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Depression Statistics 2026

Depression affects daily life across every age group, with especially high reported rates among young people and people with low incomes. These 85 sourced figures cover U.S. and global prevalence, differences between population groups, school and work, treatment access and research outcomes. The 2026 edition brings together federal surveys, Gallup polling, WHO estimates and peer-reviewed studies, with the data period and meaning of each measure kept visible.

85 sourced figures22 sources cited10 key findings
Depression statistics 2026: a person sitting beside a window in soft daylight

CDC found that 13.1% of Americans age 12 and older met a recent depression symptom threshold during August 2021 to August 2023. A depression statistic can describe recent symptoms, an episode during the past year or a diagnosis received at any point in life. Each answers a different question. For people living with depression and those close to them, the most useful numbers explain both how common the experience is and how often care reaches the people who need it.

Last full review: September 16, 2026 · sourced from CDC, NIMH, SAMHSA, WHO, Gallup, the Healthy Minds Study and peer-reviewed research.

Ten numbers that define depression in 2026

  1. 8.5% of U.S. adults had a major depressive episode in 2023, an estimated 21.9 million people, according to SAMHSA, 2024. SAMHSA, 2024
  2. 13.1% of Americans age 12 and older met a depression symptom threshold in NHANES during August 2021 to August 2023, according to CDC, 2025. CDC, 2025
  3. 22.1% of people age 12 and older living below the federal poverty level met that symptom threshold in August 2021 to August 2023, according to CDC, 2025. CDC, 2025
  4. 18.1% of U.S. adolescents ages 12 to 17 had a major depressive episode in 2023, representing 4.5 million young people, according to SAMHSA, 2024. SAMHSA, 2024
  5. 37% of students in the 2024 to 2025 Healthy Minds Study reported moderate to severe depressive symptoms, according to Healthy Minds Network and UCLA, 2025. Healthy Minds Network / UCLA, 2025
  6. 87.9% of people meeting the NHANES depression threshold reported difficulty with work, home or social activities in August 2021 to August 2023, according to CDC, 2025. CDC, 2025
  7. 66.7% of U.S. adults with a past-year major depressive episode received some mental health treatment in 2023, according to SAMHSA, 2024. SAMHSA, 2024
  8. The estimated incremental economic burden of U.S. adults with major depressive disorder reached $326.2 billion in 2018, expressed in 2020 dollars, according to Greenberg et al., 2021. Greenberg et al., 2021
  9. 19.1% of U.S. adults reported currently having or being treated for depression in Gallup’s first-quarter 2026 survey, according to Gallup, 2026. Gallup, 2026
  10. WHO’s updated estimate places global depression prevalence at 322 million people, using 2023 Global Burden of Disease data, according to WHO, 2026. WHO, 2026
Infographic summarising four Depression figures: 8.5%, u.S. adults with a major depressive episode in 2023; 22.1%, depression symptoms among people living below the poverty level; 18.1%, adolescents with a major depressive episode in 2023; 66.7%, adults with a past-year episode who received mental health treatment in 2023.
The four headline figures from this page. Every number here is repeated, sourced and dated in the sections below.

How common depression is

Depression reaches millions of Americans, but prevalence changes with the question a survey asks. Recent symptoms, a past-year episode and a lifetime diagnosis cover different experiences. The clearest national estimates identify the population, reference period and assessment method alongside the percentage, so a larger number is not automatically evidence of a worsening trend.

8.5%

U.S. adults with a major depressive episode in 2023

SAMHSA’s 2023 survey estimated 21.9 million adults with a major depressive episode during the previous year. The episode measure combines a sustained period of depressed mood or loss of interest with accompanying symptoms. It is a survey estimate for the civilian, noninstitutionalized population. People living in institutions and some people without stable housing fall outside that sampling frame, which matters when the figure is used to describe national need.

SAMHSA, 2023 NSDUH

  • 13.1%
    Recent depression symptoms among people age 12 and older

    During August 2021 to August 2023, NHANES found this share met its PHQ-9 threshold for depression over the preceding two weeks, providing a snapshot of symptoms rather than a count of lifetime diagnoses.

    CDC, 2025

  • 29.0%
    A lifetime depression diagnosis in Gallup’s 2023 poll

    Respondents reported whether a doctor or nurse had ever identified depression, so the percentage can include people whose symptoms had improved by the time of the survey.

