In a world where the number of children lost to suicide each year could fill a small city, we must confront the devastating global crisis of youth suicide and the urgent need for awareness and prevention.
Key Takeaways
- Globally, in 2019, an estimated 49,000 children and adolescents aged 10-19 died by suicide, accounting for 13% of all deaths in this age group
- In the United States, the suicide rate for children aged 10-14 increased by 60% from 2007 to 2017, reaching 2.3 per 100,000
- Among U.S. children aged 5-11, there were 877 suicide deaths from 2013 to 2020, averaging about 110 per year
- In the United States, male children aged 10-14 had a suicide rate 3.7 times higher than females in 2021 at 3.2 vs 0.9 per 100,000
- Among U.S. girls aged 10-14, suicide rates tripled from 0.7 to 2.1 per 100,000 between 2007-2017
- Black youth suicide rates in the U.S. increased 73% for ages 10-19 from 2011-2021
- U.S. suicide rates for ages 10-24 increased 57% from 2007 to 2018
- From 1999-2019, U.S. child suicide rates (10-14) rose 39%
- Global youth suicide rates declined 36% from 2000-2019, but child rates stable
- 67% of U.S. child suicides involve firearms, highest risk factor
- Bullying victimization doubles suicide risk in children, per meta-analysis
- 90% of child suicides have underlying mental illness, mostly depression
- U.S. Northeast has highest child suicide rates at 4.1 per 100,000 vs South 2.8
- Rural U.S. counties child suicide rates 2x urban (5 vs 2.5 per 100,000)
- Alaska Native children highest U.S. regional rate 25 per 100,000 ages 10-19
Child suicide is a critical global crisis with heartbreakingly diverse risk factors.
Demographic Statistics
1In the United States, male children aged 10-14 had a suicide rate 3.7 times higher than females in 2021 at 3.2 vs 0.9 per 100,000
Verified2Among U.S. girls aged 10-14, suicide rates tripled from 0.7 to 2.1 per 100,000 between 2007-2017
Verified3Black youth suicide rates in the U.S. increased 73% for ages 10-19 from 2011-2021
Verified4Hispanic children in U.S. had suicide death rates rise 48% from 2011-2021 for ages 10-19
Directional5LGBTQ+ youth are 4 times more likely to attempt suicide than straight peers, with 45% reporting attempts
Single source6In Australia, Indigenous children aged 10-17 had suicide rates 5.8 times higher than non-Indigenous in 2020
Verified7U.S. Asian/Pacific Islander youth suicide rates up 48% from 2011-2021 for 10-19
Verified8Boys aged 10-14 in U.S. saw 29% increase in suicide rates 2011-2021
Verified9Girls aged 15-19 in U.S. had suicide rate of 4.2 per 100,000 in 2021
Directional10Native American children in U.S. have highest youth suicide rate at 9.8 per 100,000 for 10-19
Single source11In Canada, Inuit youth suicide rates are 10-20 times national average
Verified12U.S. rural children have 70% higher suicide rates than urban peers aged 10-24
Verified13Transgender youth attempt suicide at 41% rate vs 5% cisgender
Verified14In UK, male under-20 suicides outnumber females 4:1 from 2018-2020
Directional15Low-income U.S. children have 2x suicide risk compared to high-income peers
Single source16Single-parent household U.S. kids 2.5x more likely to die by suicide
Verified17Immigrant children in U.S. have lower suicide rates than U.S.-born, 1.5 vs 3.2 per 100,000
Verified18In Sweden, foreign-born children had 2x suicide risk vs Swedish-born 1990-2010
Verified19U.S. children with disabilities 3.5x more likely to attempt suicide
Directional20Bisexual youth report 50% suicide attempt rate per Trevor Project
Single source21In Brazil, male adolescents 15-19 suicide rate 6.8 vs 2.1 females per 100,000
Verified22U.S. suicide rates for Black girls 10-14 rose 182% from 2003-2017
Verified23Children in foster care U.S. 4x more likely to die by suicide
Verified24Globally, male child suicides outnumber female 2:1 across 10-19 age group
DirectionalDemographic Statistics Interpretation
These statistics reveal not a singular crisis but a devastating, multi-layered epidemic where the most vulnerable children—boys, marginalized racial groups, LGBTQ+ youth, those in poverty, and those disconnected from community—are silently screaming out for help through these tragically rising numbers.
