Suicide claimed 5,593 lives among youth ages 10 to 24 in the United States. This total accounts for 14 percent of all deaths in that age group. Rates differ sharply by gender, race, location, and identity.
Key Takeaways
- Males aged 15-24 have suicide rates 3.7 times higher than females in the US (2021)
- Firearms used in 54% of youth suicides ages 10-24 (2021)
- School-based screenings identify 20% more at-risk youth
- In 2021, there were 5,593 suicide deaths among youth ages 10-24 in the United States, accounting for 14% of all deaths in this age group
- Family history of suicide increases risk 3-5 fold in adolescents
Teen suicide remains a leading cause of death, highlighting the urgent need for early mental health support.
Related reading
01 · Category
Demographics19 stats
01
Males aged 15-24 have suicide rates 3.7 times higher than females in the US (2021)
02
Among US youth ages 10-24, non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native have the highest suicide rate at 21.5 per 100,000 (2021)
03
Black youth female suicide rates increased 182% from 2003-2017
04
Suicide rates for Hispanic males ages 15-19 rose 49% from 2009-2019
05
LGB youth are 4 times more likely to attempt suicide than straight peers (23% vs 6%)
06
In 2021, suicide rate for ages 10-14 was 2.1 per 100,000 overall, highest in males at 2.9
07
Non-Hispanic White youth ages 15-24 had a suicide rate of 15.6 per 100,000 in 2021
08
Transgender youth attempt suicide at rates 7-14 times higher than cisgender peers
09
Rural youth have 70% higher suicide rates than urban youth (ages 10-24)
10
Among high school students, 35% of bisexual females attempted suicide (2021 YRBS)
11
Suicide rates for Asian/Pacific Islander youth ages 15-24 are 8.4 per 100,000 (2021)
12
Females ages 10-14 saw a 127% increase in suicide rates from 2007-2021
13
Black males ages 15-19 had suicide rates increase from 4.6 to 9.5 per 100,000 (2011-2021)
14
Indigenous youth in Canada have suicide rates 5-7 times the national average
15
In the US, 57% of youth suicides are male (2021)
16
LGBTQ+ students comprise 30% of suicide attempts despite being 15% of population
17
Suicide rate for non-Hispanic Black females ages 15-24 doubled from 2.5 to 5.0 (2007-2021)
18
Ages 18-24 males had 25.1 per 100,000 suicide rate vs 5.7 for females (2021)
19
Hispanic youth suicide rates vary by subgroup, Puerto Rican highest at 12.5 per 100,000
Interpretation
Demographics Interpretation
The data paints a tragic and furious portrait of a crisis where young lives are being lost not at random, but along fault lines of gender, race, geography, and identity, screaming that our societal safety nets are catastrophically torn for those who need them most.
02 · Category
Methods and Trends16 stats
01
Firearms used in 54% of youth suicides ages 10-24 (2021)
02
Hanging/suffocation is the second most common method at 27% for teens
03
Poisoning accounts for 13% of youth suicide deaths (2021)
04
Firearm suicides among youth increased 83% from 2011-2021
05
Females more likely to use poisoning (25% vs 4% males)
06
Males use firearms in 83% of their suicides ages 10-24
07
Suffocation rates rose 40% among adolescent girls 2018-2021
08
Cutting is the most common non-fatal method, in 22% of attempts
09
During COVID-19, strangulation/suffocation ED visits spiked 80% for girls
10
Firearms now #1 method for all youth ages since 2010
11
Overdose deaths from prescription drugs in teens increased 30% 2019-2021
12
Jumping from heights used in 3% but high lethality 70%
13
Drowning rare at <1% due to low lethality preference
14
Overall suicide rates trended up 30% for ages 10-24 since 2010
15
Black youth firearm suicides rose 120% 2011-2021
16
Means restriction reduces suicide rates by 20-50% in communities
Interpretation
Methods and Trends Interpretation
The cold calculus of despair shows a grim and preventable trend: while the chosen methods of youth suicide tragically vary by gender and circumstance, the starkly rising toll from firearms underscores a national failure to simply make the means of a permanent decision less readily available.
03 · Category
Prevention and Interventions20 stats
01
School-based screenings identify 20% more at-risk youth
02
CBT reduces suicide attempts by 30% in high-risk teens
03
Gateway programs like SOS cut attempts by 40% over 2 years
04
Zero Suicide model in healthcare reduces youth suicides 20%
05
Safe firearm storage counseling prevents 25% of access-related suicides
06
Crisis Text Line handled 10M+ conversations, averting many teen crises
07
Family therapy (FBT) lowers reattempt rates by 50% post-attempt
08
School policies on bullying reduce ideation by 15-25%
09
988 Lifeline youth calls increased 45% post-launch
10
Mindfulness programs decrease suicidal ideation 25% in trials
11
Medication management for depression prevents 20% of suicides
12
Peer support groups reduce isolation and attempts by 30%
13
Universal screening in schools detects 1 in 10 hidden risks
14
DBT for adolescents halves hospitalization rates post-attempt
15
Community education on warning signs saves lives, 80% recognition increase
16
Limiting social media at night reduces ideation 20%
17
Postvention programs in schools reduce contagion suicides by 50%
18
Telehealth therapy access during pandemic prevented 15% rise in attempts
19
Policy changes like red flag laws correlate with 7-11% suicide drop
20
Collaborative care models reduce youth suicide deaths 25% in systems
Interpretation
Prevention and Interventions Interpretation
The data sings a clear, life-affirming chorus: from spotting the hidden risk in a classroom to storing a firearm safely at home, each evidence-based intervention is a vital verse in the practical hymn of preventing teen suicide.
