Based on the most recent finalized data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for 2022, **Wyoming** has the highest suicide rate in the United States, closely followed by **Montana**.
Wyoming’s suicide rate is approximately **32.5 per 100,000 people**, and Montana’s is 32.0. By comparison, the national average is roughly 14.3 per 100,000, meaning the rates in these states are more than double the national average.
These states are part of a geographic region researchers often refer to as the **"Suicide Belt,"** which encompasses the Rocky Mountain West (including Alaska, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, and Idaho).
Researchers and public health experts attribute these disproportionately high rates to a "perfect storm" of overlapping factors:
### 1. High Rates of Gun Ownership
Public health researchers point to access to lethal means as the single most significant factor in suicide fatality. Wyoming and Montana have some of the highest rates of household firearm ownership in the country. While owning a gun does not cause suicidal ideation, it makes a suicide attempt far more likely to be fatal. Over 85% of suicide attempts with a firearm result in death, compared to less than 5% for most other methods.
### 2. Geographic and Social Isolation
Wyoming and Montana are vast, highly rural states with low population densities. Physical isolation can lead to profound social isolation and loneliness. Furthermore, when someone is in a state of mental health crisis, the physical distance between them and a neighbor, a hospital, or first responders can be a matter of life and death.
### 3. Severe Shortages of Mental Health Care
Much of the Mountain West consists of "mental health deserts." There is a severe shortage of psychiatrists, psychologists, and clinical social workers in rural areas. Even if someone wants to seek help, they may have to drive several hours to find a clinic, and once there, they often face waitlists that are months long.
### 4. Cultural Stigma ("Rugged Individualism")
Researchers frequently cite the "cowboy culture" of the Mountain West as a barrier to treatment. The cultural emphasis on rugged individualism, self-reliance, and "pulling yourself up by your bootstraps" creates a deep stigma around mental illness. People in these regions, particularly men, are often socially conditioned to view asking for emotional or psychological help as a sign of weakness.
### 5. Demographics
Suicide rates are historically highest among middle-aged and older white men. Wyoming and Montana have proportionally larger populations of this specific demographic group compared to more diverse, urban states. Additionally, Native American populations experience some of the highest suicide rates of any racial or ethnic group in the U.S., which impacts the overall rates in states with large Indigenous populations like Montana, Wyoming, Alaska, and New Mexico.
### 6. The "Altitude Hypothesis"
A fascinating and actively researched biological factor is altitude. Researchers at institutions like the University of Utah have found a strong correlation between living at high altitudes and increased suicide rates. The working hypothesis is that chronic, mild hypoxia (lower oxygen levels in the blood) affects brain chemistry, specifically altering the metabolism of serotonin and dopamine. This can decrease the effectiveness of antidepressants and exacerbate depression and anxiety in certain individuals.
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*Note: If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. In the United States, you can call or text **988** or chat at **988lifeline.org** to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Services are free, confidential, and available 24/7.*