CHEYENNE — Statistics from the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) show that there were fewer deaths, births, marriages and divorces recorded in the state in 2022.

There were 5,886 deaths recorded in 2022, 6,572 deaths in 2021, 5,986 deaths in 2020 and 5,122 deaths in 2019, according to official state death certificate information. Death certificates are completed by attending physicians and coroners and then filed with Vital Statistics Services (VSS).

“Wyoming’s data showed consistent, modest increases in deaths before the pandemic for several years largely due to our aging population,” said Guy Beaudoin, VSS deputy state registrar with WDH.

The COVID-19 pandemic was a factor behind the sharply increased recorded deaths we saw in 2020 and 2021. The numbers are still higher than we would have expected before the pandemic, but may be beginning to return to a more normal state.

Guy Beaudoin, VSS Deputy State Registrar

WDH Director Stefan Johansson also said the department saw “a notable reduction” in suicides last year.

“This is certainly something we welcome. There could be several factors involved such as increased attention toward mental health issues both in our state and across the country,” Johansson said.

There were 149 suicides reported in 2022 compared to 190 in 2021 and 182 in 2020, according to VSS statistics.

The top five causes of death in Wyoming for 2022 listed in order, were heart diseases, cancers, various types of accidents and adverse effects, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and related conditions and COVID-19.

COVID-19 had been the third-leading cause of death in both 2020 and 2021.

Wyoming also experienced an ongoing downward trend in births last year. There were 6,050 babies born in Wyoming last year compared with 6,236 in 2021, 6,133 in 2020 and 6,568 in 2019 before the pandemic.

The high count over the past decade was in 2015 with 7,662 resident births.

VSS also hold records for marriages and divorces, both of which declined in 2022.

There were 4,227 marriages recorded in Wyoming last year compared to 4,284 in 2021, 4,009 in 2020 and 4,064 in 2019 before the pandemic.

Records also show that there were 1,905 divorces finalized in 2022 compared with 2,165 in 2021, 2,220 divorces in 2020 and 2,241 in 2019 before the pandemic.

The records are considered provisional at this point. Minor adjustments are expected as numbers are finalized. For more details about VSS, visit https://health.wyo.gov/admin/vitalstatistics/ online.