Fewer overall deaths, births, marriages, and divorces were officially logged among Wyoming residents in 2023 compared to the year before, according to records held by Vital Statistics Services (VSS), which is part of the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH).
VSS totals are considered provisional at this point; minor adjustments and updates in these totals are expected over time.
Among Wyoming residents, there were 5,566 deaths recorded in 2023, 5,895 deaths in 2022, 6,574 deaths in 2021, 5,986 deaths in 2020 and 5,122 deaths in 2019, according to official death certificate information. Death certificates are completed by medical certifiers, funeral professionals and coroners before being filed with VSS.
“The COVID-19 pandemic certainly caused some changes in Wyoming’s statistics over the past few years, particularly with increased deaths,” Stefan Johansson, WDH director, said. “However, those pandemic-specific effects do seem to be decreasing.”
The top five causes of death in Wyoming for 2023, listed in order, were heart diseases, cancers, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and related conditions, various types of accidents and adverse effects, and cerebrovascular diseases.
Johansson acknowledged the state’s ongoing concern about suicide deaths. “If you or someone you know is in immediate danger of harming themselves, please call 911. Otherwise, we encourage people to call or text 988 to connect with the care and support offered by the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline during a mental health or substance use crisis,” he said.
In 2023, there were 157 suicide deaths recorded among Wyoming residents compared to 155 in 2022. Previously, there were 190 in 2021, 182 in 2020, 170 in 2019, 148 in 2018, 156 in 2017, 143 in 2016, 155 in 2015 and 120 in 2014.
Wyoming’s provisional data show about 85 percent of Wyoming’s resident suicide deaths were among males. In addition, 72 percent of 2023 suicide deaths involved firearms, 22 percent involved hanging and 4 percent involved poisoning.
Deaths linked to drug overdoses increased again in 2023. “While in the past we have seen decreases in overdose deaths between some years, this is unfortunately the sixth year in a row with those numbers going up,” Johansson said.
In 2023, there were 120 overdose deaths recorded among Wyoming residents compared to 110 in 2022. Previously, there were 98 in 2021, 90 in 2020, 81 in 2019, 65 in 2018, 60 in 2017, 94 in 2016, 95 in 2015 and 107 in 2014.
Among the reported overdose deaths in 2023, 70 percent were linked with illicit drugs, 27 percent with prescription drugs and 3 percent involved a combination. Opioids can be either prescription drugs or illicit drugs and were connected to 81 of the reported overdose deaths last year. Fentanyl was linked with 52 of the deaths and methamphetamine with 48.
Official birth certificate data show 5,989 births recorded among Wyoming resident mothers in 2023, 6,050 births in 2022, 6,238 births in 2021, 6,132 births in 2020 and 6,568 births in 2019.
VSS also holds marriage and divorce records. There were 4,061 marriages recorded in Wyoming last year compared to 4,272 in 2022, 4,286 in 2021, 4,016 in 2020 and 4,065 in 2019 before the pandemic. As far as divorces, there were 1,955 finalized in 2023 compared with 1,949 in 2022 2,166 in 2021, 2,220 in 2020 and 2,241 in 2019.
VSS promotes and protects the health of Wyoming residents by serving as the official custodian of all vital records in the state and by distributing health information. For more details about VSS, visit https://health.wyo.gov/admin/vitalstatistics/ online.