Ohio Child & Teen Mental Health Statistics

Mental health challenges among Ohio children and teens are more common than many parents realize. The numbers below come from state and federal health agencies, and they show why early, child-centered support matters at every age.

Anxiety & ADHD Statistics for Ohio Children Ages 3 to 11

Anxiety can begin well before the teen years.

• Almost 12% of Ohio children ages 3 to 17 had anxiety in 2021-2022, compared to roughly 10% of children nationwide.
• 2% of Ohio children ages 3 to 5 had anxiety.
• 8% of Ohio children ages 6 to 11 had anxiety.
• An estimated 12% of Ohio youth had attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or attention deficit disorder (ADD) in 2021 and 2022.

Young children often show what they are feeling through behavior rather than words. That is why early support built around play, creativity, and hands-on activities can make such a difference.

Teen Depression Statistics in Ohio, Ages 12 to 17

Depression is one of the most common challenges Ohio teens face. In 2021-2023, among adolescents aged 12 to 17 in Ohio, 20.0% had at least one major depressive episode in the past year. That rate holds close to home. Compared with the state average, the estimate for major depressive episodes among adolescents aged 12 to 17 was similar for every substate region in Ohio, including the regions that cover Stark and Cuyahoga Counties.

In the same period, 14.1% of Ohio adolescents aged 12 to 17 had serious thoughts of suicide in the past year.

Ohio High School Student Mental Health Statistics

Ohio high school students are reporting more sadness than they did a decade ago. In 2023, 35.0% of high school students felt sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more, to the point that they stopped doing some usual activities, up from 25.8% in 2013.

• 33.0% of Ohio high school students said their mental health, including stress, anxiety, and depression, was not good most of the time or always.
• 46.1% of girls said so.
• 20.3% of boys said so.

Students also reported experiences that can affect how they feel and cope. 23.4% of high school students did something to purposely hurt themselves without wanting to die, and 21.9% were bullied on school property in the past year.

Youth Suicide Statistics in Ohio, Ages 10 to 24

In 2023, suicide remained the second-leading cause of death among Ohioans ages 10-14, and on average one individual age 10-24 died by suicide every 36 hours. These losses are why early support, open conversations, and knowing where to turn for help matter so much.

If you are experiencing an emergency, please call 911 or contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988 for immediate support.