Statistics · Updated November 9, 2026
Chronic Pain and Arthritis Statistics 2026
Includes NCHS's 2025 National Health Interview Survey data, released August 2026
- 77statistics
- 49sources from 8 publishers
- Checkedevery figure against its original source
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Compiled by the BestRatedDocs research desk from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), JAMA Network Open, Arthritis Care & Research, The Lancet Rheumatology and the World Health Organization (WHO) data.
About 1 in 5 US adults has chronic pain: 20.7% in 2025, according to CDC's National Health Interview Survey, and 8.5% had high-impact pain that limits daily life in 2023. Arthritis is about as common, at 21.1% of adults in 2025, or 53.2 million people in CDC's last full count (2019-2021).
Key findings
- 20.7%
In 2025, 20.7% of US adults regularly experienced chronic pain (pain on most days or every day in the past 3 months), according to final 2025 National Health Interview Survey data from the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
CDC, NCHS, Interactive Summary Health Statistics for Adults, NHIS 2019-2025 · 2025 data
- 8.5%
In 2023, 8.5% of US adults had high-impact chronic pain (chronic pain that limited life or work activities on most days or every day in the past 3 months), according to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.
CDC, NCHS Data Brief No. 518, Chronic Pain and High-impact Chronic Pain in U.S. Adults, 2023 · 2023 data
- 31.4%
In 2023, 31.4% of US adults in nonmetropolitan (rural) areas had chronic pain, compared with 20.5% in large central metropolitan areas, according to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.
CDC, NCHS Data Brief No. 518, Chronic Pain and High-impact Chronic Pain in U.S. Adults, 2023 · 2023 data
- 52.4
Among US adults who were pain-free in 2019, new chronic pain developed at a rate of 52.4 cases per 1,000 person-years by 2020 (roughly 52 new cases for every 1,000 people followed for a year), according to an NIH-led study of the NHIS Longitudinal Cohort in JAMA Network Open.
Nahin RL et al., Estimated Rates of Incident and Persistent Chronic Pain Among US Adults, 2019-2020, JAMA Network Open, 2023 · 2019-2020 data
- 21.1%
In 2025, 21.1% of US adults aged 18 and older had ever been told by a doctor or other health professional that they had arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus or fibromyalgia (crude estimate), according to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), using the National Health Interview Survey.
- 53.2 million
During 2019-2021, an estimated 53.2 million US adults aged 18 and older (21.2%, or 18.7% age-standardized) had doctor-diagnosed arthritis, according to the CDC's analysis of National Health Interview Survey data.
CDC, MMWR, Fallon et al., Prevalence of Diagnosed Arthritis, United States, 2019-2021 (2023) · 2019-2021 data
- 33.8%
In 2023, West Virginia had the highest age-adjusted arthritis prevalence of any state, at 33.8% of adults, according to the CDC's Chronic Disease Indicators, using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).
CDC, U.S. Chronic Disease Indicators (BRFSS), Arthritis among adults, age-adjusted prevalence, 2023 · 2023 data
- 1.28-1.36 million
In 2014, rheumatoid arthritis affected a conservative estimate of 1.28-1.36 million US adults, with an age-adjusted prevalence of 0.53% to 0.55%, according to a Rheumatology International study of two national insurance claims databases.
- 39.0%
In 2019, 39.0% of US adults had back pain in the past 3 months, making the back the most common site of pain, according to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), using the National Health Interview Survey.
CDC, NCHS Data Brief No. 415, Back, Lower Limb, and Upper Limb Pain Among U.S. Adults, 2019 · 2019 data
- 58.5%
In 2023, 58.5% of US adults with diagnosed arthritis (30.8 million) reported moderate to severe joint pain, including 26.1% (13.8 million) with severe joint pain, according to a study in Arthritis Care & Research using CDC's National Health Interview Survey.
- 22.1%
In 2019, 22.1% of US adults with chronic pain had used a prescription opioid in the past 3 months, according to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), using the National Health Interview Survey.
- 619 million
In 2020, low back pain affected 619 million people worldwide and remained the leading cause of years lived with disability globally, according to the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 published in The Lancet Rheumatology.
How Many Americans Have Chronic Pain?
About 1 in 5 US adults has chronic pain. The newest NHIS estimate is 20.7% of adults in 2025, down from a high of 24.3% in 2023.
Source: CDC, NCHS, Interactive Summary Health Statistics for Adults (NHIS 2019-2025), Regularly experienced chronic pain. Chart: BestRatedDocs, free to reuse with a link to this page.
Show chart data
| 2019 | 20.5% |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 21.8% |
| 2021 | 20.9% |
| 2023 | 24.3% |
| 2025 | 20.7% |
- 20.7%
In 2025, 20.7% of US adults regularly experienced chronic pain (pain on most days or every day in the past 3 months), according to final 2025 National Health Interview Survey data from the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
CDC, NCHS, Interactive Summary Health Statistics for Adults, NHIS 2019-2025 · 2025 data [1]
- 24.3%
In 2023, 24.3% of US adults had chronic pain (pain on most days or every day in the past 3 months), according to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), using the National Health Interview Survey.
CDC, NCHS Data Brief No. 518, Chronic Pain and High-impact Chronic Pain in U.S. Adults, 2023 · 2023 data [2]
- 51.6 million
In 2021, an estimated 51.6 million US adults (20.9%) experienced chronic pain, according to a CDC analysis of the National Health Interview Survey published in MMWR.
CDC, MMWR, Rikard et al., Chronic Pain Among Adults, United States, 2019-2021 · 2021 data [3]
- 20.4%
In 2019, 20.4% of US adults had chronic pain in the past 3 months, according to an NCHS Data Brief using the redesigned 2019 National Health Interview Survey.
CDC, NCHS Data Brief No. 390, Chronic Pain and High-impact Chronic Pain Among U.S. Adults, 2019 · 2019 data [4]
- 50.0 million
In 2016, an estimated 20.4% of US adults (50.0 million) had chronic pain, defined then as pain on most days or every day in the past 6 months, according to a CDC analysis of the National Health Interview Survey.
CDC, MMWR, Dahlhamer et al., Prevalence of Chronic Pain and High-Impact Chronic Pain Among Adults, United States, 2016 · 2016 data [5]
All figures are crude (not age-adjusted) percentages from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). Since 2019 chronic pain means pain on most days or every day in the past 3 months. The 2016 estimate used a 6-month recall window and the pre-2019 questionnaire, so it is not directly comparable. NHIS did not ask the pain questions in 2022 or 2024, so the chart has no points for those years. NCHS changed the NHIS sample design in 2025, which it says should be considered when comparing across designs. Data Brief 390 published 20.4% for 2019; the NCHS interactive tool and the 2023 MMWR show 20.5% for the same year.
How Many Have High-Impact Chronic Pain?
In 2023, 8.5% of US adults had high-impact chronic pain, meaning pain that limited their life or work activities on most days or every day. That is about a third of everyone with chronic pain.
- 8.5%
In 2023, 8.5% of US adults had high-impact chronic pain (chronic pain that limited life or work activities on most days or every day in the past 3 months), according to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.