Geographic Variations
1U.S. Northeast has highest child suicide rates at 4.1 per 100,000 vs South 2.8
Verified2Rural U.S. counties child suicide rates 2x urban (5 vs 2.5 per 100,000)
Verified3Alaska Native children highest U.S. regional rate 25 per 100,000 ages 10-19
Verified4Wyoming U.S. state highest youth rate 22.3 per 100,000 10-24
Directional5Greenland Inuit children have world's highest rate ~100 per 100,000
Single source6Lesotho Africa highest global child rate 15.2 per 100,000 10-14
Verified7Guyana South America 12.5 per 100,000 youth rate
Verified8Kazakhstan highest Europe/Asia at 13.8 per 100,000 adolescents
Verified9Montana U.S. rural rate 8.2 per 100,000 children
Directional10Vanuatu Pacific islands 11.9 per 100,000 youth
Single source11Eswatini Africa 10.6 per 100,000 15-19
Verified12U.S. West region lowest child rates 2.9 per 100,000
Verified13Zimbabwe urban vs rural 2x difference in youth rates
Verified14South Australia state highest national child rate 2.1 per 100,000
Directional15Belgium lowest EU rate 1.2 per 100,000 10-19
Single source16U.S. Midwest child suicides 15% above national average
Verified17Micronesia islands extreme rate 30+ per 100,000 youth
Verified18Louisiana U.S. South low rate but high attempts
Verified19Norway Nordic low 2.4 per 100,000 adolescents
Directional20India Kerala state lowest child suicide rate 1.5 per 100,000 vs national 3.2
Single source21U.S. Southwest Hispanic areas elevated rates 4.5 per 100,000
Verified22Lithuania Eastern Europe high 9.1 per 100,000 youth
Verified23Queensland Australia rural high 3.2 per 100,000 children
Verified24U.S. Appalachia region 2.5x national child suicide average
DirectionalGeographic Variations Interpretation
This grim atlas of suffering reveals that the landscape of despair for children is cruelly uneven, with their lives ending not by random chance but by a predictable geography of isolation, cultural disruption, and profound lack of resources.
Incidence Rates
1Globally, in 2019, an estimated 49,000 children and adolescents aged 10-19 died by suicide, accounting for 13% of all deaths in this age group
Verified2In the United States, the suicide rate for children aged 10-14 increased by 60% from 2007 to 2017, reaching 2.3 per 100,000
Verified3Among U.S. children aged 5-11, there were 877 suicide deaths from 2013 to 2020, averaging about 110 per year
Verified4In 2021, suicide was the second leading cause of death for U.S. youth aged 10-24, responsible for 17.6% of deaths
Directional5Australia's child suicide rate for ages 10-14 was 1.4 per 100,000 in 2020
Single source6In England and Wales, suicides among under-20s averaged 3.2 per 100,000 from 2017-2021
Verified7Canada's youth suicide rate (15-24) was 10.2 per 100,000 in 2019
Verified8In India, over 8,000 children under 18 died by suicide in 2021, per NCRB data
Verified9Brazil reported 1,200 suicides among 10-19 year olds in 2019, rate of 4.5 per 100,000
Directional10South Korea's child suicide rate (10-19) was 7.2 per 100,000 in 2020, highest in OECD
Single source11In Japan, suicides among junior high students rose 140% from 2019 to 2022, totaling 513 cases
Verified12New Zealand's Maori children aged 10-19 had a suicide rate of 15.8 per 100,000 in 2019
Verified13South Africa's youth suicide rate (15-19) estimated at 9.6 per 100,000 in 2019
Verified14In the EU, average child suicide rate (10-19) was 3.1 per 100,000 in 2019
Directional15Russia's adolescent suicide rate was 12.4 per 100,000 for ages 15-19 in 2020
Single source16Mexico's child suicide deaths (5-14) totaled 450 in 2020, rate 1.8 per 100,000
Verified17In Sweden, suicides among children under 15 were 0.4 per 100,000 from 2015-2020
Verified18Nigeria estimated 2,500 child suicides annually (under 20)
Verified19In 2022, U.S. children 8-12 had 549 suicides, up 8.4% from prior year
Directional20Globally, 10-19 year olds account for 9% of all suicides, totaling 148,000 deaths yearly
Single sourceIncidence Rates Interpretation
The cruel math of these statistics makes it tragically clear that, in the relentless pursuit of adulthood, far too many of our children are choosing an early and devastating exit.
