GITNUXREPORT 2026

Teenage Statistics

Many teens struggle with severe mental health crises and other serious challenges.

151 statistics5 sections11 min readUpdated 10 days ago

Key Statistics

Statistic 1

73% of US high school students graduate on time per NCES 2020-21

Statistic 2

84% adjusted cohort graduation rate for public high schools per NCES 2021

Statistic 3

56% of high school students met all 4 ELA/math readiness benchmarks per NAEP 2022

Statistic 4

Average NAEP math score for 8th graders 2022 was 236, down 8 points from 2019

Statistic 5

26% of 8th graders proficient in math per NAEP 2022

Statistic 6

31% of 12th graders proficient in reading per NAEP 2022

Statistic 7

52% of high school students felt too sleepy to think clearly during the day per YRBS 2021

Statistic 8

70% of teens aspire to college per Pew 2019

Statistic 9

57% of low-income students graduate high school per NCES

Statistic 10

93% for high-income students per NCES 2021

Statistic 11

65% of 2020 high school grads immediately enrolled in college per NCES

Statistic 12

42% of high school students used electronic devices 5+ hours schoolwork per YRBS 2021

Statistic 13

Chronic absenteeism affected 25% of students in 2021-22 per NCES

Statistic 14

15% of high school students skipped school 2+ days past month per YRBS 2021

Statistic 15

74% of 12th graders report B or higher GPA per Monitoring the Future 2022

Statistic 16

80% of Asian students proficient in reading vs 35% Black per NAEP 2022

Statistic 17

33% of students with disabilities proficient in math per NAEP 2022

Statistic 18

AP participation 50% among class of 2023 per College Board

Statistic 19

60% pass rate on AP exams per College Board 2023

Statistic 20

22% of high school students in 3+ AP/IB/honors courses per NCES 2021

Statistic 21

86% of teachers say cell phones distract students per NMSC 2023

Statistic 22

64% of 8th graders below basic in math per NAEP 2022

Statistic 23

40% of students report bullying at school per NCES 2021

Statistic 24

95% of teens use internet daily per Pew 2021

Statistic 25

49% of rural teens lack broadband per Pew 2021

Statistic 26

67% of high school students C average or lower per YRBS 2021

Statistic 27

16% D/F average per YRBS 2021 high school

Statistic 28

According to the 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), 57% of high school students experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness during the previous year, with females reporting 72% compared to 45% for males

Statistic 29

The CDC reports that 22% of high school students seriously considered attempting suicide in the past 12 months in 2021 YRBS, rising from 16% in 2011

Statistic 30

10% of high school students reported attempting suicide in the past year per 2021 YRBS, with Hispanic students at 12% and female students at 13%

Statistic 31

Pew Research Center found that 46% of teens aged 13-17 felt worse about their own life due to social media in 2022

Statistic 32

NIMH data indicates that 20.1% of adolescents aged 12-17 had a major depressive episode in 2021

Statistic 33

32% of teen girls aged 13-17 reported using anxiety or depression medication in the past year per 2023 KFF survey

Statistic 34

CDC YRBS 2021 shows 42% of high school students felt persistently sad or hopeless, up 9% from 2019

Statistic 35

35% of LGBTQ+ high school students considered suicide in 2021 YRBS, compared to 14% of heterosexual students

Statistic 36

Anxiety disorders affect 31.9% of adolescents aged 13-18 per NIMH lifetime prevalence data

Statistic 37

18.8% of youth aged 12-17 experienced a substance use disorder in 2021 per SAMHSA

Statistic 38

24% of teens reported high levels of psychological distress in 2022 Australian study

Statistic 39

WHO states that 10-20% of adolescents worldwide experience mental health conditions

Statistic 40

37% of teen girls felt persistently sad in 2021 YRBS

Statistic 41

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 10-14 year olds per CDC 2021 data

Statistic 42

16% of high school students made a suicide plan in 2021 YRBS

Statistic 43

14% of high school students experienced homelessness in 2021 YRBS, linked to mental health issues

