MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WGNS) – A new national report highlights a troubling disparity in suicide rates between rural and urban communities, with rural areas—including parts of Tennessee—continuing to see higher suicide mortality.
The study, released by the ETSU/NORC Rural Health Research Center in May 2025, analyzed suicide data from 2018 to 2021 and found that rural communities nationwide reported consistently higher crude suicide rates compared to urban areas across all demographic groups.
For the South, which includes Tennessee, rural suicide rates averaged 18.8 per 100,000 residents during the four years, significantly higher than the 14.4 per 100,000 reported in urban areas. Nationally, rural suicide rates stood at 19.6 per 100,000, compared to 13.7 per 100,000 in urban communities.
The study also revealed key demographic trends. Men were four times more likely than women to die by suicide in rural areas (32.0 vs. 7.2 per 100,000). White individuals and American Indian/Alaskan Natives had the highest crude suicide rates, with rural White residents experiencing 20.9 deaths per 100,000.
Middle-aged adults in rural areas were especially at risk. Residents aged 25-34 and 45-54 had the highest suicide rates at 28.8 and 25.3 per 100,000, respectively.
Researchers point to several contributing factors, including a shortage of mental health providers in rural areas, barriers such as transportation and cost, and lingering stigma around seeking care.
“Rural counties across Tennessee face significant challenges in mental health access, and the data underscore the need for tailored interventions,” the report notes.
The report calls for expanding telehealth and mobile mental health services, training nontraditional community workers in suicide prevention, and addressing social drivers like poverty and housing instability.
Local organizations such as the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network continue to work to address these issues and raise awareness.
If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available by calling or texting 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
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