The 2025 rate exceeded the preliminary national rate of 13.7 per 100,000, based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. It was lower than rates reported in Oregon, Idaho and Alaska, according to the state health department.

Adults 65 and older experienced the sharpest increase among age groups: their rate climbed from 19.1 per 100,000 in 2024 to 23.3 in 2025. The rate for young people ages 10 to 17 rose from 4.7 to 7.7 per 100,000. Most of that youth increase was among male-identified young people; the largest increases in the number of deaths were among 12- and 17-year-olds.

Some rural counties recorded two or three times as many deaths as in 2024, the department said. In smaller communities, a relatively small change in the number of deaths can produce a large swing in the rate because it is calculated against a smaller population. Rural areas can have higher rates than cities, even though most deaths statewide occur in more populous counties.

Rates also rose among several racial and ethnic groups. For American Indian and Alaska Native residents, the 2025 rate was 28.8 per 100,000—86% above the statewide rate. The rate among Hispanic residents increased from 8.5 to 9.9; among non-Hispanic White residents, from 15.8 to 17.6; and among non-Hispanic Black residents, from 11.9 to 13.9.

The health department said the factors behind suicide are complex and include biological, social and environmental influences, making it difficult to explain a year-to-year increase with a single cause. Michele Roberts, an assistant secretary in the department’s Prevention and Community Health Division, said the figures represent people and underscore the need for connection and support across communities, including for young people.

Washington’s 10-year State Suicide Prevention Plan, released in May 2025, calls for strengthening social connection, coordinating prevention efforts across sectors, improving treatment and support, and expanding research and data collection. The department also points to Find Your People, a tool for locating community activities and social connections that is designed especially with older adults in mind but is open to all residents.

Residents experiencing a crisis can call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. Spanish-language support is available by pressing 2 or texting AYUDA to 988; American Indian and Alaska Native callers in Washington can press 4 for the Native and Strong Lifeline. The Crisis Text Line can be reached by texting HOME to 741741. People working in agriculture, forestry or fishing can call or text the AgriStress Helpline at 833-897-2474.