Statistic 44

26% of teens with two or more ACEs had poor mental health per CDC

Statistic 45

50% of mental health disorders begin by age 14 per WHO

Statistic 46

21% of adolescents aged 12-17 had a past-year major depressive episode per NSDUH 2020

Statistic 47

Teen girls' depression rates doubled from 2009-2019 per JAMA Pediatrics

Statistic 48

44% of high school girls considered suicide in 2021 YRBS

Statistic 49

19% of teens report cyberbullying victimization linked to mental health per Pew 2022

Statistic 50

ADHD affects 9.4% of children aged 13-18 per NIMH

Statistic 51

11% of high school students injected drugs in lifetime per 2021 YRBS, tied to mental health

Statistic 52

30% of teens with depression do not receive treatment per CDC

Statistic 53

Eating disorders prevalence is 2.8% lifetime for adolescents per NIMH

Statistic 54

15% of high school students missed school due to feeling unsafe, impacting mental health per YRBS 2021

Statistic 55

Bipolar disorder affects 2.9% of adolescents aged 13-18 per NIMH

Statistic 56

40% of teens report stress from school affecting mental health per APA 2022

Statistic 57

PTSD prevalence is 5% among adolescents per NIMH

Statistic 58

29% of high school students reported poor mental health in past 30 days per YRBS 2021

Statistic 59

17% of US adolescents aged 12-17 had a past-year SUD per SAMHSA 2021

Statistic 60

Obesity affects 20.7% of adolescents aged 12-19 per CDC 2017-2020 NHANES

Statistic 61

8.4% of high school students had asthma currently per YRBS 2021

Statistic 62

44% of high school students got 8+ hours of sleep on school nights per YRBS 2021

Statistic 63

15% of adolescents aged 12-19 have high blood pressure per CDC NHANES 2017-2018

Statistic 64

21% of high school students were obese per YRBS 2021

Statistic 65

Only 24% of high school students met fruit intake guidelines per CDC

Statistic 66

14% met vegetable intake guidelines per CDC youth data

Statistic 67

53% of high school students were physically active 60+ minutes daily per YRBS 2021

Statistic 68

85% of high school students drank soda one or more times per day per YRBS 2019

Statistic 69

Type 2 diabetes prevalence in youth aged 10-19 is 0.46 per 1,000 per CDC SEARCH

Statistic 70

11.3% of adolescents have fair or poor health per NHIS 2020

Statistic 71

Concussions reported by 14.4% of high school students in sports per YRBS 2021

Statistic 72

36% of teens aged 12-19 have dental caries experience per CDC OHIS

Statistic 73

HPV vaccination coverage is 59% for girls aged 13-17 per CDC 2021

Statistic 74

60% coverage for boys aged 13-17 per CDC 2021 HPV data

Statistic 75

9.2% of youth aged 12-17 have eczema per CDC 2021

Statistic 76

19% of high school girls were overweight per YRBS 2021

Statistic 77

24% of high school boys were overweight per YRBS 2021

Statistic 78

Only 27% of adolescents meet aerobic activity guidelines per CDC 2019

Statistic 79

76% of high school students used electronic vapor products in lifetime per YRBS 2021

Statistic 80

82% lifetime alcohol use among high school students per YRBS 2021

Statistic 81

29.2% current marijuana use among high school students per YRBS 2021

Statistic 82

55% of adolescents aged 12-19 consume less than 100% DV calcium per NHANES

Statistic 83

Iron deficiency affects 14% of adolescents aged 12-19 per NHANES 2011-2012

Statistic 84

12.5% of youth have myopia per CDC Vision data

Statistic 85

7% of teens have diagnosed diabetes per NHANES

Statistic 86

80% of high school students had sexual intercourse by grade 12 per YRBS

Statistic 87

30% high school students currently sexually active per YRBS 2021

Statistic 88

51% of high school students who had sex used condom at last intercourse per YRBS 2021