CDC, NCHS Data Brief No. 518, Chronic Pain and High-impact Chronic Pain in U.S. Adults, 2023 · 2023 data [2]
- 17.1 million
In 2021, an estimated 17.1 million US adults (6.9%) experienced high-impact chronic pain, according to a CDC analysis of the National Health Interview Survey published in MMWR.
CDC, MMWR, Rikard et al., Chronic Pain Among Adults, United States, 2019-2021 · 2021 data [3]
- 7.4%
In 2019, 7.4% of US adults had high-impact chronic pain, which was 36.4% of adults who had chronic pain, according to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.
CDC, NCHS Data Brief No. 390, Chronic Pain and High-impact Chronic Pain Among U.S. Adults, 2019 · 2019 data [4]
- 19.6 million
In 2016, 8.0% of US adults (19.6 million) had high-impact chronic pain, defined then over a 6-month window, according to a CDC analysis of the National Health Interview Survey.
CDC, MMWR, Dahlhamer et al., Prevalence of Chronic Pain and High-Impact Chronic Pain Among Adults, United States, 2016 · 2016 data [5]
- 7.9 percent
The age-adjusted share of US adults with high-impact chronic pain was 7.9 percent in 2023, against a Healthy People 2030 target of 6.4 percent, and HHS rates the national status as getting worse.
HHS, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Healthy People 2030 objective CP-01 (NHIS data) · 2023 data [6]
| Year | Recall window | Chronic pain | High-impact | CDC report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 6 months | 20.4% | 8.0% | MMWR 2018 |
| 2019 | 3 months | 20.4% | 7.4% | Data Brief 390 |
| 2021 | 3 months | 20.9% | 6.9% | MMWR 2023 |
| 2023 | 3 months | 24.3% | 8.5% | Data Brief 518 |
Source: CDC: MMWR 67(36) 2018; NCHS Data Brief 390 (2020); MMWR 72(15) 2023; NCHS Data Brief 518 (2024)
High-impact chronic pain is a subset of chronic pain: adults with chronic pain who also say pain limited their life or work activities on most days or every day in the past 3 months (6 months in 2016). The crude figures in the table are what share of all adults had it. Healthy People 2030 tracks an age-adjusted version, so its numbers (6.9% in 2019, 7.9% in 2023) differ from the crude ones (7.4% in 2019, 8.5% in 2023). NCHS has not yet published a high-impact chronic pain estimate for 2025.
Who Has Chronic Pain? By Age, Sex, Race and Where People Live
Chronic pain rises steeply with age, from 12.3% of adults aged 18 to 29 to 36.0% of those 65 and older in 2023. It is also more common in rural areas, among veterans and in lower-income families.
- 25.4%
In 2023, 25.4% of US women had chronic pain and 9.6% had high-impact chronic pain, compared with 23.2% and 7.3% of men, according to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.
CDC, NCHS Data Brief No. 518, Chronic Pain and High-impact Chronic Pain in U.S. Adults, 2023 · 2023 data [2]
- 36.0%
In 2023, 36.0% of US adults aged 65 and older had chronic pain, compared with 12.3% of adults aged 18 to 29, according to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.
CDC, NCHS Data Brief No. 518, Chronic Pain and High-impact Chronic Pain in U.S. Adults, 2023 · 2023 data [2]
- 13.5%
In 2023, 13.5% of US adults aged 65 and older had high-impact chronic pain, compared with 3.0% of adults aged 18 to 29, according to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.
CDC, NCHS Data Brief No. 518, Chronic Pain and High-impact Chronic Pain in U.S. Adults, 2023 · 2023 data [2]
- 30.7%
In 2023, 30.7% of American Indian and Alaska Native adults in the US had chronic pain, compared with 11.8% of Asian adults and 17.1% of Hispanic adults, according to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.
CDC, NCHS Data Brief No. 518, Chronic Pain and High-impact Chronic Pain in U.S. Adults, 2023 · 2023 data [2]
- 31.4%
In 2023, 31.4% of US adults in nonmetropolitan (rural) areas had chronic pain, compared with 20.5% in large central metropolitan areas, according to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.
CDC, NCHS Data Brief No. 518, Chronic Pain and High-impact Chronic Pain in U.S. Adults, 2023 · 2023 data [2]
- 11.5%
In 2023, 11.5% of US adults in nonmetropolitan areas had high-impact chronic pain, compared with 7.3% in large central metropolitan areas, according to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.
CDC, NCHS Data Brief No. 518, Chronic Pain and High-impact Chronic Pain in U.S. Adults, 2023 · 2023 data [2]
- 33.5%
In 2025, 33.5% of US veterans regularly experienced chronic pain, compared with 19.7% of nonveterans, according to National Health Interview Survey data from the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.
CDC, NCHS, Interactive Summary Health Statistics for Adults, NHIS 2025, by veteran status · 2025 data [7]
- 28.9%
In 2025, 28.9% of US adults with family income below the federal poverty level regularly experienced chronic pain, compared with 18.8% of adults at 200% of the poverty level or higher, according to National Health Interview Survey data from the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.
CDC, NCHS, Interactive Summary Health Statistics for Adults, NHIS 2025, by family income · 2025 data [8]
| Group | Chronic pain | High-impact |
|---|---|---|
| All adults | 24.3% | 8.5% |
| Women | 25.4% | 9.6% |
| Men | 23.2% | 7.3% |
| Ages 18 to 29 | 12.3% | 3.0% |
| Ages 30 to 44 | 18.3% | 4.9% |
| Ages 45 to 64 | 28.7% | 11.3% |
| Ages 65 and older | 36.0% | 13.5% |
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 30.7% | 12.7% |
| White | 28.0% | 9.5% |
| Other and multiple races | 24.8% | 8.4% |
| Black | 21.7% | 8.7% |
| Hispanic | 17.1% | 6.5% |
| Asian | 11.8% | 2.6% |
| Large central metro | 20.5% | 7.3% |
| Large fringe metro | 22.5% | 7.7% |
| Medium and small metro | 26.4% | 9.0% |
| Nonmetropolitan (rural) | 31.4% | 11.5% |
Source: CDC, NCHS Data Brief No. 518 (data tables for Figures 1 to 4), NHIS 2023
The table uses 2023, the newest year with both chronic pain and high-impact chronic pain published by group. The veteran and income figures come from the 2025 NHIS, which published chronic pain only. All are crude percentages. Race groups other than Hispanic are non-Hispanic adults who selected one race, except the "Other and multiple races" group, which also includes adults who selected more than one race; the American Indian and Alaska Native estimate has a wide confidence interval (18.3% to 45.5%). FPL is the federal poverty level.
How Many People Develop Chronic Pain Each Year?
Among US adults who were pain-free in 2019, new chronic pain appeared at a rate of 52.4 cases per 1,000 person-years, higher than the known rates for diabetes, depression or high blood pressure.
Source: Nahin et al., JAMA Network Open, 2023 (PMC10189566). Chart: BestRatedDocs, free to reuse with a link to this page.