More related reading
04 · Category
Rates and Prevalence30 stats
01
In 2021, there were 5,593 suicide deaths among youth ages 10-24 in the United States, accounting for 14% of all deaths in this age group
02
The suicide rate for youth ages 10-24 increased 62% from 2007 to 2021, from 6.8 to 11.0 per 100,000 population
03
In 2020, suicide was the second leading cause of death for youth ages 10-24
04
Approximately 12.8% of high school students reported seriously considering suicide in the past year (2021 YRBS)
05
8.9% of high school students attempted suicide in the past year (2021 YRBS)
06
Suicide rates among Black youth ages 10-19 rose 132% from 2011 to 2021
07
In 2022, the age-adjusted suicide rate was 14.2 per 100,000 for ages 15-24
08
From 2018-2021, emergency department visits for suspected suicide attempts increased 51% for adolescent girls ages 12-17
09
Lifetime prevalence of suicidal ideation among adolescents is about 19.5% globally
10
In the US, suicide accounts for 1 in 6 deaths among high school-aged youth
11
17.2% of female high school students considered suicide in 2021
12
Male youth suicide rates are 4 times higher than females but females have higher attempt rates
13
In 2021, 2,281 youth ages 10-24 died by suicide via firearms
14
Suicide rates for ages 15-19 increased from 8.2 in 2007 to 11.8 in 2020 per 100,000
15
1 in 5 adolescents seriously considered attempting suicide in 2021 (YRBS)
16
Global youth suicide rates are highest in low- and middle-income countries, at 7.4 per 100,000 for ages 15-19
17
In 2019, 9.8% of US high school students made a suicide plan
18
Suicide mortality among US adolescents increased 8% annually from 2016-2020 for females
19
4,000 US youth ages 10-24 die by suicide annually on average
20
ED visits for suicide attempts among girls ages 12-17 rose from 1.8 to 3.2 per 1,000 from 2019-2021
21
In 2021, suicide rate for Hispanic youth ages 15-19 was 10.6 per 100,000
22
22.4% of LGBQ+ high school students attempted suicide vs 4.2% heterosexual
23
Suicide is the leading cause of death in ages 10-14 in the US since 2013
24
From 2009-2019, youth suicide rates increased 59.6% overall
25
In 2020, 1,845 adolescents ages 15-19 died by suicide in the US
26
14.5% of high school students felt sad or hopeless almost every day for 2+ weeks (2021)
27
Suicide ideation prevalence among US teens rose from 16% in 2011 to 22% in 2021
28
In Canada, youth suicide rates for ages 15-24 are 10.2 per 100,000 (2021)
29
UK teen suicide rate for ages 10-19 was 2.9 per 100,000 in 2021
30
In Australia, suicide is the leading cause for males 15-24, at 24.5 per 100,000 (2021)
Interpretation
Rates and Prevalence Interpretation
The numbers are a screaming alarm we keep muffling with a pillow, as suicide has become a grim and growing curriculum in the school of adolescence, stealing one life in six among high school-aged youth and marking a catastrophic failure of our collective care.
05 · Category
Risk Factors19 stats
01
Family history of suicide increases risk 3-5 fold in adolescents
02
Bullying victimization triples the risk of suicidal ideation in teens
03
90% of youth who die by suicide have a mental health condition, often untreated
04
LGBTQ+ youth face 4x higher risk due to discrimination and rejection
05
Access to lethal means, like firearms, increases suicide risk 3-4 times
06
History of abuse or trauma raises suicide attempt risk 2-3 times in teens
07
Depression affects 20% of teens and is present in 60% of suicide deaths
08
Substance use disorders double the suicide risk among adolescents
09
Social media use >3 hours/day associated with 2x higher suicide ideation
10
Family conflict or divorce increases risk by 1.5-2 times
11
Sleep disturbances raise suicide risk 2.5 fold in youth
12
Previous suicide attempt is the strongest predictor, 10-60x higher risk
13
Chronic illness or disability elevates risk 1.5 times
14
Academic pressure correlates with 30% higher ideation rates
15
Poverty increases suicide risk 1.5-2x for teens
16
Isolation/lack of social support triples risk during COVID-19
17
Impulsivity and aggression predict 40% of youth suicides
18
Eating disorders increase suicide risk 6-fold in adolescents
19
Cyberbullying raises attempt risk 2x compared to traditional bullying
Interpretation
Risk Factors Interpretation
This relentless pile-on of risk factors, from bullying to brain chemistry, paints a tragically clear picture: saving a teenager from suicide isn't about spotting one lone cause, but about dismantling an entire hostile architecture built from discrimination, untreated illness, and preventable access to despair.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Timothy Grant. (2026, February 13). Teen Suicide Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/teen-suicide-statistics
MLA
Timothy Grant. "Teen Suicide Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/teen-suicide-statistics.
Chicago
Timothy Grant. 2026. "Teen Suicide Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/teen-suicide-statistics.
Sources & references
28 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level