Statistic 89

22% of 9th graders had sexual intercourse per YRBS 2021

Statistic 90

8.5% of high school students experienced forced sex per YRBS 2021

Statistic 91

12% of 12th graders smoke cigarettes daily per MTF 2022

Statistic 92

30% of high school students in physical fight past year per YRBS 2021

Statistic 93

8% seriously injured requiring medical care from fight per YRBS 2021

Statistic 94

15% carried weapon on school property past month per YRBS 2021

Statistic 95

7% missed school due to feeling unsafe at school per YRBS 2021

Statistic 96

20% bullied on school property past year per YRBS 2021

Statistic 97

35% electronically bullied past year per YRBS 2021

Statistic 98

11% forced to have sexual intercourse per YRBS 2021

Statistic 99

14% experienced sexual violence by peer per YRBS 2021

Statistic 100

46% of high school students had 4+ lifetime sexual partners per YRBS 2021

Statistic 101

10% currently drink alcohol daily per YRBS 2021

Statistic 102

29% binge drank past month per YRBS 2021

Statistic 103

11% used cocaine past month per YRBS 2021

Statistic 104

5% used heroin lifetime per YRBS 2021

Statistic 105

14% drove after drinking per YRBS 2021

Statistic 106

24% rode with drinking driver per YRBS 2021

Statistic 107

67% of 12th graders used alcohol past year per MTF 2022

Statistic 108

48% used illicit drugs past year per MTF 2022 12th graders

Statistic 109

31% vaped nicotine past year per MTF 2022

Statistic 110

15% of teens report frequent sadness linked to peer issues per CDC

Statistic 111

42% of girls experienced persistent sadness per YRBS 2021

Statistic 112

25% of high school students smoke cigarettes lifetime per YRBS 2021

Statistic 113

76% vaped nicotine lifetime per YRBS 2021

Statistic 114

50% of 10th graders used alcohol past month per MTF 2022

Statistic 115

19% of 8th graders vaped per MTF 2022

Statistic 116

6% sold illegal drugs past year per YRBS 2021

Statistic 117

5% stole from store past year per YRBS 2021

Statistic 118

4% used methamphetamines lifetime per YRBS 2021

Statistic 119

21% of LGBTQ+ students felt unsafe at school per YRBS 2021

Statistic 120

27% of Hispanic students in physical fights per YRBS 2021

Statistic 121

57% of high school students played video or computer games 3+ hours on average school day per YRBS 2021

