RUTHERFORD COUNTY, TN (WGNS) - A new national study is shining a harsh light on what many Middle Tennesseans already sense in their own circles: midlife stress is taking a deadly toll. Tennessee now ranks fifth in the nation for drug‑overdose deaths among adults ages 35 to 44, according to an analysis of CDC data from 2019 through 2025. The study found that 105.72 Tennesseans per 100,000 in this age group die from overdoses each year. When you apply that rate to Rutherford County’s fast‑growing population, the math points to more than 400 overdose deaths annually—a staggering figure that hits close to home.

Researchers say the trend isn’t sudden. Adults in their late thirties and early forties have held the highest overdose‑death rate of any age group for more than a decade. In 2023 alone, 27,005 Americans in this bracket died from overdoses. Even though national totals dipped slightly in 2024, this age group still carried the heaviest burden.

Why midlife? The study points to a mix of pressures that many Rutherford County families know all too well: rising financial strain, caregiving for both kids and aging parents, chronic stress, and limited time for self‑care. Add in the unpredictability of today’s drug supply—especially fentanyl showing up in substances people don’t expect—and the risk climbs quickly.

Fentanyl remains the driving force behind fatal overdoses, but polysubstance use is increasingly common. Many deaths involve combinations of fentanyl with cocaine, methamphetamine, benzodiazepines, or counterfeit pills. Nationally, stimulant‑related deaths have surged since 2015.

Local data for Rutherford County is available through the Tennessee Drug Overdose Dashboard, though the state doesn’t publish static county numbers in search results. The Tennessee Department of Health does offer downloadable datasets covering fatal and nonfatal overdoses from 2013 to 2025, which include county‑specific counts.

For families here in Middle Tennessee, the numbers aren’t abstract—they reflect neighbors, coworkers, and parents navigating the heaviest stretch of adulthood. The study shows that danger grows quietly, not suddenly, as stress builds and support systems thin.