Examined the relationship between suicide acts and age, sex, race, and method used. Ss (aged <14–65+ yrs) residing in 8 US states comprised those committing 43,069 suicide attempts prompting hospitalization, 40,900 suicide attempts receiving only emergency care, and 8,110 completed suicide acts. Results show a mean of 11 suicides and 119 attempted suicides per 100,000 residents yearly. Groups with high suicide rates were males, the elderly, and Whites. Groups with high attempted suicide rates were adolescents, young adults, females, and Blacks and Whites aged 25–44 yrs. Poisoning and firearms were the most common methods used among those both attempting and completing suicide. The most lethal method was firearm. It is concluded that the characteristics of suicides and attempted suicides differ dramatically, and the method used is important in the lethality of the act.