Statistic 122

59% of US teens use TikTok daily per Pew 2022

Statistic 123

67% of teens use YouTube almost constantly or several times a day per Pew 2023

Statistic 124

58% of teens use Instagram daily per Pew 2022

Statistic 125

95% of teens have smartphone access per Pew 2022

Statistic 126

46% of teens are online almost constantly per Pew 2022

Statistic 127

32% of teens use Snapchat daily per Pew 2022

Statistic 128

20% use TikTok almost constantly per Pew 2023

Statistic 129

16% are online almost constantly on YouTube per Pew 2023

Statistic 130

89% of teens use YouTube per Pew 2023

Statistic 131

62% use TikTok per Pew 2023

Statistic 132

83% of girls use TikTok vs 41% boys per Pew 2023

Statistic 133

71% use Instagram per Pew 2023

Statistic 134

51% use Snapchat per Pew 2023

Statistic 135

33% use Facebook per Pew 2023

Statistic 136

17% use Twitter/X per Pew 2023

Statistic 137

10% use BeReal per Pew 2023

Statistic 138

63% of teens experienced a social media account hack per Pew 2023

Statistic 139

41% say social media makes them feel more accepted per Pew 2023

Statistic 140

32% feel worse about body image due to social media per Pew 2023

Statistic 141

25% of high school students texted or emailed 3+ hours daily per YRBS 2021

Statistic 142

19% played video games 4+ hours on school nights per YRBS 2021

Statistic 143

72% of teens have smartphone by age 12 per Common Sense Media 2022

Statistic 144

Teens average 8.2 hours recreational screen time daily per Common Sense 2021

Statistic 145

67% of teens worry about social media time per Common Sense 2021

Statistic 146

54% of teens use social media for news per Pew 2023

Statistic 147

81% find it hard to give up social media per Pew 2023

Statistic 148

38% of teens experienced cyberbullying per Pew 2022

Statistic 149

48% feel worse about social media pressure per Pew 2022

Statistic 150

97% of teens play video games per Pew 2022

Statistic 151

41% play daily per Pew 2022

Sources
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Marcus Engström

Written by Marcus Engström·Edited by Kevin O'Brien·Fact-checked by Astrid Bergmann

Published Feb 13, 2026·Last verified Apr 19, 2026
Fact-checked via 4-step process
01Primary Source Collection

Data aggregated from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, and professional bodies with disclosed methodology and sample sizes.

02Editorial Curation

Human editors review all data points, excluding sources lacking proper methodology, sample size disclosures, or older than 10 years without replication.

03AI-Powered Verification

Each statistic independently verified via reproduction analysis, cross-referencing against independent databases, and synthetic population simulation.

04Human Cross-Check

Final human editorial review of all AI-verified statistics. Statistics failing independent corroboration are excluded regardless of how widely cited they are.

Read our full methodology →

Statistics that fail independent corroboration are excluded.

Beneath the surface of daily high school life, a silent crisis of unprecedented scale is unfolding, as recent statistics reveal that over half of all students are grappling with persistent sadness, nearly a quarter have seriously considered suicide, and the pervasive influence of social media is deepening a profound mental health emergency among today's youth.

Key Takeaways

  • According to the 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), 57% of high school students experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness during the previous year, with females reporting 72% compared to 45% for males
  • The CDC reports that 22% of high school students seriously considered attempting suicide in the past 12 months in 2021 YRBS, rising from 16% in 2011
  • 10% of high school students reported attempting suicide in the past year per 2021 YRBS, with Hispanic students at 12% and female students at 13%
  • Obesity affects 20.7% of adolescents aged 12-19 per CDC 2017-2020 NHANES
  • 8.4% of high school students had asthma currently per YRBS 2021
  • 44% of high school students got 8+ hours of sleep on school nights per YRBS 2021
  • 57% of high school students played video or computer games 3+ hours on average school day per YRBS 2021
  • 59% of US teens use TikTok daily per Pew 2022
  • 67% of teens use YouTube almost constantly or several times a day per Pew 2023
  • 73% of US high school students graduate on time per NCES 2020-21
  • 84% adjusted cohort graduation rate for public high schools per NCES 2021
  • 56% of high school students met all 4 ELA/math readiness benchmarks per NAEP 2022
  • 12% of 12th graders smoke cigarettes daily per MTF 2022
  • 30% of high school students in physical fight past year per YRBS 2021
  • 8% seriously injured requiring medical care from fight per YRBS 2021

Many teens struggle with severe mental health crises and other serious challenges.

Education and Academics

173% of US high school students graduate on time per NCES 2020-21
Directional
284% adjusted cohort graduation rate for public high schools per NCES 2021
Verified
356% of high school students met all 4 ELA/math readiness benchmarks per NAEP 2022
Directional
4Average NAEP math score for 8th graders 2022 was 236, down 8 points from 2019
Verified
526% of 8th graders proficient in math per NAEP 2022
Directional
631% of 12th graders proficient in reading per NAEP 2022
Verified
752% of high school students felt too sleepy to think clearly during the day per YRBS 2021
Verified
870% of teens aspire to college per Pew 2019
Verified
957% of low-income students graduate high school per NCES
Directional
1093% for high-income students per NCES 2021
Verified
1165% of 2020 high school grads immediately enrolled in college per NCES
Directional
1242% of high school students used electronic devices 5+ hours schoolwork per YRBS 2021
Single source
13Chronic absenteeism affected 25% of students in 2021-22 per NCES
Verified
1415% of high school students skipped school 2+ days past month per YRBS 2021
Verified
1574% of 12th graders report B or higher GPA per Monitoring the Future 2022
Single source
1680% of Asian students proficient in reading vs 35% Black per NAEP 2022
Single source
1733% of students with disabilities proficient in math per NAEP 2022
Directional
18AP participation 50% among class of 2023 per College Board
Verified
1960% pass rate on AP exams per College Board 2023
Verified
2022% of high school students in 3+ AP/IB/honors courses per NCES 2021
Verified
2186% of teachers say cell phones distract students per NMSC 2023
Verified
2264% of 8th graders below basic in math per NAEP 2022
Verified
2340% of students report bullying at school per NCES 2021
Verified
2495% of teens use internet daily per Pew 2021
Verified
2549% of rural teens lack broadband per Pew 2021
Verified
2667% of high school students C average or lower per YRBS 2021
Verified
2716% D/F average per YRBS 2021 high school
Verified

