LOCAL DATA & REPORTS
Understanding Suicide: A National and Local Perspective
Suicide is a leading public health challenge in the United States. In 2023, over 49,000 lives were lost nationally, with a rate of 14.7 deaths per 100,000 people. Ohio mirrors this trend, with 1,777 deaths in 2023 and a state rate of 15 per 100,000 residents.
In Medina County, recent data show an age‑adjusted suicide rate of 11.5 per 100,000, slightly below the state average but still a serious concern. Each of these deaths represents a parent, sibling, friend, or neighbor — highlighting that suicide is not someone else’s problem.
Understanding the scope of suicide in our community helps guide prevention efforts and resources. By knowing the local trends and risk factors, we can target support, interventions, and programs where they are most needed.
Our community has both a challenge and an opportunity: by working together, we can save lives, create safer environments, and provide hope to those struggling.
Local Data — Medina County, Ohio
Recent rate: ~11.5 deaths per 100,000 residents (2020‑2022)
Historical context: 16.6 per 100,000 in 2017, showing improvement over time
State comparison: Ohio overall rate is 15 per 100,000
Youth impact: Young people remain a significant concern, with multiple cases under age 21 reported in recent years
Community response: Programs like the Medina County LOSS Team and partnerships with schools, law enforcement, and mental health providers provide critical support and prevention resources.
Every number represents a life lost, a family affected, and a community impacted. Prevention is possible — and we all play a role.
Data Sources Utilized by the Medina County Coalition for Suicide Prevention:
The Medina County Health Department collects suicide fatality data and provides a Medina County Suicide Data Dashboard for the public. This dashboard contains data from 2018 through the prior year and allows users to review the data based on yearly trends, sex, age, and method of injury. Additional data points include emergency department visits for suicide attempts and crisis intervention referrals data, Please note that the data is preliminary and subject to change as additional data is collected. More information about methods of data collection can be found in the Data Notes and Sources section of the dashboard.
Alternative Paths provides Local Outreach of Suicide Survivor (LOSS) Team demographic data to the Medina County Coalition for Suicide Prevention. More information about the LOSS team and their work can be found here: https://www.alternativepaths.org/forensic-programs/.