Risk Factors
167% of U.S. child suicides involve firearms, highest risk factor
Verified2Bullying victimization doubles suicide risk in children, per meta-analysis
Verified390% of child suicides have underlying mental illness, mostly depression
Verified4Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) increase suicide risk 3-5 fold
Directional5Social media use over 3 hours daily triples depression risk leading to suicide
Single source6Parental mental illness raises child suicide risk 2.5 times
Verified7LGBTQ+ youth face 4x higher risk due to discrimination
Verified8Access to lethal means like guns increases risk 3x in impulsive cases
Verified9History of non-suicidal self-injury predicts 10x suicide risk
Directional10Physical abuse triples suicide attempt risk in children
Single source11Sleep deprivation doubles suicide ideation in adolescents
Verified12Substance abuse co-occurs in 20% of youth suicides
Verified13Family conflict increases risk 2.8 times per studies
Verified14Cyberbullying raises risk 2x over traditional bullying
Directional15Chronic illness in children linked to 2-4x suicide risk
Single source16Poverty increases suicide risk 1.5-2x via stressors
Verified17Isolation during pandemic raised risk 25% in youth
Verified18Academic pressure causes 30% of Asian youth suicides
Verified19Sexual abuse survivors 3x more likely to attempt suicide
Directional20Untreated ADHD increases suicide risk 4x
Single source21Hopelessness scale scores predict 80% of suicides
Verified2225% of suicidal youth report recent romantic rejection
Verified23In U.S., poisoning second most common method at 13% of child suicides
VerifiedRisk Factors Interpretation
This grim constellation of statistics shows that a child’s suicide is rarely a single tragedy, but the fatal intersection of available means, underlying pain, and a society that still fails to weave a reliable safety net against despair.
Temporal Trends
1U.S. suicide rates for ages 10-24 increased 57% from 2007 to 2018
Verified2From 1999-2019, U.S. child suicide rates (10-14) rose 39%
Verified3Global youth suicide rates declined 36% from 2000-2019, but child rates stable
Verified4In U.S., suicides among children 10-14 doubled from 2007-2014
Directional5UK under-10 suicides rare but tripled from 2011-2020 to 4 per year
Single source6Australia child suicides (10-14) increased 56% from 2010-2020
Verified7U.S. female youth suicide rates up 167% from 2007-2017 ages 10-14
Verified8Japan elementary school suicides doubled from 10 to 20 annually 2015-2022
Verified9Canada Indigenous youth suicides fell 25% post-2015 interventions
Directional10EU adolescent suicide rates decreased 20% from 2010-2020
Single source11U.S. Black youth suicides up 60% 2018-2021 post-pandemic
Verified12South Korea child suicides peaked at 852 in 2011, down to 650 by 2020
Verified13India child suicides rose 4% yearly from 2016-2021, totaling 11,396 in 2021
Verified14New Zealand youth suicides stable at 50-60 annually 2015-2020
Directional15U.S. pandemic saw 14% rise in child mental health emergencies 2020-2021
Single source16Global child suicide rates (5-14) fell 32% from 1990-2016
Verified17Brazil youth suicides increased 30% from 2011-2019
Verified18Sweden child suicides halved from 1990-2015 to 0.3 per 100,000
Verified19U.S. rates for 10-14 peaked in 2017 then declined slightly to 2021
Directional20During COVID-19, U.S. child suicides dropped 8% in 2020 but rose 14% in 2021
Single source21Australia post-2010 saw 10-14 rate rise from 0.9 to 1.4 per 100,000
Verified22UK 10-19 suicides fell 27% from 2013-2020
Verified23China adolescent suicides declined 70% from 1995-2015
Verified24U.S. suicide attempts among high school girls doubled 2011-2019
DirectionalTemporal Trends Interpretation
While the world slowly figured out how to lower youth suicide rates, America and several other nations perfected a tragically different trend, proving that a child's despair is often a solvable crisis we persistently choose to ignore.
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