    Gallup, May 17, 2023

  • 21.0 million
    The adult count behind NIMH’s widely cited 8.3%

    Both figures describe a past-year major depressive episode in 2021, making them a dated baseline rather than the prevalence estimate for the year in this page’s title.

    NIMH, 2021 data

  • 14.5 million
    Adults with an episode and severe impairment in 2021

    NIMH places this group at 5.7% of all adults in 2021; the denominator is the adult population, rather than only adults who experienced a depressive episode.

    NIMH, 2021 data

  • 15.3 million
    Adults with an episode and severe impairment in 2023

    SAMHSA estimated 5.9% of adults experienced this combination, showing that a large part of the population faced substantial disruption alongside the symptoms counted by the episode measure.

    SAMHSA, 2023 NSDUH

  • 8.7%
    Recent depression symptoms in adults age 60 and older

    This August 2021 to August 2023 NHANES estimate was lower than the adolescent estimate, while still documenting substantial need among older adults living outside institutions.

    CDC, 2025

What the surveys mean by depression

In NHANES, depression is defined by a score of at least 10 on the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire. That threshold identifies a level of recent symptoms; a survey score alone does not document a complete clinical assessment. NSDUH asks about a major depressive episode during the past year and does not exclude symptoms attributed to medical illness, substance use or medication. Its adult and adolescent questions also differ. Gallup’s lifetime diagnosis question depends partly on whether someone has previously reached a professional who recognized depression. Each measure therefore captures a different part of the experience, and adding the percentages would count overlapping groups. CDC measurement definitions; NIMH measurement caveats.

The distinction between a difficult period and a depressive episode has a separate explanation in Psychology.com’s depression or sadness resource. A depression screening questionnaire offers another way to understand the kind of symptom questions used in this research; it cannot establish a diagnosis.

Who is most affected: sex, age, race and income

National surveys show differences across sex, income and racial or ethnic groups. These patterns describe population averages within a particular survey. They can reflect differences in circumstances, exposure, recognition and reporting, while leaving substantial variation within every group. Income comparisons are especially important when assessing whether services reach people with fewer resources.

22.1%

Depression symptoms among people living below the poverty level

In August 2021 to August 2023, this share of Americans age 12 and older with family income below the federal poverty level met the NHANES depression threshold. The comparison uses income relative to household needs, rather than a single dollar cutoff for every family. The association identifies an unequal distribution of symptoms; a cross-sectional survey cannot settle the direction of cause and effect.

CDC, NHANES 2021 to 2023

  • 16.0%
    Females with recent depression symptoms

    In August 2021 to August 2023 NHANES, females age 12 and older had a higher symptom prevalence than males overall and in every age group except adults ages 20 to 39, where the difference was not statistically significant.

    CDC, 2025

  • 10.1%
    Males with recent depression symptoms

    The male NHANES estimate for August 2021 to August 2023 shows that a lower population average still represents a substantial share reporting symptoms over the previous two weeks.

    CDC, 2025

  • 10.3%
    Adult females with a past-year episode in 2021

    NIMH’s 2021 NSDUH summary uses an annual episode measure, which gives this older figure a different meaning from the recent-symptom estimates in NHANES.

    NIMH, 2021 data

  • 6.2%
    Adult males with a past-year episode in 2021

    This 2021 NSDUH result concerns adults only, so its difference from the female estimate should be assessed within the same survey and year.

    NIMH, 2021 data

  • 7.4%
    Depression symptoms in the highest income category

    Among people age 12 and older with income at least four times the poverty level, this was the August 2021 to August 2023 NHANES prevalence.

    CDC, 2025

  • 16.9%
    Multiracial adults with a past-year episode in 2023

    SAMHSA’s estimate for non-Hispanic multiracial adults was higher than those for the other reported racial or ethnic groups, highlighting a group that broad averages can obscure.

    SAMHSA, 2023 NSDUH

  • 27.5%
    West Virginia adult lifetime depression diagnosis in 2020

    CDC’s 2023 state comparison placed West Virginia highest on age-standardized, self-reported lifetime diagnosis in 2020; this historical ranking describes recognized diagnoses rather than current symptoms or a 2026 state ranking.

    CDC, June 16, 2023

  • 12.7%
    Hawaii adult lifetime depression diagnosis in 2020

    Hawaii had the lowest age-standardized estimate in the same CDC analysis, illustrating geographic differences that can reflect recognition and access to diagnosis as well as underlying experiences.