Show chart data
| Chronic pain | 52.4 |
|---|---|
| Hypertension | 45.3 |
| Depression | 15.9 |
| High-impact pain | 12 |
| Diabetes | 7.1 |
- 52.4
Among US adults who were pain-free in 2019, new chronic pain developed at a rate of 52.4 cases per 1,000 person-years by 2020 (roughly 52 new cases for every 1,000 people followed for a year), according to an NIH-led study of the NHIS Longitudinal Cohort in JAMA Network Open.
Nahin RL et al., Estimated Rates of Incident and Persistent Chronic Pain Among US Adults, 2019-2020, JAMA Network Open, 2023 · 2019-2020 data [10]
- 45.3
The 2019-2020 chronic pain incidence rate among US adults (52.4 cases per 1,000 person-years) was higher than the rates the study authors cited for hypertension (45.3), depression (15.9) and diabetes (7.1 cases per 1,000 person-years).
Nahin RL et al., Estimated Rates of Incident and Persistent Chronic Pain Among US Adults, 2019-2020, JAMA Network Open, 2023 · 2019-2020 data [10]
- 12.0
Among US adults who were pain-free in 2019, new high-impact chronic pain developed at a rate of 12.0 cases per 1,000 person-years by 2020, according to the NIH-led NHIS Longitudinal Cohort study in JAMA Network Open.
Nahin RL et al., Estimated Rates of Incident and Persistent Chronic Pain Among US Adults, 2019-2020, JAMA Network Open, 2023 · 2019-2020 data [10]
- 61.4%
Of US adults with chronic pain in 2019, 61.4% (nearly two-thirds) still had chronic pain in 2020, according to the NIH-led NHIS Longitudinal Cohort study in JAMA Network Open.
Nahin RL et al., Estimated Rates of Incident and Persistent Chronic Pain Among US Adults, 2019-2020, JAMA Network Open, 2023 · 2019-2020 data [10]
- 14.9%
Among US adults followed from 2019 to 2020, 14.9% of those with pain that was not chronic in 2019 had chronic pain a year later, compared with 6.3% of those who had been pain-free, according to the NIH-led NHIS Longitudinal Cohort study.
Nahin RL et al., Estimated Rates of Incident and Persistent Chronic Pain Among US Adults, 2019-2020, JAMA Network Open, 2023 · 2019-2020 data [10]
- 4.3%
Of US adults without high-impact chronic pain in 2019, 4.3% had developed it one year later (the 1-year cumulative incidence), according to a 2026 NHIS Longitudinal Cohort analysis by Kapos and colleagues in AJPM Focus.
Kapos FP et al., High-Impact Chronic Pain Incidence Among U.S. Adults: A Brief Report Focused on Socioeconomic Factors, AJPM Focus, 2026 · 2019-2020 data [11]
- 14.2%
Among US adults who had chronic pain that did not yet limit their activities in 2019, 14.2% developed high-impact chronic pain within a year, compared with 2.6% of adults without chronic pain, according to Kapos and colleagues in AJPM Focus (2026).
Kapos FP et al., High-Impact Chronic Pain Incidence Among U.S. Adults: A Brief Report Focused on Socioeconomic Factors, AJPM Focus, 2026 · 2019-2020 data [11]
Both studies use the same 2019-2020 NHIS Longitudinal Cohort, though their samples differ (10,415 adults for Nahin, 9,534 for Kapos). An incidence rate per 1,000 person-years counts new cases against the total time people were followed: 52.4 per 1,000 person-years means roughly 52 new cases for every 1,000 people watched for one year (the average follow-up was 1.3 years). Nahin's rates are age-standardized and start from adults with no pain at all. A 1-year cumulative incidence is simpler: the share of people without the condition at the start who have it a year later. Kapos starts from everyone without high-impact chronic pain, including people who already had milder chronic pain, so its 4.3% is not directly comparable with Nahin's 12.0 per 1,000 person-years.
How Common Is Arthritis?
About 1 in 5 US adults has been told by a doctor that they have arthritis: 21.1% in 2025, according to the CDC's National Health Interview Survey. CDC's most recent NHIS analysis puts the number at 53.2 million adults (2019-2021 average).
Source: CDC, National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), NHIS Adult Summary Health Statistics, Arthritis diagnosis, 2025. Chart: BestRatedDocs, free to reuse with a link to this page.
Show chart data
| 18-44 | 5.6% |
|---|---|
| 45-64 | 24.8% |
| 65-74 | 42.6% |
| 75+ | 53% |
- 21.1%
In 2025, 21.1% of US adults aged 18 and older had ever been told by a doctor or other health professional that they had arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus or fibromyalgia (crude estimate), according to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), using the National Health Interview Survey.
CDC, National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), NHIS Adult Summary Health Statistics, Arthritis diagnosis, 2025 · 2025 data [12]
- 53.2 million
During 2019-2021, an estimated 53.2 million US adults aged 18 and older (21.2%, or 18.7% age-standardized) had doctor-diagnosed arthritis, according to the CDC's analysis of National Health Interview Survey data.
CDC, MMWR, Fallon et al., Prevalence of Diagnosed Arthritis, United States, 2019-2021 (2023) · 2019-2021 data [13]
- 18.9%
In 2022, the age-adjusted prevalence of diagnosed arthritis among US adults was 18.9%, with women (21.5%) more likely to have arthritis than men (16.1%), according to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), using the National Health Interview Survey.
CDC, NCHS Data Brief No. 497, Diagnosed Arthritis Among Adults: United States, 2022 · 2022 data [14]
- 53%
In 2025, 53% of US adults aged 75 and older had diagnosed arthritis, compared with 5.6% of adults aged 18-44 (crude estimates), according to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), using the National Health Interview Survey.
CDC, National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), NHIS Adult Summary Health Statistics, Arthritis diagnosis, 2025, by age group · 2025 data [15]
- 67.1 million
During 2017 to March 2020, 27.9% of US adults aged 20 and older (67.1 million) reported a doctor diagnosis of arthritis (crude estimate), according to a CDC analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
CDC, Preventing Chronic Disease, Foster et al., Distribution of Arthritis Subtypes Among Adults With Arthritis in the United States, 2017-March 2020 (2025) · 2017-March 2020 data [16]
- 78.4 million
By 2040, the number of US adults with doctor-diagnosed arthritis is projected to rise 49% to 78.4 million (25.9% of all adults), from 52.5 million in 2010-2012, according to CDC researchers writing in Arthritis & Rheumatology.
Hootman et al., Updated Projected Prevalence of Self-Reported Doctor-Diagnosed Arthritis and Arthritis-Attributable Activity Limitation Among US Adults, 2015-2040, Arthritis & Rheumatology (2016), via CDC Stacks · 2010-2012 data [17]
| Year | Adults with arthritis | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 21.4% | 20.9-22.0 |
| 2020 | 20.9% | 20.3-21.5 |
| 2021 | 21.3% | 20.7-21.8 |
| 2022 | 21.6% | 21.0-22.2 |
| 2023 | 21.2% | 20.7-21.8 |
| 2024 | 21.3% | 20.7-21.8 |
| 2025 | 21.1% | 20.5-21.7 |
The two headline counts measure different things. The 53.2 million figure comes from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), a household interview of adults 18 and older, averaged over 2019-2021, and counts anyone told they have arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus or fibromyalgia. The 67.1 million figure comes from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), covers adults 20 and older, uses a different question ("Has a doctor or other health professional ever told you that you have arthritis?") and pools 2017 to March 2020. CDC says estimates from different surveys should not be compared directly. NHIS figures from before the 2019 survey redesign (such as 58.5 million for 2016-2018) are also not comparable with later years. The 2019-2025 NHIS percentages in the table are crude (not age-adjusted); age-adjusted rates are lower (18.9% in 2022) because they remove the effect of an older population.
