Prevalence
- About 1 in 36 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) according to estimates from CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network. [Read article]
- ASD is reported to occur in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. [Read article]
- ASD is nearly 4 times more common among boys than among girls. [Read article]
- About 1 in 6 (17%) children aged 3–17 years were diagnosed with a developmental disability, as reported by parents, during a study period of 2009-2017. These included autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, blindness, and cerebral palsy, among others. [Read summary]
Identified Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder
ADDM Network 2000-2020 Combining Data from All Sites
| Surveillance Year | Birth Year | Number of ADDM Sites Reporting | Combined Prevalence per 1,000 Children (Range Across ADDM Sites) | This is about 1 in X children |
| 2020 | 2012 | 11 | 27.6 (23.1-44.9) | 1 in 36 |
| 2018 | 2010 | 11 | 23.0 (16.5-38.9) | 1 in 44 |
| 2016 | 2008 | 11 | 18.5 (18.0-19.1) | 1 in 54 |
| 2014 | 2006 | 11 | 16.8 (13.1-29.3) | 1 in 59 |
| 2012 | 2004 | 11 | 14.5 (8.2-24.6) | 1 in 69 |
| 2010 | 2002 | 11 | 14.7 (5.7-21.9) | 1 in 68 |
| 2008 | 2000 | 14 | 11.3 (4.8-21.2) | 1 in 88 |
| 2006 | 1998 | 11 | 9.0 (4.2-12.1) | 1 in 110 |
| 2004 | 1996 | 8 | 8.0 (4.6-9.8) | 1 in 125 |
| 2002 | 1994 | 14 | 6.6 (3.3-10.6) | 1 in 150 |
| 2000 | 1992 | 6 | 6.7 (4.5-9.9) | 1 in 150 |
Autism Prevalence Studies Data Table
A collection of information from peer-reviewed autism prevalence studies
The 2023 Community Report on Autism provides summaries of the latest ADDM Data
- A Snapshot of Autism Spectrum Disorder in 2020
- Progress in Early Identification Disrupted during the COVID-19 Pandemic among 4-year-old Children
- A New Pattern in Racial and Ethnic Differences Emerges in ASD Identification among 8-year-old Children
- Site Snapshots Overview
For more information, click here.