Last updated: November 7, 2026

This page brings together current teen statistics from recent research, so parents can find the key numbers in one place instead of digging through separate reports. It covers mental health, AI chatbots, phones at school, physical activity, dating violence and careers, and it’s updated as new studies are released.

Teen mental health statistics

Repeated experiences of racism are linked to much higher odds of suicide-related outcomes among teens.

  • In Colorado, 40% of Black high school students reported at least one of four experiences of racism, compared with 4% of white students. Students who reported three or more kinds had 4.1 to 7.8 times higher odds of suicide-related outcomes than students who reported none (CU Anschutz, 2026).

Teens and AI chatbot statistics

Teens are turning to AI chatbots for support, and the safeguards meant to protect them can be bypassed.

  • About one in four young people who are being bullied have turned to AI chatbots for help, according to a study reported in France (RFI, 2026).
  • Common Sense Media tested about 4,000 prompts on ChatGPT using teen accounts and found its parental controls and study mode could be easily bypassed. OpenAI disputed the findings (Marketplace, 2026).

Phones at school statistics

Three in four U.S. high school students use tech in ways their school doesn’t allow every day.

  • 76% of U.S. high school students and recent graduates report at least one form of unsanctioned tech use during the school day, every day (Fordham Institute, 2026).
  • About half of U.S. high school students use social media during school every day, and 49% message friends during school hours (Fordham Institute, 2026).

Teen physical activity statistics

Teen girls are less likely than boys to get any exercise in a typical week.

  • A World Health Organization study found about 30% of teen girls get no exercise in a typical week, compared with 22% of boys (NPR, 2026).

Teen dating violence statistics

About one in three young Canadians have faced dating violence.

  • Canada: About one in three young people have faced dating violence, according to new guidance from the Canadian Paediatric Society (CBC, 2026).

Teens and careers statistics

Most U.K. parents feel unprepared when their teens ask about careers.

  • Seven in ten U.K. parents feel out of their depth when their teens ask about careers (The Mirror, 2026).