Arthritis Rates by State
West Virginia has the highest arthritis rate in the US: 33.8% of adults in 2023 (age-adjusted), against 22.5% nationally, according to CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. The District of Columbia is lowest at 17.9%.
- 33.8%
In 2023, West Virginia had the highest age-adjusted arthritis prevalence of any state, at 33.8% of adults, according to the CDC's Chronic Disease Indicators, using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).
CDC, U.S. Chronic Disease Indicators (BRFSS), Arthritis among adults, age-adjusted prevalence, 2023 · 2023 data [19]
- 17.9%
In 2023, the District of Columbia had the lowest age-adjusted arthritis prevalence in the US, at 17.9% of adults, followed by New Jersey (18.9%) and California (19.3%), according to the CDC's Chronic Disease Indicators, using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).
CDC, U.S. Chronic Disease Indicators (BRFSS), Arthritis among adults, age-adjusted prevalence, 2023 · 2023 data [19]
- 22.5%
In 2023, the age-adjusted arthritis prevalence for US adults as a whole was 22.5%, according to the CDC's Chronic Disease Indicators, using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).
CDC, U.S. Chronic Disease Indicators (BRFSS), Arthritis among adults, age-adjusted prevalence, 2023 · 2023 data [19]
| Rank | State | Adults with arthritis |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia | 33.8% |
| 2 | Tennessee | 30.1% |
| 3 | Louisiana | 27.9% |
| 4 | Mississippi | 27.8% |
| 5 | Arkansas | 27.2% |
| 6 | Alabama | 27.1% |
| 7 | Maine | 27.0% |
| 8 | Oklahoma | 26.7% |
| 9 | Ohio | 26.5% |
| 10 | Indiana | 26.3% |
| 11 | Missouri | 26.0% |
| 12 | Michigan | 25.9% |
| 13 | South Carolina | 25.2% |
| 14 | Montana | 24.8% |
| 15 | Virginia | 24.5% |
| 16 | Delaware | 24.3% |
| 17 | Idaho | 24.2% |
| 18 | North Carolina | 24.1% |
| 18 | North Dakota | 24.1% |
| 20 | Iowa | 24.0% |
| 20 | Oregon | 24.0% |
| 22 | New Hampshire | 23.8% |
| 22 | Wyoming | 23.8% |
| 24 | Kansas | 23.7% |
| 25 | New Mexico | 23.6% |
| 26 | Vermont | 23.3% |
| 27 | Massachusetts | 23.1% |
| 27 | Wisconsin | 23.1% |
| 29 | South Dakota | 23.0% |
| 30 | Alaska | 22.9% |
| 31 | Rhode Island | 22.8% |
| 32 | Utah | 22.6% |
| 33 | Arizona | 22.1% |
| 34 | Nevada | 22.0% |
| 35 | Georgia | 21.9% |
| 36 | Maryland | 21.8% |
| 36 | Washington | 21.8% |
| 38 | Illinois | 21.6% |
| 39 | Nebraska | 21.4% |
| 40 | Colorado | 20.8% |
| 40 | Florida | 20.8% |
| 42 | New York | 20.7% |
| 43 | Connecticut | 20.4% |
| 44 | Hawaii | 20.2% |
| 45 | Texas | 20.0% |
| 46 | Minnesota | 19.4% |
| 47 | California | 19.3% |
| 48 | New Jersey | 18.9% |
| 49 | District of Columbia | 17.9% |
| United States | 22.5% | |
| Kentucky | No 2023 data (2022: 30.0%) | |
| Pennsylvania | No 2023 data (2022: 28.0%) |
State figures come from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a state-run telephone survey, as published in CDC's Chronic Disease Indicators. They are age-adjusted, so a state with many older residents does not look worse just because of its age mix. BRFSS rates run higher than the NHIS national figures above because the surveys differ in sampling, data collection and question wording; compare states with each other, not with NHIS. Kentucky and Pennsylvania have no 2023 estimate in the CDC data; their 2022 values are shown. Puerto Rico (21.8%), Guam (19.5%) and the US Virgin Islands (18.1%) are not ranked.
How Common Are Osteoarthritis, Gout, Fibromyalgia and Other Types?
Osteoarthritis is by far the most common type: about half of US adults with diagnosed arthritis (49.6%, or 33.2 million) say they have it, according to a 2025 CDC analysis of NHANES data.
- 33.2 million
During 2017 to March 2020, osteoarthritis was the most common arthritis type among US adults aged 20 and older with diagnosed arthritis: 49.6% (33.2 million) reported it, according to a CDC analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
CDC, Preventing Chronic Disease, Foster et al., Distribution of Arthritis Subtypes Among Adults With Arthritis in the United States, 2017-March 2020 (2025) · 2017-March 2020 data [16]
- 1.0 million
During 2017 to March 2020, about 1.0 million US adults aged 20 and older (1.4% of adults with diagnosed arthritis) reported psoriatic arthritis, according to a CDC analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
CDC, Preventing Chronic Disease, Foster et al., Distribution of Arthritis Subtypes Among Adults With Arthritis in the United States, 2017-March 2020 (2025) · 2017-March 2020 data [16]
- 12.1 million
In 2017-2018, gout affected 12.1 million people in the US, with crude prevalence rising from 3.6% in 2011-2012 to 5.1%, according to a JAMA Network Open study using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
Yokose et al., Trends in Prevalence of Gout Among US Asian Adults, 2011-2018, JAMA Network Open (2023) · 2017-2018 data [20]
- 3.94 million
In 2012, 1.75% of US adults, or 3.94 million people, met survey-based criteria for fibromyalgia, and 73% of them reported a doctor's diagnosis other than fibromyalgia, according to a PLOS One study using the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS).
Walitt et al., The Prevalence and Characteristics of Fibromyalgia in the 2012 National Health Interview Survey, PLOS One (2015) · 2012 data [21]
- 204,000
An estimated 204,000 people in the US have systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), including about 184,000 females and 20,000 males, according to the CDC, based on a 2021 meta-analysis of CDC's National Lupus Registries.
CDC, People with Lupus (data from Izmirly et al., Arthritis & Rheumatology, 2021) · Most recent registry data (published 2021) data [22]
- 220,000
During 2017-2021, an estimated 220,000 US children and adolescents under 18 had diagnosed arthritis (305 per 100,000), according to the CDC, using the National Survey of Children's Health.
