Updated: February, 2024

Author: Injury Prevention Program, Vermont Department of Health

This indicator, or population measure, is part of our Healthy Vermonters 2030 data set. Read more about how this data helps us understand and improve the well-being of people in Vermont on the Healthy Vermonters 2030 webpage.

Because this data is meant to show how the health of our state changes during the decade from 2020-2030, some indicators may have very few data points for now. Keep checking back to see the progress our public health system and partners are making.

Looking for more data?

• Look at previous data on suicide deaths from the Department of Mental Health Scorecard.
• See the related national Healthy People 2030 objective for reducing suicide deaths.

Reducing the suicide rate is a Healthy People 2030 Leading Health Indicator. It is a high priority objective to drive action toward improving overall health and well-being.

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death nationwide, particularly among young people. In addition, suicide rates have increased nationally over the last 2 decades. Interventions to address behaviors that increase the risk of suicide, like drug and alcohol misuse, may help reduce the suicide rate nationwide. 

Suicide is an important public health issue facing Vermont. Approximately 120 Vermonters die by suicide each year, and Vermont’s suicide rate has been increasing over the past 18 years. For each of these suicide deaths, countless other Vermont family members, friends and colleagues are greatly impacted. As a state, Vermont needs to better understand the circumstances of these deaths and utilize this information to improve our efforts to prevent future suicides. 

A number of different populations are disproportionately impacted by suicide death suicide morbidity (i.e., suicidal ideation, suicide plans or attempts). Vermont data shows that Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and youth populations have high suicide morbidity, but the data doesn’t demonstrate high mortality. Vermont data also shows that individuals who identify as LGBTQAI+ have high suicide morbidity, but the data sources used in this analysis may not reliably capture sexual orientation or gender identity.   

Learn more about suicide deaths specific to Older Vermonters age 65+.

The Department of Health, in collaboration with the Department of Mental Health, is actively working to implement a broad set of public health strategies to prevention suicides and properly support those who have been affected by a suicide loss.  With the establishment of Vermont’s first statewide suicide prevention strategic plan, our state will be working to expand our suicide prevention strategies.  To learn more about our work, go to FacingSuicideVT.org, Health Department's Suicide Prevention page or the Department of Mental Health’s Suicide prevention webpage. 

Suicide death data is analyzed using ICD-10 codes (X60-X84, Y87.0, U03) or the designated Manner of Death on death certificates and includes all Vermont residents who died by suicide. This is a change from previous data analyses where suicide death data was analyzed primarily only with ICD-10 codes. As a result, there may be slight variations in the number of deaths per year compared to previous data products published. Additionally, Vermont’s suicide death numbers may not exactly match the numbers reported by the CDC, as they only report based on ICD-10 codes. Rates are reported as the unadjusted rate per 100,000 Vermont residents. Please note that 2023 death data are preliminary, and at the time of publication the rate denominators reflect 2022 population estimates.