Source: U.S. data is from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) annual mortality data files (U.S. 2022
data not available at the time of this report). Michigan and Washtenaw County data is from Geocoded Michigan Death Certificate Registries, Division for Vital
Records and Health Statistics, Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS).
*Rates are not age-adjusted: crude rates are per 100,000 population using population estimates specific to the year and geographic area.
**2023 Washtenaw County data are preliminary (Source: Washtenaw County Medical Examiner (ME) Office and Washtenaw County Health Department (WCHD))
The suicide rate among Washtenaw County residents continues to remain below both the Michigan and national
suicide completion rates. Locally, the overall suicide rate decreased from 2021 to 2022, and has continued to decline
in 2023 to the lowest rate since 2018, per preliminary data. In Washtenaw County, there has been a 22% decrease
in the rate of suicide completions from 2021 to 2023. While the local rate has been trending downward since 2018,
an overall increasing trend has been observed over the past two decades.
Overall Washtenaw County suicide death rates suggest a promising decrease in recent years
Source for 2014-2022 data: Geocoded Michigan Death Certificate Registry - Division for Vital Records & Health Statistics, MDHHS.
*Source for 2023 data: Washtenaw County ME Office and WCHD. These data are preliminary.
9.9
6.8
7.7
8.2
8.7
7
7.6
8.4
12.4
8.6
9.7
9.3
8.6
10
11
11.4
8.6
13.6
12.1
12.9
12.3
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Suicide Completion Rate*, 2002-2022
Residents of Washtenaw County, Michigan, and the U.S.
Washtenaw crude rate per 100,000 Michigan crude rate per 100,000 U.S. crude rate per 100,000
Washtenaw County 2023 rate**:
10.0 per 100k
Rate* of suicide deaths per 100,000
31
36
40
42
32
50
45
47
45
37
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023*
Suicide Completions by Age Group
Washtenaw County Residents 2014-2023*
<25 years 25-44 years 45-64 years 65+ years
Number of Suicide Completions
Washtenaw County Health Department | May 2024
Suicide Report
Page 1 of 6
3.7
4.1
7.7
6.6
7.0
6.7
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
2014-2016 2017-2019 2020-2022
Rate of suicide completions per 100,000
Washtenaw County Michigan
Trends may be shifting among those under 25.
• The Washtenaw County suicide rate for residents under 25 years old had been increasing since 2014-2016.
Preliminary 2023 data suggest a promising reversal in the trend of increasing rates.
• Rates among this population increased 88% in 2020-2022, resulting in the local rate surpassing the statewide
rate. The local rate had previously been well below the statewide rate in 2014-2016 and 2017-2019
Suicide rates among working age adults have decreased.
• Local rates among adults ages 25 to 44 and 45 to 64 years remain below the corresponding statewide rates.
• Preliminary 2023 data suggest continued decreases in suicide rates among these populations.
Local suicide rates have increased among older adults.
• The suicide rate for adults 65 and older in Washtenaw County doubled from 2014-2016 to 2020-2022. The local
rate surpassed the statewide rate in 2020-2022, despite being well below it in 2014-2016.
• Based on preliminary 2023 data, decreases in the local 65 and older rate are less substantial compared to
decreases observed across all other age groups. The preliminary 2023 Washtenaw County 65 and older rate
matches the 2020-2022 statewide rate. Preliminary 2023 rates for all other age groups are well below the
corresponding 2020-2022 Michigan rates.
Comparison of Washtenaw and Michigan suicide completion rates by age group (2014-2023)
Source for above figures: Geocoded Michigan Death Certificate Registry - Division for Vital Records & Health Statistics, MDHHS.
*Rates are per 100,000 population, using Washtenaw County and Michigan American Community Survey estimates for the midpoint of each three-year period.