CDC, MMWR, Lites et al., Arthritis Among Children and Adolescents Aged <18 Years, United States, 2017-2021 (2023) · 2017-2021 data [23]
| Type | Estimate | Measure and years | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Osteoarthritis | 33.2 million adults | Self-reported subtype, NHANES 2017-Mar 2020 | CDC, PCD 2025 |
| Gout | 12.1 million people | Self-reported diagnosis, NHANES 2017-2018 | JAMA Netw Open 2023 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis (self-report) | 10.6 million adults | Self-reported subtype, NHANES 2017-Mar 2020 | CDC, PCD 2025 |
| Gout | 9.2 million adults | Self-reported diagnosis, NHANES 2015-2016 | Arthritis Rheumatol 2019 |
| Fibromyalgia | 3.94 million adults | Survey criteria, NHIS 2012 | PLOS One 2015 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis (claims) | 1.28-1.36 million adults | Insurance claims, 2014 | Rheumatol Int 2017 |
| Psoriatic arthritis | 1.0 million adults | Self-reported subtype, NHANES 2017-Mar 2020 | CDC, PCD 2025 |
| Arthritis in children | 220,000 under 18 | Parent-reported, NSCH 2017-2021 | CDC, MMWR 2023 |
| Lupus (SLE) | 204,000 people | CDC lupus registries | CDC |
Source: CDC (PCD 2025, MMWR 2023, lupus registries) and peer-reviewed studies listed in each row
These estimates come from different surveys, years and case definitions, so they do not add up to the arthritis total. The osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis counts are self-reported subtypes among adults 20 and older who said a doctor diagnosed their arthritis (NHANES 2017 to March 2020). In the same survey, 21.6% of adults with arthritis (14.4 million) did not know which type they had. The gout figures are NHANES self-reports of a health professional's diagnosis. The fibromyalgia figure applies symptom-based survey criteria to the 2012 NHIS, the newest national estimate found, and most people it identified had not been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. The lupus figure comes from CDC's lupus registries. The children's figure counts any parent-reported arthritis diagnosis, not only juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
How Many People Have Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Clinically confirmed rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects roughly 1.3 million US adults: a conservative 1.28-1.36 million in 2014, based on insurance claims. Women are more than twice as likely as men to have it.
- 1.28-1.36 million
In 2014, rheumatoid arthritis affected a conservative estimate of 1.28-1.36 million US adults, with an age-adjusted prevalence of 0.53% to 0.55%, according to a Rheumatology International study of two national insurance claims databases.
Hunter et al., Prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis in the United States adult population in healthcare claims databases, 2004-2014, Rheumatology International (2017) · 2014 data [24]
- 0.73-0.78%
In 2014, the age-adjusted prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis among US adults was 0.73-0.78% for women versus 0.29-0.31% for men, according to a Rheumatology International study of national insurance claims data.
Hunter et al., Rheumatology International (2017) · 2014 data [24]
- 1.3 million
The National Arthritis Data Workgroup estimated that rheumatoid arthritis affected 1.3 million US adults, based on 2005 Census population estimates, down from an estimate of 2.1 million for 1995, according to Helmick et al. in Arthritis & Rheumatism.
Helmick et al., Estimates of the prevalence of arthritis and other rheumatic conditions in the United States, Part I, Arthritis & Rheumatism (2008) · 2005 data [25]
- 1.5 million
Applying the rheumatoid arthritis prevalence measured in Olmsted County, Minnesota on January 1, 2005 (0.72%) to the US population gave an estimated 1.5 million US adults with RA in 2005, according to Mayo Clinic researchers writing in Arthritis & Rheumatism.
Myasoedova et al., Is the incidence of rheumatoid arthritis rising? Results from Olmsted County, Minnesota, 1955-2007, Arthritis & Rheumatism (2010) · 2005 data [26]
- 55.6 years
Among adults in Olmsted County, Minnesota who first met rheumatoid arthritis criteria during 1995-2007, the mean age at onset was 55.6 years and 69% were women, according to Mayo Clinic researchers writing in Arthritis & Rheumatism.
Myasoedova et al., Arthritis & Rheumatism (2010) · 1995-2007 data [26]
- 17.9 million
Worldwide, an estimated 17.9 million people of all ages were living with rheumatoid arthritis in 2021, a 125% increase from 1990, according to an analysis of Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 data by Ma and colleagues.
Ma et al., Global, regional and national burden of rheumatoid arthritis from 1990 to 2021, with projections of incidence to 2050 (GBD 2021 analysis), 2025 · 2021 data [27]
| Estimate | Data year | Method | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.3 million adults | 2005 | Earlier rates applied to 2005 population | Helmick, Arthritis Rheum 2008 |
| 1.5 million adults | 2005 | Olmsted County, MN rate (0.72%) applied to US | Myasoedova, Arthritis Rheum 2010 |
| 1.28-1.36 million adults | 2014 | Insurance claims, validated algorithm | Hunter, Rheumatol Int 2017 |
| 10.6 million adults | 2017-Mar 2020 | Self-reported subtype (NHANES) | Foster, CDC PCD 2025 |
The two figures most often quoted come from different studies of 2005. The 1.3 million figure is the National Arthritis Data Workgroup estimate (Helmick et al., Arthritis & Rheumatism, 2008), which applied earlier prevalence rates to the 2005 US population. The 1.5 million figure comes from the Rochester Epidemiology Project in Olmsted County, Minnesota (Myasoedova et al., Arthritis & Rheumatism, 2010), which found a higher prevalence (0.72%) on January 1, 2005 and applied it to the 2005 US population. The 2014 claims study (Hunter et al., Rheumatology International, 2017) used a validated RA algorithm in two large insurance databases and lands between them at 1.28-1.36 million. Survey self-reports run far higher: in NHANES 2017 to March 2020, 10.6 million adults with arthritis said their type was rheumatoid arthritis (4.1% of adults 20 and older, age-standardized). Self-reports are not confirmed by a doctor, so use the claims or registry figures for diagnosed RA. Global figures differ by year and study: the GBD 2021 collaborators estimated 17.6 million people with RA worldwide in 2020, and the 2025 analysis cited here gives 17.9 million for 2021.
Back Pain, Neck Pain, Migraine and Where It Hurts
Back pain is the most common place Americans hurt: 39.0% of US adults had back pain in the past 3 months in 2019, ahead of hip, knee or foot pain and hand, arm or shoulder pain. Low back pain is also the leading cause of years lived with disability in the US.
Source: CDC, NCHS Data Brief No. 415, Back, Lower Limb, and Upper Limb Pain Among U.S. Adults, 2019. Chart: BestRatedDocs, free to reuse with a link to this page.
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| Back | 39% |
|---|---|
| Hips, knees or feet | 36.5% |
| Hands, arms, shoulders | 30.7% |
| Headache or migraine | 22.4% |
| Abdomen or pelvis | 9.8% |
| Tooth or jaw | 9.2% |
- 58.9%
In 2019, 58.9% of US adults had pain of any kind in the past 3 months (on some days, most days or every day), according to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), using the National Health Interview Survey.
CDC, NCHS Data Brief No. 415, Back, Lower Limb, and Upper Limb Pain Among U.S. Adults, 2019 · 2019 data [28]
- 39.0%
In 2019, 39.0% of US adults had back pain in the past 3 months, making the back the most common site of pain, according to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), using the National Health Interview Survey.
