Suicides among young Dutch women hit record high in 2024

Suicides among young women in the Netherlands rose to a record high in 2024, even as the overall national suicide rate remained stable, according to new figures released Thursday by Statistics Netherlands (CBS). A total of 1,849 people died by suicide last year—an average of five per day—marking no significant change from recent years, but masking sharp increases in specific age and gender groups.

CBS reported that 117 women under the age of 30 took their own lives in 2024, more than in any previous year on record. The suicide rate among young women rose to 5.5 per 100,000—a figure CBS said has never been higher. By comparison, the rate was 4.7 per 100,000 between 2020 and 2024, and just 2.7 in the early 2000s.

Though men are still reportedly more likely to die by suicide, with a rate of 14.0 per 100,000 in 2024 compared to 6.6 for women, the rise among young women stands out. The rate among men under 30 also rose over the past 15 years but less steeply, from 7.5 to 8.8 per 100,000. CBS noted that the increase for young women was sharper and more recent.

Suicide remains the leading cause of death among teenagers and people in their twenties. Last year, 20 percent of all teenage deaths were suicides—more than from traffic accidents or cancer. Among people in their twenties, the share rose to 32 percent.

Middle-aged people continue to make up the largest share of suicide deaths in absolute numbers. One in five people who died by suicide in 2024 was between 50 and 60 years old, and this group had the highest rate: 15 per 100,000. The highest suicide rate ever recorded in the Netherlands was among people over 80 in the early 1980s, when it topped 27 per 100,000. That figure has since dropped to 13 per 100,000 for the elderly.

CBS has tracked suicide rates since the 1970s. The overall national rate has hovered between 10.3 and 10.9 per 100,000 since 2018 and was 10.3 in 2024. While that number suggests stability, CBS said the rise among young people—particularly young women—is an alarming shift that may reflect broader mental health challenges in younger generations.