    CDC, June 16, 2023

Historical racial and ethnic estimates: adult past-year MDE in 2021
PopulationPrevalenceSource
Non-Hispanic multiracial adults13.9%NIMH, 2021
Non-Hispanic White adults8.9%NIMH, 2021
Non-Hispanic Black adults6.7%NIMH, 2021
Non-Hispanic Asian adults4.8%NIMH, 2021
Hispanic adults, any race7.9%NIMH, 2021

Reading demographic differences

The historical racial and ethnic table preserves NIMH’s 2021 categories and is not a ranking of innate susceptibility. The source warns that some subgroup estimates have limited precision and that survey nonresponse can introduce bias. Sex was recorded using male and female categories only, so these results do not describe depression across the full range of gender identities. Income and race also overlap with age, health and other circumstances; separate unadjusted percentages cannot isolate the contribution of each factor. NIMH survey limitations.

Depression in teens and young adults

Adolescence and young adulthood carry a substantial burden of depressive symptoms and episodes. School surveys, college studies and household interviews reach different groups, with different questions and age ranges. The findings describe needs across education and family life, while leaving room for improvement and recovery in each young person’s experience.

18.1%

Adolescents with a major depressive episode in 2023

SAMHSA estimated 4.5 million adolescents ages 12 to 17 experienced a major depressive episode during the past year. Its youth questions assess experiences in language adapted for adolescents. School, family relationships and social life also enter the assessment of impairment. This figure concerns an episode at some point during the year; it does not mean every young person was experiencing equally severe symptoms on the interview date.

SAMHSA, 2023 NSDUH

  • 5.0 million
    The adolescent count in NIMH’s 2021 summary

    The corresponding 2021 prevalence was 20.1% among ages 12 to 17, a historical figure that remains widely quoted even though a later federal report is available.

    NIMH, 2021 data

  • 29.2%
    Adolescent females with a past-year episode in 2021

    NIMH’s estimate concerns ages 12 to 17 and an annual recall period, making it distinct from both adult estimates and school surveys about persistent sadness.

    NIMH, 2021 data

  • 11.5%
    Adolescent males with a past-year episode in 2021

    The lower male estimate in the same 2021 survey does not mean depression is rare among boys or that all affected boys had obtained a diagnosis.

    NIMH, 2021 data

  • 74.7%
    Adolescents with an episode who had severe impairment in 2023

    SAMHSA estimated 3.4 million adolescents in this group, representing 13.5% of all adolescents and showing why the denominator changes the meaning of a percentage.

    SAMHSA, 2023 NSDUH

  • 37%
    College students reporting moderate to severe symptoms

    The 2024 to 2025 Healthy Minds Study figure describes students at participating institutions and a symptom measure, so it does not represent all Americans of college age.

    Healthy Minds / UCLA, 2025

  • 17.5%
    Young adults with a past-year episode in 2023

    SAMHSA found the highest adult age-group prevalence among ages 18 to 25, a population that includes people in college, employment and other circumstances.

    SAMHSA, 2023 NSDUH

Age-specific past-year episode estimates in the 2021 NSDUH
Survey populationPrevalenceSource
Adolescents ages 12 to 1313.0%NIMH, 2021
Adolescents ages 16 to 1726.8%NIMH, 2021
Adults ages 18 to 2518.6%NIMH, 2021
Adults ages 26 to 499.3%NIMH, 2021
Adults age 50 and older4.5%NIMH, 2021

Age groups and assessment methods

NIMH cautions against directly comparing its adolescent and adult episode estimates because the questions differ. Its 2021 report also estimated 3.7 million adolescents with an episode and severe impairment. In a separate assessment, NHANES found recent depression symptoms in 19.2% of people ages 12 to 19 during August 2021 to August 2023, including 26.5% of females and 12.2% of males. Those NHANES age bands include older teenagers who are counted as adults in NSDUH. The different windows and thresholds help explain why a classroom, a college survey and a national household survey can produce different percentages without contradicting one another. NIMH; CDC.

Depression during pregnancy and after birth involves additional circumstances that deserve separate attention. Psychology.com’s postpartum depression screening page provides related context without folding perinatal estimates into general adolescent or adult prevalence.

Impact: health, work, suicide risk and cost

Depression affects more than symptom scores. People report difficulty managing everyday activities, and economic studies count consequences for work and health care. Physical illness can add to the burden. Suicide statistics require particular care: suicide is preventable, and a national death count cannot establish how many deaths were attributable to depression.