Education and Academics Interpretation

While we're managing to graduate more students on paper, the system is clearly producing a lot of sleepy, stressed, and under-prepared young adults who are chasing college dreams with alarmingly uneven support and widely varying readiness.

Mental Health

1According to the 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), 57% of high school students experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness during the previous year, with females reporting 72% compared to 45% for males
Verified
2The CDC reports that 22% of high school students seriously considered attempting suicide in the past 12 months in 2021 YRBS, rising from 16% in 2011
Verified
310% of high school students reported attempting suicide in the past year per 2021 YRBS, with Hispanic students at 12% and female students at 13%
Directional
4Pew Research Center found that 46% of teens aged 13-17 felt worse about their own life due to social media in 2022
Single source
5NIMH data indicates that 20.1% of adolescents aged 12-17 had a major depressive episode in 2021
Verified
632% of teen girls aged 13-17 reported using anxiety or depression medication in the past year per 2023 KFF survey
Verified
7CDC YRBS 2021 shows 42% of high school students felt persistently sad or hopeless, up 9% from 2019
Verified
835% of LGBTQ+ high school students considered suicide in 2021 YRBS, compared to 14% of heterosexual students
Verified
9Anxiety disorders affect 31.9% of adolescents aged 13-18 per NIMH lifetime prevalence data
Verified
1018.8% of youth aged 12-17 experienced a substance use disorder in 2021 per SAMHSA
Single source
1124% of teens reported high levels of psychological distress in 2022 Australian study
Verified
12WHO states that 10-20% of adolescents worldwide experience mental health conditions
Verified
1337% of teen girls felt persistently sad in 2021 YRBS
Verified
14Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 10-14 year olds per CDC 2021 data
Verified
1516% of high school students made a suicide plan in 2021 YRBS
Verified
1614% of high school students experienced homelessness in 2021 YRBS, linked to mental health issues
Directional
1726% of teens with two or more ACEs had poor mental health per CDC
Verified
1850% of mental health disorders begin by age 14 per WHO
Verified
1921% of adolescents aged 12-17 had a past-year major depressive episode per NSDUH 2020
Verified
20Teen girls' depression rates doubled from 2009-2019 per JAMA Pediatrics
Verified
2144% of high school girls considered suicide in 2021 YRBS
Verified
2219% of teens report cyberbullying victimization linked to mental health per Pew 2022
Verified
23ADHD affects 9.4% of children aged 13-18 per NIMH
Verified
2411% of high school students injected drugs in lifetime per 2021 YRBS, tied to mental health
Verified
2530% of teens with depression do not receive treatment per CDC
Verified
26Eating disorders prevalence is 2.8% lifetime for adolescents per NIMH
Verified
2715% of high school students missed school due to feeling unsafe, impacting mental health per YRBS 2021
Verified
28Bipolar disorder affects 2.9% of adolescents aged 13-18 per NIMH
Verified
2940% of teens report stress from school affecting mental health per APA 2022
Directional
30PTSD prevalence is 5% among adolescents per NIMH
Verified
3129% of high school students reported poor mental health in past 30 days per YRBS 2021
Single source
3217% of US adolescents aged 12-17 had a past-year SUD per SAMHSA 2021
Verified

Mental Health Interpretation

If the data were a yearbook quote for this generation, it would sadly read: "Most Likely to Feel Hopeless, with Anxiety as our plus-one and a society that keeps handing us the bill."