CDC, NCHS Data Brief No. 415, Back, Lower Limb, and Upper Limb Pain Among U.S. Adults, 2019 · 2019 data [28]
- 36.5%
In 2019, 36.5% of US adults had lower limb pain (hips, knees or feet) in the past 3 months, according to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), using the National Health Interview Survey.
CDC, NCHS Data Brief No. 415, Back, Lower Limb, and Upper Limb Pain Among U.S. Adults, 2019 · 2019 data [28]
- 22.4%
In 2019, 22.4% of US adults reported headache or migraine pain in the past 3 months, according to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), using the National Health Interview Survey.
CDC, NCHS Data Brief No. 415, Back, Lower Limb, and Upper Limb Pain Among U.S. Adults, 2019 · 2019 data [28]
- 20.1%
In 2018, 20.1% of US women and 10.6% of US men had a severe headache or migraine in the past 3 months, according to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, using the National Health Interview Survey (MMWR QuickStats).
CDC, MMWR QuickStats: Percentage of Adults Who Had a Severe Headache or Migraine in the Past 3 Months, by Sex and Age Group, NHIS 2018 · 2018 data [29]
- 15.9%
In 2018, the age-adjusted prevalence of migraine and severe headache among US adults was 15.9%, according to an analysis of National Health Interview Survey data by Burch and colleagues in the journal Headache.
Burch R, Rizzoli P, Loder E, Headache 2021, The prevalence and impact of migraine and severe headache in the United States · 2018 data [30]
- Leading cause
Low back pain was the leading cause of years lived with disability in the US in both 1990 and 2021, according to the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 (IHME and collaborators, The Lancet, 2024).
GBD 2021 US Burden of Disease Collaborators, The Lancet 2024, The burden of diseases, injuries, and risk factors by state in the USA, 1990-2021 · 2021 data [31]
The NCHS body-location figures count any pain at that site in the past 3 months (a little, a lot, or in between), so they are much higher than chronic pain (pain on most days or every day). The 22.4% headache figure comes from that 2019 question; the 15.9% and 20.1% figures come from a different, older NHIS question about a severe headache or migraine in the past 3 months (last published for 2018).
How Chronic Pain and Arthritis Limit Daily Life and Work
More than half of US adults with arthritis (58.5%, or 30.8 million) reported moderate to severe joint pain in 2023, and 26.1% reported severe pain, according to a study of CDC's National Health Interview Survey.
- 58.5%
In 2023, 58.5% of US adults with diagnosed arthritis (30.8 million) reported moderate to severe joint pain, including 26.1% (13.8 million) with severe joint pain, according to a study in Arthritis Care & Research using CDC's National Health Interview Survey.
Arthritis Care & Research (2026), Prevalence of Moderate to Severe Joint Pain Among Adults With Diagnosed Arthritis: United States, 2023 (abstract via Europe PMC) · 2023 data [32]
- 26.1%
In 2023, 26.1% of US adults with diagnosed arthritis, about 13.8 million people, reported severe joint pain, according to a study in Arthritis Care & Research using CDC's National Health Interview Survey.
Arthritis Care & Research (2026), Prevalence of Moderate to Severe Joint Pain Among Adults With Diagnosed Arthritis: United States, 2023 (abstract via Europe PMC) · 2023 data [32]
- 25.7 million
During 2016-2018, 25.7 million US adults with arthritis (43.9% of those with arthritis) were limited in their usual activities because of arthritis or joint symptoms, according to the CDC, using the National Health Interview Survey.
CDC, MMWR, Theis et al., Prevalence of Arthritis and Arthritis-Attributable Activity Limitation, United States, 2016-2018 (2021) · 2016-2018 data [33]
- 39.9%
In 2021, 39.9% of US adults aged 18-64 with arthritis said arthritis limited their work (crude estimate), according to the CDC's Chronic Disease Indicators, using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).
CDC, U.S. Chronic Disease Indicators (BRFSS), Work limitation due to arthritis among adults aged 18-64 years with arthritis, 2021 · 2021 data [34]
- 28.5%
In 2023, 28.5% of US adults with arthritis had ever been diagnosed with depression, compared with 16.4% of adults without arthritis; the study also reports 24.9% versus 16.1% for anxiety, according to a Journal of Orthopaedics study using the National Health Interview Survey.
Frappa et al., Mental health and pain trends among U.S. adults with arthritis: a comparative analysis of 2019 and 2023 national data, Journal of Orthopaedics (2025) (abstract via Europe PMC) · 2023 data [35]
- 43.2%
In 2019, 43.2% of US adults with chronic pain (an estimated 21.5 million) had a mental health treatment need, meaning clinically significant anxiety or depression symptoms or recent mental health treatment, compared with 17.4% of adults without chronic pain, according to a study in Pain using the National Health Interview Survey.
De La Rosa et al., The unmet mental health needs of U.S. adults living with chronic pain, Pain (2024) · 2019 data [36]
| Measure | Adults with arthritis | Year | Survey and source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moderate or severe joint pain | 58.5% | 2023 | NHIS, Arthritis Care Res 2026 |
| Limited in usual activities | 43.9% | 2016-2018 | NHIS, CDC MMWR 2021 |
| Limited in usual activities | 42.5% | 2021 | BRFSS, CDC CDI |
| Work limited (ages 18-64) | 39.9% | 2021 | BRFSS, CDC CDI |
| Severe joint pain | 30.9% | 2021 | BRFSS, CDC CDI |
| Ever diagnosed with depression | 28.5% | 2023 | NHIS, J Orthop 2025 |
| Severe joint pain | 26.1% | 2023 | NHIS, Arthritis Care Res 2026 |
| Ever diagnosed with anxiety | 24.9% | 2023 | NHIS, J Orthop 2025 |
Measures here come from two surveys. Both the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) ask adults to rate their joint pain on a 0-10 scale and count 7-10 as severe, but they are different surveys run by different methods in different years (BRFSS 2021, NHIS 2023), so their severe-pain figures (30.9% and 26.1%) should not be compared directly. Activity limitation means being limited in usual activities because of arthritis or joint symptoms. Work limitation is asked of adults aged 18-64 with arthritis. The depression and anxiety figures are lifetime diagnoses reported in the 2023 NHIS.
What Does Chronic Pain Cost?
The most cited estimate puts the cost of pain in the US at $560 billion to $635 billion a year (in 2010 dollars), counting both extra health care and lost productivity. Narrower estimates that count only medical spending on one condition are smaller.
- $560 billion to $635 billion
Pain cost the US between $560 billion and $635 billion a year in 2010 dollars, counting extra health care costs and lost productivity among adults, according to Gaskin and Richard's analysis of the 2008 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey in the Journal of Pain.
Gaskin DJ, Richard P, Journal of Pain 2012, The economic costs of pain in the United States · 2008 data [37]
- $261 billion to $300 billion
The extra health care costs due to pain in the US ranged from $261 billion to $300 billion a year in 2010 dollars, according to Gaskin and Richard's analysis of the 2008 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, with lost productivity adding $299 billion to $335 billion.