$326.2 billion

Estimated U.S. economic burden of adults with major depressive disorder in 2018

Greenberg and colleagues estimated the incremental annual burden in 2018 using 2020 dollar values. Their model included direct costs, workplace losses and suicide-related costs, with contributions from conditions occurring alongside depression. Incremental burden means additional costs associated with the affected population. It is broader than spending on depression treatment, and the estimate is not a measurement of costs in 2026.

Greenberg et al., 2021

  • 37.9%
    Growth in estimated burden from 2010 to 2018

    The increase reported by Greenberg and colleagues reflects a historical cost model spanning those years, rather than a forecast of how quickly costs will grow in the future.

    Greenberg et al., 2021

  • 61%
    The workplace share of estimated 2018 burden

    Workplace costs formed the largest component of the model, showing that the economic consequences extend beyond the health services used by people with depression.

    Greenberg et al., 2021

  • 87.9%
    People with symptoms reporting functional difficulty

    Among people meeting the NHANES depression threshold in August 2021 to August 2023, most reported at least some difficulty with work, home or social activities.

    CDC, 2025

  • 9.3% to 23.0%
    Depression occurring alongside chronic physical disease

    A World Health Surveys analysis published in 2007 found this range among participants with one or more studied chronic diseases, documenting overlapping needs rather than proving one condition caused the other.

    Moussavi et al., 2007

  • 245,404
    Participants in the historical chronic-disease analysis

    The 2007 study drew on adults in 60 countries, giving the comparison international scope while leaving differences between diseases and countries within the pooled findings.

    Moussavi et al., 2007

  • 49,316
    U.S. suicide deaths in 2023 across all circumstances

    NIMH reports the CDC total; it includes many different histories and cannot be labeled as deaths caused by depression, and prevention remains possible.

    NIMH, CDC 2023 data

Difficulty with daily life is an outcome in its own right

The NHANES functioning question asks whether reported symptoms made work, home responsibilities or getting along with others more difficult. It therefore captures disruption that may remain invisible in employment or health-spending records. Some people continue going to work or school while experiencing substantial difficulty. Others may have symptoms alongside an existing physical limitation. The overall difficulty percentage does not show that everyone had the same level of impairment, needed identical support or lost a job. It also differs from NSDUH’s severe-impairment measure, which uses ratings across specific life domains. CDC definitions; NIMH impairment definitions.

Depression and physical health

NIMH links depression with other health conditions, including heart disease and diabetes. Their coexistence can complicate everyday life, but a prevalence comparison cannot disentangle shared circumstances, the effects of illness or the direction of an association. Historical research remains useful for showing that mental and physical health needs can overlap. Its percentages should not be applied as a current prognosis for a person with a specific diagnosis. NIMH depression overview.

Treatment and the care gap

Treatment access and treatment outcomes answer different questions. Surveys can count contact with services, while trials compare changes in symptoms. Receiving care does not establish its duration, adequacy or benefit. Treatment-resistant depression adds another distinction because its prevalence depends on which previous treatment attempts a study can observe.

66.7%

Adults with a past-year episode who received mental health treatment in 2023

SAMHSA’s treatment category includes several forms and settings of care, including outpatient services, medication and telehealth. The denominator is adults with a major depressive episode during the past year. The percentage records whether any qualifying mental health treatment occurred, rather than establishing that everyone completed a full course for depression or improved. Comparing it with an older treatment estimate requires checking whether the service questions remained the same.

SAMHSA, 2023 NSDUH

  • 59.8%
    Adolescents with an episode receiving mental health treatment

    This 2023 SAMHSA measure concerns adolescents ages 12 to 17 and includes a broad range of mental health services, rather than depression-specific therapy alone.

    SAMHSA, 2023 NSDUH

  • 39.3%
    Counseling or therapy among people with recent symptoms

    In August 2021 to August 2023 NHANES, this share of people meeting the depression threshold reported counseling or therapy during the previous year.

    CDC, 2025

  • 30.9%
    Treatment resistance within medication-treated MDD

    A U.S. model published in 2021 estimated this proportion using historical claims and survey inputs, so the result should not be generalized to everyone with depression.

    Zhdanava et al., 2021

  • 2.8 million
    Modeled adults with treatment-resistant depression

    The same 2021 analysis estimated a national count over a year, making it a modeled population figure rather than a registry of individually assessed cases.

