Mexico’s Suicide Hotspots: INEGI Data Reveals Top States

Mexico — The suicide rate in Mexico has again raised red flags. New figures from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) reveal that Yucatán remains the state with the highest rate in the country, followed by Chihuahua and Aguascalientes, entities that have shown consistently rising trends for years.

The States with the Highest Suicide Rates in Mexico

According to the Registered Death Statistics (EDR), Yucatán leads the list with a standardized rate of 14.2 suicides per 100,000 inhabitants, maintaining the top national position for nearly a decade. It is followed by:

• Chihuahua: 14.0%
• Aguascalientes: 12.0%
• Quintana Roo: 11.2%
• Durango: 9.1%
• San Luis Potosí: 9.1%

Furthermore, Yucatán also stood out in the non-standardized rate, with 14.0% per 100,000 inhabitants, a figure that confirms the severity of the phenomenon in the entity.

In contrast, the states with the lowest rates are:

• Guerrero: 1.9%
• Chiapas: 3.8%
• Baja California: 4.8%
• Veracruz: 4.8%

How the Suicide Rate Has Increased in Mexico

The INEGI figures show a sustained growth in suicides across the country in recent years. While the rate was 8.6 in 2015, the indicator began to climb progressively:

• 2017: 8.7
• 2020: 10.5
• 2023: 11.6

Although the most recent national rate stands at 7.0 per 100,000 inhabitants, the agency notes that several entities have figures well above the average.

More Than 9,000 Suicides Registered in One Year

INEGI reported that a total of 9,051 suicides were registered across the country. Of these:

• 80.6% were men
• 19.4% were women
• In three cases, the sex was not specified

Specialists have pointed out that the gender gap responds to multiple factors, including access to lethal methods, social pressures, stigmas, and a lower likelihood of men seeking professional help.

One of the most alarming data points in the report is the concentration of suicides among young people. According to INEGI, the age groups of 15 to 24 years and 25 to 34 years accumulate the highest percentages, with 23.0% and 27.4%, respectively. These figures coincide with public health analyses that show an increase in problems such as depression, anxiety, domestic violence, lack of job opportunities, and substance use among youth.

The Most Common Methods of Suicide in Mexico

INEGI detailed that the majority of cases are related to:

• Hanging, strangulation, or suffocation: 85.7%
• Firearms: 5.3%

Other methods, though less frequent, were also registered, such as poisoning or self-inflicted injuries with sharp objects.

The concentration of suicides in certain states has been explained by mental health specialists as the result of a combination of factors: limited access to psychological services, alcohol consumption, lack of support networks, and high rates of violence.