Physical Health

1Obesity affects 20.7% of adolescents aged 12-19 per CDC 2017-2020 NHANES
Directional
28.4% of high school students had asthma currently per YRBS 2021
Directional
344% of high school students got 8+ hours of sleep on school nights per YRBS 2021
Verified
415% of adolescents aged 12-19 have high blood pressure per CDC NHANES 2017-2018
Verified
521% of high school students were obese per YRBS 2021
Verified
6Only 24% of high school students met fruit intake guidelines per CDC
Directional
714% met vegetable intake guidelines per CDC youth data
Verified
853% of high school students were physically active 60+ minutes daily per YRBS 2021
Verified
985% of high school students drank soda one or more times per day per YRBS 2019
Verified
10Type 2 diabetes prevalence in youth aged 10-19 is 0.46 per 1,000 per CDC SEARCH
Verified
1111.3% of adolescents have fair or poor health per NHIS 2020
Verified
12Concussions reported by 14.4% of high school students in sports per YRBS 2021
Verified
1336% of teens aged 12-19 have dental caries experience per CDC OHIS
Verified
14HPV vaccination coverage is 59% for girls aged 13-17 per CDC 2021
Single source
1560% coverage for boys aged 13-17 per CDC 2021 HPV data
Verified
169.2% of youth aged 12-17 have eczema per CDC 2021
Verified
1719% of high school girls were overweight per YRBS 2021
Verified
1824% of high school boys were overweight per YRBS 2021
Verified
19Only 27% of adolescents meet aerobic activity guidelines per CDC 2019
Verified
2076% of high school students used electronic vapor products in lifetime per YRBS 2021
Directional
2182% lifetime alcohol use among high school students per YRBS 2021
Directional
2229.2% current marijuana use among high school students per YRBS 2021
Directional
2355% of adolescents aged 12-19 consume less than 100% DV calcium per NHANES
Verified
24Iron deficiency affects 14% of adolescents aged 12-19 per NHANES 2011-2012
Verified
2512.5% of youth have myopia per CDC Vision data
Single source
267% of teens have diagnosed diabetes per NHANES
Verified
2780% of high school students had sexual intercourse by grade 12 per YRBS
Verified
2830% high school students currently sexually active per YRBS 2021
Verified
2951% of high school students who had sex used condom at last intercourse per YRBS 2021
Verified
3022% of 9th graders had sexual intercourse per YRBS 2021
Verified
318.5% of high school students experienced forced sex per YRBS 2021
Single source

Physical Health Interpretation

Teens are running on soda fumes and insufficient sleep, fighting off everything from cavities to concussions, while their collective diet is so lacking in fruit and vegetables that you'd think they were allergic to color, yet over half of them manage to be physically active—a testament to youthful resilience operating in spite of itself.

