22.8%
of U.S. adults had a mental illness in 2023.
That represents 58.7 million adults. The estimate refers to any mental illness in the past year among adults age 18 and older.
Source: SAMHSA, 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and HealthA sourced reference page
Mental health statistics in the U.S.
A practical collection of recent national data on mental health, care, depression, and young people. Each figure links directly to its original public-health source.
Last updated September 29, 2026
Key figures
Six numbers that put the need for care in context.
These are national survey estimates, not a diagnosis or a measure of any one person’s experience. They offer a useful snapshot of the scale of mental health needs and care in the United States.
14%
of U.S. adults received counseling or therapy in 2024.
CDC reports this as about 1 in 7 adults who received counseling or therapy from a mental health professional in the previous 12 months.
Source: CDC, adult mental health care data, 202423.9%
of U.S. adults received some mental health treatment in 2023.
This broader measure includes medication for mental health concerns or therapy from a mental health professional during the previous 12 months.
Source: CDC, National Health Interview Survey, 202313.1%
of people age 12 and older had depression during a two-week period.
CDC measured this from August 2021 through August 2023 using the PHQ-9, a validated depression screening questionnaire.
Source: CDC, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2021–202339.7%
of U.S. high school students reported persistent sadness or hopelessness in 2023.
The CDC survey asked whether students had felt sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more and stopped doing usual activities during the past year.
Source: CDC, Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 202328.5%
of U.S. high school students reported poor mental health in 2023.
For this measure, students reported that their mental health was not good most of the time or always during the previous 30 days.
Source: CDC, Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2023Methodology and sources
How to use this page.
This page brings together the most recent relevant national figures available from federal public-health sources at the time of update. Measures use different surveys, age ranges, time periods, and definitions, so they should not be compared as though they measure the same thing.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mental Health Conditions & Care
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, mental health treatment trends among adults
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, depression prevalence and treatment
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Youth Risk Behavior Survey
Cite this page
Mindful Wellness Associates. “Mental Health Statistics in the U.S.” Updated September 29, 2026. Accessed [date].
Please cite the original source linked with each statistic when you need the underlying data or methodology.
When support would help
Care can begin with a conversation.
If mental health concerns are making daily life harder, a thoughtful evaluation can help you understand your options. Mindful Wellness Associates provides telehealth psychiatric care in New York and Florida.