**2023 Washtenaw County data are preliminary (source: Washtenaw County ME Office and WCHD)
12.6
15.6
14.2
17.7
18.7
19.4
0
3
6
9
12
15
18
21
2014-2016 2017-2019 2020-2022
Rate of suicide completions per 100,000
Washtenaw County Michigan
17.3
14.9
14.0
18.5
19.4
18.0
0
3
6
9
12
15
18
21
2014-2016 2017-2019 2020-2022
Rate of suicide completions per 100,000
Washtenaw County Michigan
8.8
15.5
17.7
14.4
15.7
16.5
0
3
6
9
12
15
18
2014-2016 2017-2019 2020-2022
Rate of suicide completions per 100,000
Washtenaw County Michigan
Washtenaw County 2023 rate**:
4.4 per 100k
Washtenaw County 2023 rate**:
12.5 per 100k
Washtenaw County 2023 rate**:
16.5 per 100k
Washtenaw County 2023 rate**:
11.9 per 100k
Suicide Report | Washtenaw County Health Department | May 2024
Page 2 of 6
Suicide Completion Rates Among Those <25 Years
Washtenaw County and Michigan
Suicide Completion Rates Among 25-44 Year Olds
Washtenaw County and Michigan
Suicide Completion Rates Among 45-64 Year Olds
Washtenaw County and Michigan
Suicide Completion Rates Among Those 65+ Year Olds
Washtenaw County and Michigan
The Healthy People 2030 goal is to reduce the national
suicide rate to 12.8 completions per 100,000
population. While the overall Washtenaw County rate has
met this target rate, some areas of the county have not.
• Comparing Washtenaw County zip codes, suicide
completion rates are the highest within the
Manchester area 48158 zip code. The completion
rate in 48158 was well above the Healthy People
2030 target in both 2019-2021 and 2020-2022.
• Ypsilanti area zip code 48198 and Whitmore Lake
area zip code 48189 have also remained above the
target rate in both 2019-2021 and 2020-2022.
• While the suicide completion rate in Dexter area zip
code 48130 remains below the Healthy People 2030
target, the rate in this area nearly doubled from 2019-
2021 to 2020-2022. The suicide rate in 48130 was
slightly below half of the countywide rate in 2019-
2021 but it increased to match the countywide rate in
2020-2022.
Geography of suicides in Washtenaw County
Suicide Completion Rate per 100k by Zip Code
Washtenaw County Residents
Rates in red are above the Healthy People 2030 target rate
(12.8 suicides per 100,000 population)
Zip Code 2019-2021 Rate 2020-2022 Rate
48103 12 13.1
48104 7.8 7.8
48105 12 8.2
48108 8.4 11.2
48118 15.1 7.5
48130 6.3 12.4
48158 22.4 18.2
48160 6.9 10.1
48176 8.6 10.4
48189 13.2 13.4
48197 15.2 12.6
48198 14.2 14.9
Overall
County Rate
12.8 12.4
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023*
Rate per 100,000 population
Suicide Completion Rate per 100,000 population by Age Group
Washtenaw County Residents, 2019-2023*
<25 years 25-44 years 45-64 years 65+ years
Between 2018 and 2022, the suicide rate among Washtenaw County residents 25 and under increased by 63%.
Preliminary data from 2023 suggest a hopeful trend that the suicide rate may be decreasing among this population.
Washtenaw County youth suicide rates may be decreasing
Source for the above figure: Geocoded Michigan Death Certificate Registry - Division for Vital Records & Health Statistics, MDHHS (2018-2022).
*Source for 2023 data: Washtenaw County ME Office and WCHD. These data are preliminary.
Source: Washtenaw County ME Office and WCHD. See data note on page 5 for more information.
Suicide Report | Washtenaw County Health Department | May 2024
Page 3 of 6
16.9
17.2
19.1
22.0
23.8
23.4
0
5
10
15
20
25
2014-2016 2017-2019 2020-2022
Rate of suicide completions per 100,000
Washtenaw County Michigan
Suicide Completion Rates Among Males
Washtenaw County and Michigan
Source for above figures: Geocoded Michigan Death Certificate Registry - Division for Vital Records & Health Statistics, MDHHS.
