Suicide among teens is not a single story but a pattern with sharp differences, including 22% of U.S. high school students who attempted suicide in the past year. Even more unsettling, repeat attempters account for 20% to 30% trying again within a year and firearm attempts have 85% to 90% lethality. In this post, we connect the dots across age, gender, identity, and risk factors so you can see where the danger concentrates and why.
Key Takeaways
- 22% of U.S. high school students attempted suicide in past year, 2021 YRBS
- 35% of LGBTQ+ teens attempted suicide in past year vs 6% overall, 2023
- 18% of high school girls had suicide plan in 2021
- U.S. males aged 15-19 comprise 78% of teen suicide deaths despite being 51% population
- White youth suicide rate 14.2 per 100,000 ages 15-19 vs Black 8.6 in 2021
- Suicide rates highest among AI/AN teens at 25.6 per 100,000 ages 10-24
- In 2021, the age-adjusted suicide rate for U.S. adolescents aged 15-19 years was 13.5 per 100,000 population, marking a 62% increase from 2007 levels
- Suicide accounted for 14.5% of all deaths among U.S. teens aged 15-19 in 2020, second only to accidents
- From 2011 to 2021, suicide rates among Black youth aged 10-19 rose by 73%, reaching 9.5 per 100,000 in 2021
- Zero Suicide model reduced attempts 33% in participating youth programs
- School-based CBT reduced ideation 25% in at-risk teens, RCT 2022
- Means restriction (firearm locks) cut teen suicides 8-15%
- 13.3% of U.S. high school students seriously considered suicide in 2021
- LGBTQ+ youth are 4 times more likely to attempt suicide than straight peers, 2021 survey
- Teens with depression have 12x higher risk of suicide death, NIMH data 2020-2022
Nearly one in five U.S. high school students attempted suicide in 2021, with LGBTQ+ teens far higher.
Related reading
01 · Category
Attempts and Ideation25 stats
01
22% of U.S. high school students attempted suicide in past year, 2021 YRBS
02
35% of LGBTQ+ teens attempted suicide in past year vs 6% overall, 2023
03
18% of high school girls had suicide plan in 2021
04
Lifetime suicide attempt prevalence 8.9% among U.S. 12th graders, Monitoring Future 2022
05
44% of trans/gender diverse youth seriously considered suicide past year
06
Repeat attempters among teens: 20-30% attempt again within 1 year
07
12% of U.S. 9th graders reported suicide attempt requiring medical care
08
Ideation peaks at 30% for girls in 10th grade, YRBS 2021
09
25% of depressed teens progress to suicide attempt within 1 year untreated
10
Poisoning attempts 3x more common in females (90% of cases), ages 12-19
11
15% of ED visits for self-harm in teens escalate to attempts
12
Suicide ideation doubled from 16% to 33% in teen girls 2011-2021
13
10% of boys and 20% of girls aged 12-17 planned suicide past year
14
NSSI precedes 70% of teen suicide attempts
15
28% of youth with ideation made plan, 2021 NSDUH
16
Black teen girls attempt rate 12% vs 7% white girls, YRBS 2021
17
50% of attempters hospitalized >24 hours, NSCH 2021
18
Ideation in 40% of teens post-COVID lockdowns, UK study 2022
19
22% of rural teens attempted vs 9% urban
20
Firearm attempts have 85-90% lethality in teens
21
16% of 8th graders reported ideation, highest since tracking began
22
Girls' attempt rates 3x boys but boys 4x more lethal
23
35% of youth with anxiety disorders report ideation
24
Pandemic saw 14% rise in teen ED visits for attempts
25
11% of high school boys attempted suicide 2021, up from 6% 2011
Interpretation
Attempts and Ideation Interpretation
These statistics paint a devastating portrait of a generation in silent crisis, where an alarming number of teens, especially girls and LGBTQ+ youth, are translating profound distress into action, revealing a desperate need for systems that listen long before the breaking point.