Gaskin DJ, Richard P, Journal of Pain 2012, The economic costs of pain in the United States · 2008 data [37]
- $303.5 billion
In 2013, arthritis cost the US $303.5 billion in medical expenditures and lost earnings combined, according to a CDC-led analysis of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey by Murphy and colleagues in Arthritis Care and Research.
Murphy LB et al., Arthritis Care and Research 2018, Medical Expenditures and Earnings Losses Among US Adults With Arthritis in 2013 · 2013 data [38]
- $163.7 billion
In 2013, arthritis-attributable earnings losses among US adults were $163.7 billion, more than the $139.8 billion in arthritis-attributable medical expenditures, according to Murphy and colleagues in Arthritis Care and Research.
Murphy LB et al., Arthritis Care and Research 2018, Medical Expenditures and Earnings Losses Among US Adults With Arthritis in 2013 · 2013 data [38]
- $134.5 billion
In 2016, low back and neck pain had the highest US health care spending of 154 conditions studied, an estimated $134.5 billion, according to Dieleman and colleagues at IHME in JAMA.
Dieleman JL et al., JAMA 2020, US Health Care Spending by Payer and Health Condition, 1996-2016 · 2016 data [39]
- $245.2 billion
In 2019, US health care spending on musculoskeletal disorders was an estimated $245.2 billion, third among aggregated condition groups after cardiovascular diseases and neoplasms (cancers and other tumors), according to Dieleman and colleagues at IHME in JAMA.
Dieleman JL et al., JAMA 2025, Tracking US Health Care Spending by Health Condition and County · 2019 data [40]
| Study | Data year | What is counted | Estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gaskin and Richard, J Pain 2012 | 2008 (2010 dollars) | All pain: extra health care plus lost productivity | $560 to $635 billion |
| Murphy et al., Arthritis Care Res 2018 | 2013 | Arthritis: medical costs plus lost earnings | $303.5 billion |
| Dieleman et al., JAMA 2020 | 2016 | Health care spending: low back and neck pain | $134.5 billion |
| Dieleman et al., JAMA 2020 | 2016 | Health care spending: other musculoskeletal disorders | $129.8 billion |
| Dieleman et al., JAMA 2025 | 2019 | Health care spending: all musculoskeletal disorders | $245.2 billion |
| Dieleman et al., JAMA 2025 | 2019 | Health care spending: low back pain | $52.89 billion |
| Dieleman et al., JAMA 2025 | 2019 | Health care spending: osteoarthritis | $47.54 billion |
These are different measures and should not be added together or compared as if they were the same thing. Gaskin and Richard estimated the extra health care costs and lost productivity linked to any pain among US adults (2008 survey data, 2010 dollars). Murphy and colleagues counted arthritis only, medical costs plus lost earnings. The Dieleman studies (IHME) count health care spending only, split by condition, and the 2016 and 2019 studies group conditions differently: the 2016 figure combines low back and neck pain, while the 2019 figure is low back pain alone.
How Americans Treat Chronic Pain
In 2019, 22.1% of US adults with chronic pain had used a prescription opioid in the past 3 months. Opioid prescribing has fallen every year since: retail pharmacies dispensed 35.4 opioid prescriptions per 100 people in 2024, down from 46.8 in 2019.
Source: CDC, United States Dispensing Rate Maps, Table 1. Chart: BestRatedDocs, free to reuse with a link to this page.
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| 2019 | 46.8 |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 43.2 |
| 2021 | 42 |
| 2022 | 39.5 |
| 2023 | 37.5 |
| 2024 | 35.4 |
- 22.1%
In 2019, 22.1% of US adults with chronic pain had used a prescription opioid in the past 3 months, according to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), using the National Health Interview Survey.
CDC, NCHS National Health Statistics Reports No. 162, Prescription Opioid Use Among Adults With Chronic Pain: United States, 2019 · 2019 data [41]
- 24.3%
In 2019, 24.3% of US women with chronic pain had used a prescription opioid in the past 3 months, compared with 19.4% of men with chronic pain, according to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, using the National Health Interview Survey.
CDC, NCHS National Health Statistics Reports No. 162, Prescription Opioid Use Among Adults With Chronic Pain: United States, 2019 · 2019 data [41]
- 35.4 per 100 people
In 2024, US retail pharmacies dispensed 35.4 opioid prescriptions per 100 people, down from 46.8 per 100 in 2019, according to the CDC.
CDC, Opioid Dispensing Rate Maps · 2024 data [42]
- 35.4%
In 2019, 35.4% of US adults with chronic pain used complementary therapies (chiropractic, massage, yoga or tai chi, or meditation) to manage pain in the past 3 months, the most common nonopioid approach, according to an analysis of National Health Interview Survey data by Groenewald and colleagues in JAMA Network Open.
Groenewald CB et al., JAMA Network Open 2022, Prevalence of Pain Management Techniques Among Adults With Chronic Pain in the United States, 2019 · 2019 data [43]
- 18.8%
In 2019, 18.8% of US adults with chronic pain used physical, occupational or rehabilitative therapy in the past 3 months, and 3.8% used psychological therapies, according to an analysis of National Health Interview Survey data by Groenewald and colleagues in JAMA Network Open.
Groenewald CB et al., JAMA Network Open 2022, Prevalence of Pain Management Techniques Among Adults With Chronic Pain in the United States, 2019 · 2019 data [43]
- 12
The CDC's 2022 Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain contains 12 recommendations for clinicians treating US adult outpatients with acute (under 1 month), subacute (1 to 3 months) or chronic (over 3 months) pain.
CDC, MMWR Recommendations and Reports, CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain, United States, 2022 · 2022 data [44]
The opioid use and pain management figures are self-reported by adults with chronic pain in the 2019 National Health Interview Survey, the first year it asked about pain management techniques. The dispensing rate counts prescriptions filled at retail pharmacies for the whole population, not only people with chronic pain.
Chronic Pain and Arthritis Around the World
Low back pain affected 619 million people worldwide in 2020, more than any other musculoskeletal condition, and is projected to reach 843 million by 2050. The WHO puts the total living with musculoskeletal conditions at about 1.71 billion.
Source: GBD 2021 Low Back Pain, Osteoarthritis, Neck Pain and Rheumatoid Arthritis Collaborators, The Lancet Rheumatology 2023-2024. Chart: BestRatedDocs, free to reuse with a link to this page.
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| Low back pain | 619M |
|---|---|
| Osteoarthritis | 595M |
| Neck pain | 203M |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 17.6M |
- 1.71 billion
About 1.71 billion people worldwide live with musculoskeletal conditions such as low back pain, neck pain, fractures and osteoarthritis, according to the World Health Organization, citing Global Burden of Disease 2019 data.
World Health Organization, Musculoskeletal health fact sheet · 2019 data [46]
- 619 million
In 2020, low back pain affected 619 million people worldwide and remained the leading cause of years lived with disability globally, according to the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 published in The Lancet Rheumatology.
GBD 2021 Low Back Pain Collaborators, The Lancet Rheumatology 2023, Global, regional, and national burden of low back pain, 1990-2020 · 2020 data [47]
- 843 million
The number of people worldwide with low back pain is projected to reach 843 million by 2050, according to Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 projections published in The Lancet Rheumatology.
