Youth Suicide Rates Decline, Risks Remain

The COVID-19 pandemic coincided with some of the highest youth suicide rates in recent years. However, new data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that rates among young people declined in 2024.

An analysis of the data by The Jed Foundation (JED) found the number of suicides per 100,000 young people ages 10 to 24 declined by nearly 12 percent, from 11 to 9.7, between 2021 and 2024. The decrease was driven largely by reductions among young men, whose suicide levels fell by nearly 15 percent, while suicides among young women declined by about 2 percent.

Deb Stone, senior director of knowledge and review at JED, said suicide rates have historically been much higher among young men, meaning the declines don’t dramatically change what remains a significant problem.

“The way young men and boys and young women and girls reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic may have been different,” Stone said. “We really don’t know right now. But we do know that young people during the pandemic really struggled significantly with their mental health, and there was a lot of depression and anxiety, as well as social isolation, and maybe some of those things have gotten better for young boys, but not for girls.”

Stone said firearms account for more than half of youth suicides, making them the leading cause of such deaths among young people. The JED analysis found that firearm suicides among 10- to 24-year-olds peaked in 2021 and declined slightly by 2024, but the decreases were not shared equally across groups. Suicides declined among white youth, but not among their Black peers. Firearm suicides among Black youth surpassed those of white youth for the first time in 2022 and remained high in 2023 and 2024.

Although the overall declines are welcome, Stone said suicide rates among young people remain much too high.

“Some of the things that we know can save lives are safer handling and storage of firearms, and also counseling on access to lethal means by health-care providers and by social service providers,” Stone said.

Who’s most at risk: The JED analysis found significant overall declines in suicide rates among American Indian and Alaska Native, Asian, and white young people ages 10 to 24. Suicide rates among American Indian and Alaska Native youth declined by about 33 percent, while among Asian and white youth they fell 17 percent and 14 percent, respectively. However, suicide rates among American Indian and Alaska Native youth remain disproportionately high despite the declines.

Suicide rates among Black young people ages 10 to 24 declined by about 4 percent, but increased by 1 percent among those ages 20 to 24—a concerning shift given historically lower rates among this group, according to the JED analysis.

Stone said the disparities across racial groups likely reflect a complex mix of social and structural factors.

“We know that suicide is multifactorial,” Stone said. “It can include social isolation, economic issues or family violence. We also know discrimination can be a factor as well as untreated mental health concerns, so it’s hard to pinpoint any one thing.”

Prevention and next steps: Stone said a comprehensive approach, including early intervention and promoting resources such as the 988 crisis hotline to young people, will help them access support before a crisis develops.

“How can we help young people not be in that level of distress so they never reach a suicidal crisis?” Stone said. “That includes things like developing life skills and promoting social connectedness.”

These efforts must be paired with continued attention to structural factors, like safe firearm storage and equitable access to mental health care, Stone said

“We’re really heartened to see that there are these declines, but the rates of suicide and firearm suicide are just way too high,” Stone said. “When we look at rates over time, suicide among young people is at some of the highest levels we’ve seen since we started recording this data.”

“So this is not a time to celebrate, but a time to really build on that momentum and what’s been working and what we know works to prevent suicide,” she said.

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If you or someone you know are in crisis or considering suicide and need help, call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing 9-8-8, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.