    Zhdanava et al., 2021

  • 47.2%
    Treatment resistance’s share of modeled economic burden

    This share refers to medication-treated major depressive disorder in the 2021 model, indicating disproportionate burden within that defined population.

    Zhdanava et al., 2021

  • 21
    Antidepressants evaluated in the major 2018 review

    Cipriani and colleagues found all studied drugs more efficacious than placebo for acute adult major depression across 522 trials involving 116,477 participants, with searches ending in 2016.

    Cipriani et al., 2018

Historical treatment receipt: NIMH’s 2021 depression estimates
Population in 2021Received treatmentSource
Adults with a past-year episode61.0%NIMH
Adults with an episode and severe impairment74.8%NIMH
Adolescents with a past-year episode40.6%NIMH
Adolescents with an episode and severe impairment44.2%NIMH
Depression symptom effects in the 2023 CBT meta-analysis
ComparisonHedges gSource
CBT versus control conditions0.79Cuijpers et al.
Combined treatment versus medication alone, short term0.51Cuijpers et al.
CBT versus controls in children and adolescents0.41Cuijpers et al.

Interpreting treatment outcomes

Hedges g expresses an average symptom difference in standardized units; it is not a percentage who recovered. The CBT results combine studies with different populations and control conditions. The 2018 antidepressant review examined acute adult treatment and excluded several clinically important populations, limiting its reach. Neither review establishes which treatment will work for a particular person. The historical NIMH treatment table also uses different adult and adolescent questions, so it should not be read as a direct comparison of equivalent services across age groups. Cuijpers et al.; Cipriani et al.; NIMH.

Delay before first contact

Wang and colleagues’ analysis of a U.S. survey conducted in 2001 to 2003 reported initial treatment delays of 6 to 8 years across mood disorders among people who eventually made contact. This older, broader category includes more than depression and does not establish a current depression-specific waiting time. It measures the interval from onset to initial contact, which can include years before someone seeks services; an appointment waiting list measures a different interval. Wang et al., 2005.

Differences in access to counseling

Among people meeting the NHANES depression threshold in August 2021 to August 2023, 43.0% of females and 33.2% of males reported counseling or therapy during the previous year. These service-use differences can coexist with differences in symptoms, recognition and preferences. The survey does not establish which barrier explains an individual’s lack of contact with care. CDC, 2025.

Psychology.com’s behavioral activation worksheet explains how activities enter therapy discussions, while the daily diary card provides a format for describing daily experiences. These educational worksheets measure neither treatment effectiveness nor recovery. People exploring professional support can use the directory to find a licensed therapist and discuss their circumstances.

The period spanning the pandemic includes changes in reported depression and changes in how surveys collected data. A useful trend follows a consistent measure and identifies any break in the series. A publication dated 2026 can still describe earlier survey years, so the release date and the observation period both matter.

19.1%

Current depression or treatment in Gallup’s first-quarter 2026 poll

Gallup’s early-2026 reading remained elevated, numerically just below the preceding quarter’s 20.0%, a level Gallup described as similar. Its question combines currently having depression with currently being treated for it. Among adults ages 18 to 29, the corresponding 2026 estimate was 28.0%.

Gallup, April 21, 2026

  • 20.0%
    Gallup’s fourth-quarter 2025 reading

    The same current-depression-or-treatment measure was higher numerically than in early 2026, while a single quarter does not establish a sustained change.

    Gallup, 2026

  • 17.4%
    Gallup’s second-quarter 2024 reading

    This provides an earlier comparison within Gallup’s series, which should remain separate from federal estimates based on symptom or episode criteria.

    Gallup, 2026

  • 17.8%
    The result in Gallup’s original 2023 report

    The May 17, 2023 publication reported this current-depression-or-treatment figure; it is retained as that publication’s estimate rather than substituted into a later revised series.

    Gallup, 2023

  • 11.4%
    Adults taking medication for depression in 2023

    CDC’s National Health Interview Survey asked about prescription medication specifically for depression, providing a service-use measure rather than a symptom prevalence estimate.

    CDC, 2025

  • 15.3%
    Women taking medication for depression in 2023

    The female NHIS estimate was higher than the male estimate, although medication use alone cannot reveal the severity of current symptoms or the benefit received.