GBD 2021 Low Back Pain Collaborators, The Lancet Rheumatology 2023, Global, regional, and national burden of low back pain, 1990-2020 · 2050 (projection from 2020) data [47]
- 595 million
In 2020, 595 million people worldwide had osteoarthritis, according to the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 published in The Lancet Rheumatology.
GBD 2021 Osteoarthritis Collaborators, The Lancet Rheumatology 2023, Global, regional, and national burden of osteoarthritis, 1990-2020 · 2020 data [48]
- 203 million
In 2020, neck pain affected 203 million people worldwide, according to the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 published in The Lancet Rheumatology.
GBD 2021 Neck Pain Collaborators, The Lancet Rheumatology 2024, Global, regional, and national burden of neck pain, 1990-2020 · 2020 data [49]
Global counts are modeled estimates from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study. The WHO fact sheet uses the older GBD 2019 round (for example 570 million with low back pain and 222 million with neck pain), while the condition papers use GBD 2021 estimates for 2020 (619 million and 203 million). Do not mix the two rounds in one comparison.
Methodology
This page brings together the primary US measures of chronic pain and arthritis. Chronic pain and high-impact chronic pain figures come from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), run by CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), through its data briefs, MMWR reports and the NHIS Interactive Summary Health Statistics for Adults. Diagnosed arthritis comes from NHIS and, for state rates, from CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) via the U.S. Chronic Disease Indicators. Arthritis types come from CDC's analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Incidence, costs, treatment and global figures come from peer-reviewed studies (JAMA Network Open, Arthritis Care & Research, Journal of Pain, JAMA, The Lancet Rheumatology), CDC's opioid dispensing data and the World Health Organization.
The measures are kept apart because they count different things. Chronic pain means pain on most days or every day in the past 3 months (6 months before 2019). High-impact chronic pain is the subset whose pain limits life or work activities most days. Diagnosed arthritis is a self-report of a health professional's diagnosis, not an examination. NHIS covers adults 18 and older living at home; NHANES covers adults 20 and older; BRFSS is a state phone survey. Crude and age-adjusted rates differ, and each figure says which it is where the source does.
Every figure was taken from the original publication or data table, with the exact source text kept as an audit trail and checked against the source before publishing. Any figure we worked out ourselves is labeled as a BestRatedDocs calculation. Where widely repeated figures disagree, such as the 1.3 million and 1.5 million rheumatoid arthritis estimates, the section notes trace each one to its original study. We update this page when NCHS releases new NHIS data, usually each summer.
Spot an error or a newer figure? Tell us and we will correct the page and note the change.
Cite this page
Free to quote, chart or link in articles, reports and coursework. Please credit the original source for each figure and link to this page as the compilation.
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Frequently asked questions
How many Americans have chronic pain?
About 1 in 5 US adults. In 2025, 20.7% of adults regularly had chronic pain (pain on most days or every day in the past 3 months), according to the National Health Interview Survey run by CDC's National Center for Health Statistics. The figure was 24.3% in 2023 and 20.9% in 2021, when CDC counted 51.6 million adults with chronic pain. NCHS changed the survey's sample design in 2025, so treat the drop from 2023 with care.
What percentage of Americans experience chronic pain annually?
In any given year about a fifth of US adults live with chronic pain (20.7% in 2025). New cases are common too: among adults who were pain-free in 2019, chronic pain developed at a rate of 52.4 cases per 1,000 person-years, and 61.4% of adults who had chronic pain in 2019 still had it a year later (Nahin et al., JAMA Network Open, 2023).
What is high-impact chronic pain, and how common is it?
High-impact chronic pain is chronic pain that limits life or work activities on most days or every day. In 2023, 8.5% of US adults had it, which is 34.9% of everyone with chronic pain, according to NCHS. It is most common in adults 65 and older (13.5%) and in rural areas (11.5%).
How common is arthritis?
In 2025, 21.1% of US adults had been told by a health professional that they have arthritis, according to the National Health Interview Survey. CDC's last full analysis counted 53.2 million adults with diagnosed arthritis in 2019-2021. Arthritis rises sharply with age: 53% of adults 75 and older have it, against 5.6% of adults aged 18-44. A separate CDC analysis of the NHANES survey, which covers adults 20 and older, puts the count at 67.1 million.
How many people have rheumatoid arthritis?
About 1.3 million US adults. A 2017 study of national insurance claims estimated 1.28-1.36 million adults had rheumatoid arthritis in 2014. The older figures of 1.3 million and 1.5 million both describe 2005 and come from different methods. Women are affected more than twice as often as men. Worldwide, about 17.9 million people were living with rheumatoid arthritis in 2021.
Which state has the highest rate of arthritis?
West Virginia, where 33.8% of adults had arthritis in 2023 (age-adjusted), according to CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. The national figure on the same basis was 22.5%. The District of Columbia had the lowest rate at 17.9%, followed by New Jersey (18.9%) and California (19.3%).
What is the most common type of arthritis?
Osteoarthritis. In a CDC analysis of NHANES data from 2017 to March 2020, 49.6% of US adults with diagnosed arthritis, about 33.2 million people, said they had osteoarthritis. Gout affected 12.1 million people in 2017-2018, and about 1.0 million adults reported psoriatic arthritis.
How much does chronic pain cost the US?
The most cited estimate is $560 billion to $635 billion a year in 2010 dollars, counting extra health care costs and lost productivity (Gaskin and Richard, Journal of Pain, 2012). Arthritis alone cost $303.5 billion in medical spending and lost earnings in 2013, and US health spending on low back and neck pain reached $134.5 billion in 2016.
Sources
- CDC, NCHS, Interactive Summary Health Statistics for Adults, NHIS 2019-2025 data.cdc.gov
- CDC, NCHS Data Brief No. 518, Chronic Pain and High-impact Chronic Pain in U.S. Adults, 2023 cdc.gov
- CDC, MMWR, Rikard et al., Chronic Pain Among Adults, United States, 2019-2021 cdc.gov
- CDC, NCHS Data Brief No. 390, Chronic Pain and High-impact Chronic Pain Among U.S. Adults, 2019 cdc.gov
- CDC, MMWR, Dahlhamer et al., Prevalence of Chronic Pain and High-Impact Chronic Pain Among Adults, United States, 2016 cdc.gov
- HHS, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Healthy People 2030 objective CP-01 (NHIS data) odphp.health.gov
- CDC, NCHS, Interactive Summary Health Statistics for Adults, NHIS 2025, by veteran status data.cdc.gov
- CDC, NCHS, Interactive Summary Health Statistics for Adults, NHIS 2025, by family income data.cdc.gov
- CDC, NCHS Data Brief No. 518 (data tables for Figures 1 to 4), NHIS 2023 cdc.gov
- Nahin RL et al., Estimated Rates of Incident and Persistent Chronic Pain Among US Adults, 2019-2020, JAMA Network Open, 2023 pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Kapos FP et al., High-Impact Chronic Pain Incidence Among U.S. Adults: A Brief Report Focused on Socioeconomic Factors, AJPM Focus, 2026 pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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