If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day. You can also chat through the 988 Lifeline website.
Suicide was the second-leading cause of death for Americans ages 10 to 24 in 2024, accounting for 19.2% of deaths in that age group, according to final 2024 rankings from the CDC released September 22 by the agency's National Center for Health Statistics. Only unintentional injuries caused more deaths among young people.
For parents and young adults, that ranking is a sobering reminder that mental health is central to youth safety. It also arrived one day after separate CDC survey data showed that the share of high school students who seriously considered suicide fell from 20% in 2023 to 14% in 2025.
Both findings can be true at once. Rankings show which causes account for the most deaths, while the survey tracks how students say they are feeling.
A Ranking That Measures Burden, Not Risk
The new National Vital Statistics Report ranks causes by the number of deaths. For ages 10 to 24, unintentional injuries ranked first at 37.5% of deaths, suicide second at 19.2%, and homicide third at 15.1%. Suicide was also the second-leading cause for adults ages 25 to 44, at 10.6% of deaths.
NCHS cautions that ranks can be misleading. The report states that "rankings do not illustrate cause-specific mortality risk" and that a cause's rank can change even when its death rate does not.
That caution matters for the national picture. Suicide moved up to the 10th leading cause of death for all ages in 2024, from 11th in 2023, largely because COVID-19 deaths fell 37% and COVID dropped from 10th to 15th. The number of suicide deaths actually declined 1%, from 49,316 in 2023 to 48,824 in 2024, according to the report.
The NCHS leading causes of death page links to state-level data, which families and school leaders can use to see local patterns.
Encouraging Signals From High School Students
The CDC's Youth Health in Focus release, published September 21, draws on the national Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Between 2023 and 2025, persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness fell from 40% to 33%, poor mental health fell from 29% to 23%, and seriously considering suicide fell from 20% to 14%.
"These are meaningful improvements, and they show that progress is possible when schools, families, and communities work together to support young people," said Dr. Jennifer Shuford, the CDC's chief medical officer.
The survey also found that some risks remain. Students who attempted suicide fell from 9% to 6%, but female students remained more likely than male students to report persistent sadness, poor mental health, and suicidal thoughts. The full 2025 results are posted on the CDC's Youth Health in Focus page.
Reading the Data with Care
These are two different kinds of evidence. The death rankings come from 2024 death certificates. The youth survey reflects self-reported answers from high school students in 2025, and it does not include young adults or teens who are not in school.
Unintentional injuries, the top cause for this age group, include motor vehicle crashes and unintentional drug overdoses. That means protecting young people spans road safety, substance use, and mental health, and families can often address several of these risks in the same conversations.
Neither report explains why the numbers moved. The survey improvements are encouraging, but it is too early to know whether they will translate into fewer deaths in later years. Final 2025 mortality data are not yet available.
Risk is not the same for everyone. In 2024, suicide ranked seventh among causes of death for males of all ages but was not among the top 10 for females. It ranked eighth among American Indian and Alaska Native people and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander people, compared with ninth among White and Hispanic people, according to NCHS.
Support Families Can Offer Today
Parents and caregivers do not need special training to help. Noticing changes matters, such as withdrawing from friends, sleeping much more or less, giving away belongings, talking about being a burden or feeling hopeless, or saying they want to die. Those are signs to reach out, listen without judgment, and connect the young person with help.
A pediatrician, primary care clinician, school counselor, or mental health professional can assess a young person and arrange care. Storing medications and firearms securely at home is another step families can take, since it adds time and distance during a crisis.
If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. For support, call or text 988 at any hour. The 988 Lifeline also offers chat, and it helps people who are worried about someone else, not only those in crisis themselves.
Cost can be a barrier. Many schools offer counseling at no charge, community health centers use sliding-scale fees, and most insurance plans cover mental health visits. Telehealth can shorten waits in areas with few child and adolescent specialists.
The message from both reports is steady rather than alarming: suicide remains a leading cause of death for young people, and early survey signs show fewer teens reporting suicidal thoughts.
Key Questions Answered
What did the new CDC report find? Suicide was the second-leading cause of death for Americans ages 10 to 24 in 2024, accounting for 19.2% of deaths in that age group.
What is the leading cause of death for that age group? Unintentional injuries, which accounted for 37.5% of deaths among ages 10 to 24.
Did suicide deaths increase in 2024? No. Total suicide deaths fell about 1%, though suicide rose to 10th among all causes because COVID-19 deaths dropped sharply.
Is there any good news for teens? Yes. CDC survey data show the share of high school students who seriously considered suicide fell from 20% in 2023 to 14% in 2025.
What warning signs should parents watch for? Withdrawal, major sleep changes, hopelessness, talking about being a burden or wanting to die, and giving away belongings.
Where can someone get help right now? Call or text 988 for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or call 911 if someone is in immediate danger.
Published by Medicaldaily.com
