OBJECTIVES: Suicide is a leading cause of death in many countries around the globe. Studies have found that people with chronic conditions (CC) have higher rates of suicide and suicidal ideation (SI), ranging anywhere from 10% to 40%. Depression is a risk factor for SI. As such, understanding the relative incidence of depression and SI in the general population compared to those with various CC is essential. This study thus aimed to estimate the prevalence of SI among adults with CC and to identify the relationship between CC, SI, and depression severity. METHODS:  A quantitative analysis was conducted using six years of publicly available data from the US Center for Disease Control NHANES survey (2007-2012). The sample (n=8,944) contained survey respondents 18 years and older. Depression and SI were measured using the patient health questionnaire (PHQ 8 and 9). Five CCs were assessed: arthritis, cancer, diabetes, hypertension and any other heart condition. RESULTS:  2.8% of the adult US population reported experiencing SI. SI was higher among people with CC, particularly adults with diabetes (4.5%) and arthritis (3.5%). Minor depression was also more prevalent among adults with diabetes (19.7%) and arthritis (19.1%). The number of co-morbidities did not impact rates of SI but did impact rates of depression (2 or more co-morbidities, 10.44%, p<0.01). There was a positive correlation between depression severity and SI, with the highest rates of SI in the moderate to severe depression group (21.64%, p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS:  SI among adults with CC is prevalent. People with CC experience more depression, but not always higher SI. People with diabetes have the highest prevalence of SI and depression. Due to the already known association between SI and suicide, the presented work is relevant for both, routine clinical care and for clinical research involving patients with arthritis, cancer, diabetes and heart conditions.