per 100,000), and Asian (6.5 per 100,000).
Source: (Maricopa.gov)

​E. Coconino County
  • Overall Suicide Rate: The number of suicides in Coconino County in 2022 was approximately 61, with the suicide rate being 42.1 per 100,000.
  • Trends Over Time: 2022 marked the highest rate of suicide between 2015 to 2022. Suicide rates began to increase in 2020, and continued to increase to 2022. 
  • Methods: Firearms remain the most common means of suicide, accounting for 47.1% of completed suicides. Other means include suffocation (29.6%), overdose (10.7%), fall (8%), vehicular (3.2%), and other/unspecified (1.5%).
  • Gender: Males had a 74.1 per 100,000 suicide rate, whereas the rate for females was 10.9 per 100,000 in 2022.
  • Race: The suicide death rates for each race include non-Hispanic White (49.9 per 100,000), American Indian (27.1 per 100,000), and Hispanic (36.3 per 100,000).
Source: (AZ Death Reporting System)

F. Cochise County 
  • Overall Suicide Rate: The number of suicides in Cochise County in 2024 was approximately 23, with the suicide rate being 17.9 per 100,000.
  • Trends Over Time: 2024 was the third year in a row where suicides by hanging has decreased. While there was an increase in suicides by overdose for many years in a row, the rate decreased in 2024.
  • Methods: Suicide by firearm was the most common method (70%), followed up by hanging (13%), overdose, drowning, and sharp force injury.
  • Gender:  78% of suicides were males and 22% were females. 
  • Race: Suicide rates for each race included were White (87%), Hispanic (4%), Black/African American (4%), and Unknown (4%).
Source: (Annual Report 2024)

G. Graham County 
  • Overall Suicide Rate: The number of suicides in Graham County in 2024 was approximately 15. 26% of deaths in Graham County were suicides.
  • Trends Over Time: Suicides increased in 2024, with a total of 15 whereas total suicides in 2023 were 7.
  • Methods: Suicide by firearm deaths made up 60% of all suicides, followed by hanging and overdose.
  • Gender: 87% of suicides were males and 13% of suicides were females. 
  • Race: Suicide rates for each race included were White (53%), Hispanic (33%), and American Indian/Alaskan Native (13%).
Source: (Annual Report 2024)

H. La Paz County 
  • Overall Suicide Rate: There were 11 suicides in 2024. 12% of deaths in La Paz County were suicides in 2024.
  • Trends Over Time: In 2024, the amount of suicides increased by two deaths from 2023. 
  • Methods: Firearms were the most common method for suicide (64%), followed by hanging, and asphyxia.
  • Gender: All suicides were male.
  • Race: Suicide rates for each race included were White (73%), Hispanic (9%), and American Indian/Alaskan Native (18%).
Source: (Annual Report 2024)

I. Santa Cruz County 
  • Overall Suicide Rate: There were 5 suicides in 2024. 14% of deaths in Santa Cruz were suicides.
  • Trends Over Time: In 2024, the amount of suicides decreased by three deaths from 2023. 
  • Methods: All suicides in Santa Cruz were death by firearm.
  • Gender: 80% of suicides were males and 20% of suicides were females.
  • Race: Suicide rates for each race included were White (80%), and Hispanic (20%).
Source: (Annual Report 2024)
​
J. Apache County
  • Overall Suicide Rate: There were 11 suicides in 2024. 39% of deaths in Apache County were suicides.
  • Methods: All suicides in Apache County were death by firearm.
  • Gender: All suicides were male.​
Source: (Annual Report 2024)
​
​
​                      Youth Suicide Statistics

​1. Arizona Suicide Surveillance Report 2022​
  • Suicide Rates By Age:
    • Ages 10-14: 1.7 per 100,000
    • Ages 15-19: 14.5 per 100,000
    • Ages 20-24: 24.2 per 100,000​ 
  • Methods: The most common methods used by youth included firearms, suffocating, and poisoning. Youth did not use the methods of jumping or cutting/piercing in 2022.
  • Youth Suicide Trends: Suicide rates were higher amongst rural youth than youth living in urban counties. The most significant rate difference was amongst 20-24 year old's, with rural rates being 70.8% higher than urban rates.
  • Hospital and ED Visits for Self-Inflicted Injuries:
    • Ages 5-9: 2.8 per 100,000
    • Ages 10-14: 276.4 per 100,000
    • Ages 15-19: 532.4 per 100,000​ 
    • Ages 20-24: 269.2 per 100,000
Source: (AZ Suicide Surveillance Report 2022)

                                   National

  1. Overall Trends:
    • In 2023, more than 49,000 people died by suicide in the United States. This equates to one death every 11 minutes.
    • The national suicide rate increased by 37% from 2000 to 2018, then decreased by 5% between 2018 and 2020. However, the rate nearly returned to its peak in 2022, with a rate of 14.2 per 100,000 people.
    • 1.5 million people attempted suicide.
  2. Demographic Breakdown:
    • By Race/Ethnicity:
      • Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native: 23.8 per 100,000
      • Non-Hispanic White: 17.6 per 100,000
      • Non-Hispanic Black: 9.1 per 100,000
      • Hispanic: 8.2 per 100,000
      • Non-Hispanic Asian: 6.5 per 100,000
    • By Gender:
      • Males: 22.7 per 100,000
      • Females: 5.9 per 100,000
    • By Age:
      • Ages 85 and older: 22.7 per 100,000
      • Ages 75-84: 19.4 per 100,000
      • Ages 65-74: 15.7 per 100,000​ 
      • Ages 55-64: 18.7 per 100,000
      • Ages 45-54: 18.9 per 100,000
      • Ages 35-44: 19.2 per 100,000
      • Ages 25-34: 18.6 per 100,000
      • Ages 15-24: 13.5 per 100,000
      • Ages 10-14: 2.3 per 100,000.
  3. Methods of Suicide:
    • Firearms are the most common method, accounting for 55.3% of all suicides.
    • Other methods include suffocation (24.3%), poisoning (12.1%), and other (8.2%)​.
Source: (CDC)
                                                                                                  Summary of Key Points
  • Suicide Rates:
    • Maricopa County: 19.22 per 100,000 population.
    • Significant increases in suicide rates among adults aged 25-34 and military veterans.
  • Methods:
    • Firearms are the leading method of suicide (61.1%).
    • Hanging and poisoning are also common methods.
  • Demographics:
    • Higher suicide rates among males compared to females.
    • Highest suicide rates among adults aged 45-64.
  • Youth Suicides:
    • Highest suicide rate among youth aged 20-24.
    • Firearms are the leading method of suicide.
    • Suicide rates were higher amongst youth living in rural counties than urban counties.
    • ​Highest hospital and ED visits for self-inflicted injuries among youth aged 15-19.