South Dakota Has One of the Highest Suicide Rates in the Nation

Here's one stat that we South Dakotan's don't want to go touting anytime soon.

According to a new study, the Rushmore State has the 6th highest suicide rate in the nation.

KSFY TV is reporting that the study was conducted by the consumer website SeniorLiving.org. Researchers examined data that was provided by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Centers for Disease Control.

The results of the study showed that South Dakota had a suicide rate of 22.1 suicides per 100,000 people, good enough to place us at the 6th highest suicide rate in the nation.

According to KSFY, South Dakota's suicide rate has increased by 59 percent since 1999. That qualifies as one of the largest increases recorded from any state over that period of time.

The report showed that every state in the nation, with the exception of Nevada, has seen their suicide rate climb since 1999.

While South Dakota's suicide rates are high, fortunately, we don't have the highest rate in the nation. Montana has claimed that title. While the District of Columbia showed up in the study with the lowest rate of suicides per 100,000 people, at 6.9%.