While suicide rates have increased across the United States, the highest percentages are in rural counties, a new CDC report reveals. That differential may reflect not only economic factors, but also insufficient access to mental health treatment in rural areas, experts say. Overall, suicide death rates for rural counties nationally (17.32 per 100,000 people) were higher than medium/small metropolitan counties (14.86) and large metropolitan counties (11.92), the CDC reported late last week.