Suicide: 20 states with highest rates

It's a stark statistic: Each year in the U.S., more than 34,000 people commit suicide. But that's not the whole story. Truth is, suicide rates vary tremendously across the country, with the highest rates tending to be in rural areas and places where depressed people have easy access to firearms. Where is suicide especially prevalent? Keep clicking to see 20 states with highest rates, based on CDC data for 2007, the most recent available...

20. Tennessee (TIE)

Kicking off the list of states with highest suicide rates is Tennessee. The Volunteer State has a rate of 13.7 suicides per 100,000 people.

20. Missouri (TIE)

Suicides per 100,000 people: 13.7

19. Kansas

Suicides per 100,000 people: 13.8

17. Florida (TIE)

Suicides per 100,000 people: 14.2

17. Arkansas (TIE)

Suicides per 100,000 people: 14.2

15. Vermont (TIE)

Suicides per 100,000 people: 14.3

15. Utah (TIE)

Suicides per 100,000 people: 14.3

14. Maine

Suicides per 100,000 people: 14.5

13. Oklahoma

Suicides per 100,000 people: 14.7

11. North Dakota (TIE)

Suicides per 100,000 people: 14.9

11. Idaho (TIE)

Suicides per 100,000 people: 14.9

10. Kentucky

Suicides per 100,000 people: 15.3

9. Oregon

Suicides per 100,000 people: 15.9

8. Arizona

Suicides per 100,000 people: 16

7. West Virginia

Suicides per 100,000 people: 16.6

6. Colorado

Suicides per 100,000 people: 16.7

5. Nevada

Suicides per 100,000 people: 18.4

4. Wyoming

Suicides per 100,000 people: 19.3

3. New Mexico

Suicides per 100,000 people: 20.4

2. Montana

Suicides per 100,000 people: 20.5

1. Alaska

The largest state in the U.S. has the highest suicide rate. In 2007, for every 100,000 Alaskans, 21.8 died by suicide.