    CDC, 2025

  • 7.4%
    Men taking medication for depression in 2023

    This male NHIS estimate includes people taking medication whose symptoms may have improved, so medication prevalence should not be used as a proxy for active depression.

    CDC, 2025

NHANES depression symptoms, age 12 and older, selected survey cycles

2013 to 20148.2%
2017 to March 20208.3%
August 2021 to August 202313.1%

Source: CDC, NCHS Data Brief 527. Each bar uses the same PHQ-9 threshold; the selected cycles span different lengths of time, and the earlier two estimates provide historical context for the later increase.

The Household Pulse measurement break

CDC’s Household Pulse Survey began tracking symptoms during the pandemic, using a short depression scale. On July 21, 2021, the question’s reference period changed from the previous week to the previous two weeks. That change matters when interpreting an apparent rise or fall across the boundary. Pulse also relied on online completion, with invitations sent by email and text message to sampled addresses, and on weighting procedures that differ from established household health surveys. Its fast reporting was useful for monitoring disruption, but its estimates should not be spliced into an NHANES or NSDUH trend. A full 2020 to 2025 comparison would require verified values for each period and attention to these design changes. CDC Pulse technical notes.

Global picture

Global depression estimates combine information from countries with very different survey coverage and health systems. Models help fill gaps, but their uncertainty remains important. Treatment access also varies widely, and the share receiving any care can be much larger than the share receiving care that meets a study’s minimum standard.

322 million

People worldwide with depression in WHO’s updated estimate

WHO’s September 11, 2026 fact sheet reports this count using 2023 Global Burden of Disease estimates. It covers people of all ages. The count differs from estimates in older fact sheets and GBD rounds, so comparing those publications alone cannot establish a global decline.

WHO, September 11, 2026

  • 4%
    Global all-age prevalence in 2023

    WHO’s population percentage includes children as well as adults, which changes the denominator relative to adult-only estimates.

    WHO, GBD 2023

  • 5.2%
    Global adult prevalence in 2023

    WHO’s adult estimate is higher than its all-age percentage, illustrating why age coverage belongs beside a prevalence figure.

    WHO, GBD 2023

  • 4.1% and 6.2%
    Global adult male and female prevalence

    WHO reports these respective estimates for 2023; the difference describes population patterns and does not determine individual susceptibility.

    WHO, GBD 2023

  • 5.4%
    Global prevalence among adults age 70 and older

    WHO’s 2023 estimate documents depression in later life and uses a different age threshold from the U.S. NHANES older-adult estimate.

    WHO, GBD 2023

  • 332.41 million
    Depressive disorder cases in a GBD 2021 analysis

    Chen and colleagues’ 2025 paper reports this modeled 2021 count, which should be interpreted within that GBD round rather than joined to the newer WHO estimate.

    Chen et al., 2025

  • 16.5%
    Minimally adequate treatment in a historical international study

    A 2017 analysis of World Mental Health surveys across 21 countries found this share of people with past-year major depressive disorder received treatment meeting minimum study standards.

    Thornicroft et al., 2017

Care gaps and workplace burden across different global populations
Measure and populationEstimateSource
Minimally adequate MDD treatment in surveyed low- and lower-middle-income countries, 2017 study1 in 27Thornicroft et al.
People with mental disorders receiving no treatment in low- and middle-income countries, WHO overviewMore than 75%WHO
Annual global workdays lost to depression and anxiety combined, 2024 WHO fact sheet12 billion daysWHO
Annual global productivity loss from depression and anxiety combined, 2024 WHO fact sheetUS$1 trillionWHO

What a global treatment gap includes

The more-than-75% estimate concerns mental disorders broadly, and should not be restated as a depression-only percentage. The historical adequate-treatment study asks a narrower question about the quality and amount of care received by people with major depressive disorder. Its low-income-country result comes from participating survey countries, rather than a census of every country in that income group. Similarly, the workplace estimates combine depression and anxiety; allocating the whole amount to depression would overstate what the source establishes. These distinctions matter when budgets, staffing or service coverage are compared. WHO treatment context; Thornicroft et al.; WHO workplace estimates.

Changes within the same model

The GBD 2021 analysis reported a nearly 11% rise in global age-standardized depressive disorder prevalence from 2019 to 2021. That is a modeled change within one study round. Age standardization helps separate changing population structure from the measured disease pattern, while model uncertainty and uneven source data remain. A later publication can revise past estimates as well as add new years, so differences between releases deserve separate interpretation. Chen et al., 2025.