*Rates are per 100,000 population, using Washtenaw County and Michigan American Community Survey estimates for the midpoint of each three-year period.
**2023 Washtenaw County data are preliminary (Source: Washtenaw County Medical Examiner (ME) Office and Washtenaw County Health Department (WCHD))
3.1
5.2
5.7
5.9
6.0
6.0
0
5
10
15
20
25
2014-2016 2017-2019 2020-2022
Rate of suicide completions per 100,000
Washtenaw County Michigan
Washtenaw County 2023 rate**:
14.6 per 100k
Washtenaw County 2023 rate**:
5.4 per 100k
White residents are overrepresented in local suicides. In 2021, 82% of suicides were among white residents. This
increased to 89% of suicides in 2023. Washtenaw County’s population is 74% white, per 2022 U.S. Census Bureau
estimates. Compared to the preliminary suicide rate across Washtenaw County of 10.0 per 100,000 in 2023, the rate
among white residents was 11.8.
The local white suicide rate has been below the Michigan and national rates in recent years. In 2021, the white
suicide rate among Washtenaw County residents was 14.0 per 100,000, compared to 15.5 in Michigan and 16.5 in
the United States.
Most local suicides occur among white residents
Source: Washtenaw County ME Office and WCHD. See data note on page 5 for more information.
Suicide Report | Washtenaw County Health Department | May 2024
Page 4 of 6
Suicide Completion Rates Among Females
Washtenaw County and Michigan
The majority of local suicides in 2022 and 2023 occurred among
men. This is consistent with local trends over the past two
decades, as well as with trends observed across Michigan and
the United States. In 2022, 78% of suicides in Michigan and
79% of suicides nationwide occurred among men. From 2020 to
2022, the Washtenaw County suicide rate among men was over
three times the rate among females.
The rate of suicide among local men has increased since 2014-
2016, but the rate has been consistently lower than the suicide
rate for men across Michigan. Preliminary data from 2023
suggest a promising decrease in rates for Washtenaw men.
While the Washtenaw County suicide rate among females
remains below the Michigan rate for females, the gap narrowed
in recent years. The statewide suicide rate among females was
double the local rate in 2014-2016, but the 2020-2022 rate
was only slightly above the local rate for the same time period.
Men continue to be overrepresented in local suicide deaths
26%
74%
Female Male
Source the for above figure: Geocoded Michigan Death Certificate
Registry - Division for Vital Records & Health Statistics, MDHHS.
*Source for 2023 data: Washtenaw County ME Office and WCHD.
These data are preliminary.
Suicide Completion by Sex
Washtenaw County Residents, 2021-2023*
Firearms continue to be the most common means of
suicide completion locally and the proportion of
suicide deaths from firearms is increasing. Firearms
were used in nearly half (49%) of suicide completions
in 2023 among Washtenaw County residents,
compared to 39% of suicide completions in 2022
and 43% in 2021. This is comparable to trends
observed across Michigan in recent years: 53% of
Michigan suicides in 2020 were carried out by
firearms (2022 Michigan Suicide Prevention
Commission Annual Report).
Firearms remain the most common means of
suicide in Washtenaw County
In Washtenaw County, suicides completions by firearm occur more frequently among males compared to females.
Among those who died by suicide by firearm between 2021 and 2023, 87% were male. Over this same time period,
the percent of male suicides carried out by firearms was more than double the percent of female suicides carried out
by firearms.
While firearms are less frequently used in suicides among those under 25 years old compared to all other age
groups, this trend may be shifting. Firearms were involved in 17% of suicides under 25 years between 2019 and
2021, but this increased to 27% between 2021 and 2023.
Between 2021 and 2023, 30% of female suicides occurred by drug overdose and 36% occurred by
hanging/suffocation. Younger people who die by suicide are more likely to die from hanging/suffocation: this method
was used in a third of suicides among those under 45 years.
Firearm suicides are more common in males and appear to be increasing among younger adults
Source for above table and figures: Washtenaw County ME Office and WCHD. See data note on the bottom of this page for more information.
