1,758 suicides in 2025, an average of nearly 5 per day

© ANP / Bart Stoutjesdijk
  • There were 92 fewer suicides in 2025 than in 2024.
  • Suicide rates are double among men than among women.
  • Suicide is the leading cause of death among young people aged under 30.

Last year, 1,758 people took their own lives. That means there were five suicides every day, on average. The suicide rate was 9.7 per 100 thousand inhabitants, the lowest rate since 2010. The number of suicides was around 9.9 and 11.2 per 100 thousand inhabitants in the period between 2010 and 2024. Suicide rates were more than double among men (1,205) than among women (553). Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports this on the basis of newly released figures.

People in their fifties and sixties had the highest suicide rate

Compared with other age groups, the suicide rate was highest among people in their fifties and sixties. The suicide rate takes into account the growth of the population and the fact that people are living longer.

Between 2007 and 2025, suicide rates were the highest among people in their fifties, but in 2025 the rate was highest among people in their sixties. In 2025, 37 percent of all people who ended their lives were in their fifties or sixties. There were 14 suicides per 100 thousand inhabitants aged between 50 and 70.

The number of suicides among people aged 70 and over and those in their eighties has averaged 13 per 100 thousand over the past 25 years. Suicide rates were also high among people in their thirties and forties, at 12 suicide deaths per 100 thousand people. The rate was the lowest of all age groups among teenagers and people in their twenties.

Over twice as many suicides among men

The suicide rate in men (at 13.4 per 100 thousand inhabitants) was more than double the rate in women (6.1 per 100 thousand). The difference between men and women was the most significant among people aged 80 and over. The rate among men in this age group was nearly triple that in women. The difference was smallest among teenagers: 1.3 times higher among boys than among girls.

Suicide rates are rising among young women

The number of suicides among teenagers and people in their twenties has increased over the last 25 years, particularly among young women. Among young women aged 20 to 29, the number of suicides rose from an average of 4.0 per 100 thousand inhabitants between 2000 and 2005 to an average of 6.5 per 100 thousand inhabitants between 2020 and 2025. This means that the relative increase is the most significant in this age group. In 2025, 29 girls aged 10 to 19 took their own lives. Among young women aged 20 to 29, the number of suicides rose from an average of 4.0 per 100 thousand inhabitants between 2000 and 2005 to an average of 6.5 per 100 thousand inhabitants between 2020 and 2025.

Suicide is the leading cause of death among young people aged under 30

Suicide is the leading cause of death among teenagers. Of all teenage deaths in 2025, 22 percent were the result of suicide. That was higher than the number of deaths caused by road traffic accidents. Suicide was also the leading cause of death among people in their twenties: 28 percent of deaths were suicides.

Among young people, the ratio of suicides to road traffic deaths has changed over the past few decades. Fifty years ago, young people under the age of 30 were the most likely to die in a road traffic accident. Among teenagers who died in 1975, 33 percent of deaths were a result of road traffic accidents and 9 percent were suicides. In 2025, 15 percent of young people died in a road traffic accident and 26 percent died as a result of suicide.

Are you contemplating suicide? Call 113 or 0800-0113 (free of charge), or chat with us anonymously via 113.nl. This helpline is available 24/7.

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