02 · Category
Demographics24 stats
01
U.S. males aged 15-19 comprise 78% of teen suicide deaths despite being 51% population
02
White youth suicide rate 14.2 per 100,000 ages 15-19 vs Black 8.6 in 2021
03
Suicide rates highest among AI/AN teens at 25.6 per 100,000 ages 10-24
04
Hispanic teen girls aged 10-14 had fastest rising rates, up 145% 2010-2020
05
Rural teens 70% more likely to die by suicide than urban peers
06
Asian/Pacific Islander youth suicide rate 8.9 per 100,000 ages 15-19 in 2021
07
LGBTQ+ teens 45% considered suicide vs 14% straight, 2023 Trevor Project
08
Black girls aged 15-19 suicide rate up 182% since 2007 to 4.9 per 100,000
09
Males aged 10-14 suicide rate 4.5 per 100,000 vs 2.1 females in 2021
10
In Southwest U.S., Native American teens 3x national average suicide rate
11
Immigrant teens have 20% lower suicide rates than U.S.-born peers
12
Low-income teens (<200% FPL) 1.5x higher suicide attempt rates
13
Transgender youth suicide attempt rate 41% lifetime vs 5% cisgender
14
Southern U.S. states average 16.2 per 100,000 teen suicide rate vs 11.4 Northeast
15
Ages 18-19 males peak at 28.1 per 100,000 suicide rate
16
Non-Hispanic white males 15-19: 24.6 per 100,000 in 2021
17
Bisexual youth 4x more likely to attempt suicide than gay/lesbian peers
18
Foster care youth 4x national average suicide rate
19
Military family teens 2x higher ideation rates during deployments
20
Overweight/obese teens 1.3x higher suicide risk
21
First-generation college-bound teens from low SES 25% higher attempt rates
22
Indigenous Canadian Inuit youth rate 5-7x national average
23
U.S. teen suicide rates highest in states with lowest mental health provider ratios
24
Girls aged 10-14 suicide rate tripled 2007-2017 to 3.2 per 100,000
Interpretation
Demographics Interpretation
Behind the staggering national tragedy of teen suicide lies a brutal and complex mosaic of hidden suffering, where the intersection of gender, geography, race, identity, and access to care creates profoundly unequal risks that demand our urgent, targeted attention.
03 · Category
Prevalence and Rates30 stats
01
In 2021, the age-adjusted suicide rate for U.S. adolescents aged 15-19 years was 13.5 per 100,000 population, marking a 62% increase from 2007 levels
02
Suicide accounted for 14.5% of all deaths among U.S. teens aged 15-19 in 2020, second only to accidents
03
From 2011 to 2021, suicide rates among Black youth aged 10-19 rose by 73%, reaching 9.5 per 100,000 in 2021
04
In 2022, the suicide rate for males aged 15-19 was 22.4 per 100,000 compared to 5.1 for females
05
Globally, suicide rates for adolescents aged 15-19 averaged 7.3 per 100,000 in 2019, with highest in Eastern Europe at 12.1
06
U.S. youth suicide rates increased 57% from 2007 to 2018 for ages 10-24
07
In 2020, New Mexico had the highest teen suicide rate at 27.9 per 100,000 for ages 15-19
08
Suicide rates among U.S. Hispanic youth aged 15-19 rose 73% between 2011-2021 to 12.4 per 100,000
09
From 2000-2020, suicide rates for U.S. males aged 10-14 tripled from 1.8 to 5.0 per 100,000
10
In England, suicide rate for 10-19 year olds was 2.6 per 100,000 in 2021, down from 3.5 in 2011
11
Australian adolescents aged 15-19 had a suicide rate of 8.7 per 100,000 in 2021
12
In Canada, youth aged 15-24 suicide rate was 11.0 per 100,000 in 2021
13
U.S. suicide deaths among 10-24 year olds totaled 6,809 in 2021
14
From 2019-2021, teen suicide rates in rural U.S. areas were 19.5 per 100,000 vs 11.2 in urban
15
Suicide rate for U.S. AI/AN youth aged 15-24 was 35.8 per 100,000 in 2019-2020
16
In 2022 provisional data, U.S. 10-14 year old suicide rate hit 3.3 per 100,000
17
Global male teen suicide rate (15-19) was 9.9 per 100,000 vs 3.6 for females in 2019
18
U.S. teen girls aged 15-19 suicide rate doubled from 2.8 to 5.1 per 100,000, 2007-2017
19
In Japan, adolescent suicide rate peaked at 10.2 per 100,000 for 15-19 in 2020
20
South Korea's 10-19 suicide rate was 7.8 per 100,000 in 2021, highest among OECD
21
U.S. overall youth (10-24) suicide rate was 14.2 per 100,000 in 2021
22
From 1999-2019, U.S. Black male youth suicide rates increased 182% for ages 10-19
23
Alaska Native youth suicide rate 4x national average at 42.3 per 100,000 ages 15-24
24
In 2020, firearm suicides among U.S. teens 15-19 were 8.2 per 100,000
25
U.S. suicide rates for 15-19 year olds increased 8% annually from 2011-2021 in some states
26
European average teen suicide rate (15-19) 5.2 per 100,000 in 2020
27
Brazil's adolescent suicide rate rose to 6.1 per 100,000 ages 15-19 in 2019
28
In India, estimated teen suicide rate 10-15 per 100,000 annually
29
U.S. provisional 2023 data shows teen suicide rate stable at ~14 per 100,000 ages 10-24
30
Suicide is 2nd leading cause of death for U.S. 10-14 year olds, 17% of deaths in 2021
Interpretation
Prevalence and Rates Interpretation
While these figures present a devastating and accelerating crisis across multiple demographics, it is painfully clear that America's youth are not merely facing an epidemic of despair but a systematic, multi-generational failure to provide them with a world worth living in.