Common questions

How common is depression in the United States?

SAMHSA estimated that 8.5% of U.S. adults had a major depressive episode in 2023. CDC’s separate NHANES survey found that 13.1% of people age 12 and older met a recent depression symptom threshold during August 2021 to August 2023. Gallup reported 19.1% currently having or being treated for depression in early 2026. The populations, questions and recall periods differ. These figures describe different aspects of depression and should not be averaged into a single national rate. SAMHSA; CDC; Gallup.

Why are depression rates different for women and men?

In August 2021 to August 2023 NHANES data, 16.0% of females and 10.1% of males age 12 and older met the depression symptom threshold. Those survey results establish a population difference, while leaving its causes open. Biological, social and psychological factors can interact, and experiences within each group vary widely. Differences in reporting, recognition and access to care also matter when comparing symptom surveys with diagnosis records. An average for a sex category cannot establish whether a particular person has depression. CDC; NIMH.

Are teenagers and college students experiencing more depression?

Recent surveys show substantial need among both groups. In 2023, 18.1% of adolescents ages 12 to 17 had a past-year major depressive episode, according to SAMHSA. In the 2024 to 2025 Healthy Minds Study, 37% of college students reported moderate to severe symptoms. These surveys cover different populations and use different measures, so the percentages cannot establish that college attendance doubles risk. Change over time requires comparable questions, sampling and reporting periods within each survey. SAMHSA; Healthy Minds / UCLA.

Do treatment statistics show that depression treatment works?

Treatment receipt and treatment benefit are separate measures. SAMHSA’s 66.7% treatment figure for adults with a major depressive episode in 2023 records service use. Randomized trials address benefit: a 2023 meta-analysis found cognitive behavioral therapy reduced depression symptoms relative to control conditions, while a major 2018 review found all studied antidepressants more effective than placebo for acute adult depression. Average benefits do not mean everyone responds, and the trial populations and follow-up periods place limits on interpretation. SAMHSA; Cuijpers et al.; Cipriani et al..

Does treatment-resistant depression mean someone cannot recover?

Treatment-resistant depression is a research and clinical category describing inadequate benefit from previous treatment attempts. A U.S. model published in 2021 estimated it in 30.9% of adults with medication-treated major depressive disorder. That denominator excludes people whose depression was untreated or managed without medication. The result is an estimate from historical claims and survey inputs, rather than a current census or a forecast of permanent illness. A treatment history describes what has happened so far; it does not establish every future outcome. Zhdanava et al.. Esketamine nasal spray and transcranial magnetic stimulation are approved or cleared in the U.S. for adults whose depression has not responded to antidepressants. Clinics offering ketamine-based treatment are listed in Regenerated.com's ketamine therapy directory. Psychology.com and Regenerated.com share ownership, and a directory listing is not a recommendation.

How is depression related to suicide risk?

Depression is associated with suicide risk, but suicide has multiple interacting contributors and is preventable. National suicide totals include people with many different histories and cannot be treated as the number of deaths caused by depression. Population figures also cannot predict what will happen to an individual. Support is available: if you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, call or text 988 in the United States to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. WHO; NIMH.

How we compiled this

Figures were checked against source pages, federal reports and research abstracts fetched for the September 13, 2026 review. The accompanying source bank records the figure, population, year, URL and a short verbatim excerpt. Federal surveys receive priority for U.S. prevalence; WHO and published GBD analyses provide global context. Symptoms, episodes, diagnoses, treatment receipt and treatment outcomes remain distinct. Historical findings retain their dates, and cost models retain their currency years. CDC pages accessible through the web reader were used where direct downloads were blocked. Unverified estimates were excluded. Different survey designs and modeling rounds are not treated as a continuous trend, and reported associations do not establish causation. The September 16, 2026 update checked CDC, WHO and Gallup publisher pages and added CDC’s historical state comparison. Newer SAMHSA report retrieval was unsuccessful, so the existing dated NSDUH estimates remain unchanged; a search result alone was not used to replace a figure. Last full review: September 16, 2026.

Journalists and researchers may reuse any statistic with attribution to the original source and a link to Psychology.com.

Cite this source

Fontane Pennock, S. (2026, September 13). Depression Statistics 2026. Psychology.com. https://psychology.com/depression-statistics/

References

  1. National Institute of Mental Health. (2023). Major depression: statistics from the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Source
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