2000 was historical low for US suicide rate.

However, the current suicide rate is more or less in line with historical average.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/05/Suicide-...

It could be, but what could give rise to such disparity?

The Washington Monthly article Bloom and Bust (http://washingtonmonthly.com/magazine/novdec-2015/bloom-and-...) lists some of the causes of the rise in regional inequality.

That's an informative article. Thank you.