*2023 data are preliminary.
**Other includes blunt force and blast injuries (ex. fall from height, pedestrian-train/car collision), carbon monoxide poisoning, chemical asphyxia, and drowning.
Date note: data from the Geocoded Michigan Death Certificate Registry reported by Division for Vital Records & Health Statistics, MDHHS was used for total
annual counts of suicide deaths among Washtenaw County residents and information on age and gender. This data includes Washtenaw County residents that
may have died outside of the county that would not have been reported by the Washtenaw County ME Office and therefore represents a more complete dataset.
A slightly smaller sample size of data from the Washtenaw County ME Office was used for more detailed information on race and suicide method.
Suicide Report | Washtenaw County Health Department | May 2024
Page 5 of 6
Method of Suicide Completion by Age
Washtenaw County Residents, 2021–2023*
Method of
Suicide:
< 25
years
25 - 44
years
45 - 64
years
65+
years
Overall
Firearms 27% 43% 47% 55% 43%
Hanging/
Suffocation
35% 33% 23% 14% 27%
Drug
Overdose
19% 17% 20% 21% 19%
Other** 19% 7% 10% 14% 12%
13%
87%
Female Male
21%
36%
30%
12%
51%
23%
15%
12%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Firearms Hanging/suffocation Drug Overdose Other*
Female Male
Suicide Completions by Firearms by Sex
Washtenaw County, 2021-2023*
n=55
Method of Suicide Completion by Sex
Washtenaw County, 2021-2023*
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Crude Rate of Suicide Attempts (per 10,000)
10-24 years 25-44 years 45-64 years 65+ years
Female Suicide Attempts by Age
Washtenaw County Residents, 2018-2023*
The overall rate of suicide attempts has increased. The Washtenaw County suicide attempt rate increased 18% from
2021 to 2022. Rates rose from 14.4 attempts per 10,000 population in 2021 to 17.0 attempts per 10,000
population in 2023.
Demographic trends in suicide attempts continue to differ from age and gender of completions. Suicide completions
tend to occur more frequently among middle-aged males, but young adult females have the highest rate of attempts.
However, demographic trends in attempts may be shifting:
• Rates of suicide attempts among youth have been declining since 2021.
• Rates remain the highest among females ages 10-24 years but declined 18% from 2021 to 2023. Over the
same time period, rates among males ages 10-24 years decreased 12%.
• Increases in attempt rates have been observed among working age adults.
• In 2023, the rate of suicide attempts among females ages 25-44 years was 38% higher than the 2021 rate.
• Among those 45-64 years, rates of attempts among males increased 28% and among females increased 16%
from 2021 to 2023.
• In contrast, while Washtenaw County men ages 25-44 years continue to have the highest rate of attempt
among males, there has been a 23% decrease in rate among this group from 2021 to 2023.
• Attempt rates have increased among both male and female older adults.
• The attempt rate among females 65 years and older rose 49% from 2021 to 2023.
• Among males 65 years and older, the rate of suicide attempt increased 26% over this same time period.
Trends in local suicide attempts
Source: Emergency Medical Service (EMS) data submitted to Michigan EMS Information System (Mi-EMSIS) accessed through the BioSpatial platform. This data
represents EMS responses to different events (or syndromes) as documented by EMS personnel. EMS data may contain duplicates as multiple EMS personnel
can respond to one event. *Rates are per 10,000 population, using Washtenaw County 5-Year American Community Survey estimates.
Visit washtenaw.org/suicide for additional data.
Anyone in Washtenaw County can call the Community Mental Health CARES team 24/7 with any mental
health questions: 734-544-3050
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Crude Rate of Suicide Attempts (per 10,000)
10-24 years 25-44 years 45-64 years 65+ years
Suicide Report | Washtenaw County Health Department | May 2024
Page 6 of 6
Male Suicide Attempts by Age
Washtenaw County Residents, 2018-2023*