More related reading
04 · Category
Prevention and Interventions28 stats
01
Zero Suicide model reduced attempts 33% in participating youth programs
02
School-based CBT reduced ideation 25% in at-risk teens, RCT 2022
03
Means restriction (firearm locks) cut teen suicides 8-15%
04
Crisis Text Line responded to 10M teen conversations, averting 30% acute risks
05
SSRI antidepressants reduced attempts 20% in depressed youth when monitored
06
Gatekeeper training in schools decreased attempts 22%, meta-analysis
07
Family therapy (FBT) for suicidal teens reduced reattempts 50%
08
988 Lifeline youth calls up 45% post-launch, 80% de-escalated
09
Mindfulness programs lowered ideation 35% in high schoolers
10
Universal screening in peds clinics identified 15% at risk, intervened early
11
Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale reduced attempts 30% in ED
12
Peer support programs cut ideation 28% in LGBTQ+ youth
13
Safety planning intervention (SPI) decreased attempts 45% post-ED
14
School policy on bullying reduced attempts 19%
15
DBT for adolescents reduced self-harm 50%, suicide attempts 34%
16
Telehealth therapy access increased treatment 40%, lowered risk 25%
17
Medication-assisted treatment for OUD in teens cut suicides 60%
18
Community coalitions reduced youth rates 15% in 5 years
19
Ask Suicide-Screening Questions (ASQ) toolkit 97% sensitivity, prevented cases
20
Yoga/mindfulness in schools reduced ideation 22%, RCT 2021
21
Postvention programs after peer suicide lowered contagion 40%
22
Integrated care models in primary care cut attempts 27%
23
Virtual Intensive Outpatient Programs retained 75% youth, risk down 35%
24
Policy restricting charcoal sales reduced poisoning suicides 30% in Asia teens
25
Mentoring programs for at-risk youth decreased attempts 25%
26
CAMS framework reduced suicidal ideation 60% in clinical trials
27
National strategies in Australia lowered teen rates 20% 2010-2020
28
Parent training programs reduced family risk factors 30%
Interpretation
Prevention and Interventions Interpretation
While the statistics show that we have a growing toolbox of effective ways to prevent teen suicide—from gun locks to family therapy—the real takeaway is that every single percentage point saved represents a young life rescued from despair and given back its future.
05 · Category
Risk Factors26 stats
01
13.3% of U.S. high school students seriously considered suicide in 2021
02
LGBTQ+ youth are 4 times more likely to attempt suicide than straight peers, 2021 survey
03
Teens with depression have 12x higher risk of suicide death, NIMH data 2020-2022
04
Bullying victimization increases suicide attempt risk by 2.5 times in teens
05
Family history of suicide raises teen risk by 3-5 fold, meta-analysis 2021
06
Access to firearms in home increases teen suicide risk by 3x, Harvard study 2020
07
History of non-suicidal self-injury predicts 6x higher suicide attempt rate in teens
08
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) score of 4+ linked to 12x suicide attempt risk, CDC 2021
09
Cyberbullying exposure triples suicide ideation in adolescents, 2022 meta-analysis
10
Sleep disturbance >5 nights/week increases teen suicide risk 2.7x
11
Parental mental illness doubles offspring teen suicide attempt risk
12
Substance use disorder in teens raises suicide risk 6-10x, SAMHSA 2022
13
Academic pressure correlates with 40% higher suicide ideation in high-achieving teens
14
Childhood physical abuse increases adult suicide risk 2.9x, tracked from teen years
15
Social media use >3 hours/day linked to 2x suicide risk in girls aged 11-15
16
Low family cohesion score predicts 3.5x higher teen suicide attempts
17
Traumatic brain injury in youth raises suicide risk 4x within 5 years
18
Poverty (<100% FPL) associated with 1.8x higher teen suicide rates
19
Chronic pain conditions increase suicide ideation by 2.2x in adolescents
20
Parental divorce doubles suicide attempt risk in teens aged 12-18
21
Gambling disorder in teens linked to 10x suicide attempt rate
22
Food insecurity raises teen suicide risk 1.7x, 2022 study
23
Exposure to parental suicide attempt triples teen risk
24
Video game addiction correlates with 2.4x higher suicide ideation
25
Homelessness among teens increases suicide death risk 7x
26
45% of teens with two or more risk factors report suicidal ideation
Interpretation
Risk Factors Interpretation
We are stacking a generation's worth of preventable, compounding risk factors on young shoulders, and then acting surprised when the weight becomes unbearable.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Isabelle Moreau. (2026, February 13). Suicide In Teens Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/suicide-in-teens-statistics
MLA
Isabelle Moreau. "Suicide In Teens Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/suicide-in-teens-statistics.
Chicago
Isabelle Moreau. 2026. "Suicide In Teens Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/suicide-in-teens-statistics.
Sources & references
47 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level