Social and Behavioral

112% of 12th graders smoke cigarettes daily per MTF 2022
Verified
230% of high school students in physical fight past year per YRBS 2021
Directional
38% seriously injured requiring medical care from fight per YRBS 2021
Verified
415% carried weapon on school property past month per YRBS 2021
Verified
57% missed school due to feeling unsafe at school per YRBS 2021
Verified
620% bullied on school property past year per YRBS 2021
Directional
735% electronically bullied past year per YRBS 2021
Verified
811% forced to have sexual intercourse per YRBS 2021
Directional
914% experienced sexual violence by peer per YRBS 2021
Verified
1046% of high school students had 4+ lifetime sexual partners per YRBS 2021
Single source
1110% currently drink alcohol daily per YRBS 2021
Verified
1229% binge drank past month per YRBS 2021
Verified
1311% used cocaine past month per YRBS 2021
Verified
145% used heroin lifetime per YRBS 2021
Directional
1514% drove after drinking per YRBS 2021
Verified
1624% rode with drinking driver per YRBS 2021
Verified
1767% of 12th graders used alcohol past year per MTF 2022
Single source
1848% used illicit drugs past year per MTF 2022 12th graders
Verified
1931% vaped nicotine past year per MTF 2022
Verified
2015% of teens report frequent sadness linked to peer issues per CDC
Verified
2142% of girls experienced persistent sadness per YRBS 2021
Verified
2225% of high school students smoke cigarettes lifetime per YRBS 2021
Verified
2376% vaped nicotine lifetime per YRBS 2021
Single source
2450% of 10th graders used alcohol past month per MTF 2022
Verified
2519% of 8th graders vaped per MTF 2022
Verified
266% sold illegal drugs past year per YRBS 2021
Verified
275% stole from store past year per YRBS 2021
Verified
284% used methamphetamines lifetime per YRBS 2021
Verified
2921% of LGBTQ+ students felt unsafe at school per YRBS 2021
Single source
3027% of Hispanic students in physical fights per YRBS 2021
Verified

Social and Behavioral Interpretation

It is a statistical portrait of adolescence that reads less like a yearbook and more like a cautionary tale, where the rites of passage are too often marked by violence, substance abuse, and a profound, often hidden, sadness.

Technology and Media Usage

157% of high school students played video or computer games 3+ hours on average school day per YRBS 2021
Verified
259% of US teens use TikTok daily per Pew 2022
Verified
367% of teens use YouTube almost constantly or several times a day per Pew 2023
Verified
458% of teens use Instagram daily per Pew 2022
Single source
595% of teens have smartphone access per Pew 2022
Verified
646% of teens are online almost constantly per Pew 2022
Verified
732% of teens use Snapchat daily per Pew 2022
Verified
820% use TikTok almost constantly per Pew 2023
Verified
916% are online almost constantly on YouTube per Pew 2023
Single source
1089% of teens use YouTube per Pew 2023
Verified
1162% use TikTok per Pew 2023
Verified
1283% of girls use TikTok vs 41% boys per Pew 2023
Verified
1371% use Instagram per Pew 2023
Single source
1451% use Snapchat per Pew 2023
Verified
1533% use Facebook per Pew 2023
Verified
1617% use Twitter/X per Pew 2023
Verified
1710% use BeReal per Pew 2023
Verified
1863% of teens experienced a social media account hack per Pew 2023
Verified
1941% say social media makes them feel more accepted per Pew 2023
Verified
2032% feel worse about body image due to social media per Pew 2023
Verified
2125% of high school students texted or emailed 3+ hours daily per YRBS 2021
Verified
2219% played video games 4+ hours on school nights per YRBS 2021
Single source
2372% of teens have smartphone by age 12 per Common Sense Media 2022
Verified
24Teens average 8.2 hours recreational screen time daily per Common Sense 2021
Verified
2567% of teens worry about social media time per Common Sense 2021
Verified
2654% of teens use social media for news per Pew 2023
Verified
2781% find it hard to give up social media per Pew 2023
Verified
2838% of teens experienced cyberbullying per Pew 2022
Verified
2948% feel worse about social media pressure per Pew 2022
Verified
3097% of teens play video games per Pew 2022
Directional
3141% play daily per Pew 2022
Directional

Technology and Media Usage Interpretation

While a teen’s world is built of glowing screens, the blue light reveals a generation perpetually performing, perpetually connected, yet grappling with anxiety, hacks, and body image under the ever-present digital curtain call.

How We Rate Confidence

Models

Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.

Single source
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.

AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree

Directional
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.

AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree

Verified
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.

AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree

Models

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This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.

APA
Marcus Engström. (2026, February 13). Teenage Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/teenage-statistics
MLA
Marcus Engström. "Teenage Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/teenage-statistics.
Chicago
Marcus Engström. 2026. "Teenage Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/teenage-statistics.

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