37 Autism Statistics: How Many People Have Autism?
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects communication, social interaction, and behavior. It is estimated that 1 in 36 children in the United States has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Autism can occur in any family, regardless of race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status.
37 Autism Statistics: How Many People Have Autism?
Autism Prevalence Statistics
- Around 1 in 36 children are diagnosed with autism in the U.S. according to the CDC, as of 2023.
- Around 1% of the world’s population has autism, which is more than 75,000,000 people.
- 1 in every 100 children are diagnosed with autism.
- Autism prevalence has increased 178% since 2000.
- The country with the lowest rate of diagnosed autism is France, and the country with the highest autism prevalence is Qatar.
- Boys are four times more likely to be diagnosed with autism than girls.
- Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disability in the United States.
- Most children get diagnosed after age 4, but autism can be reliably diagnosed as early as age 2.
- The prevalence of autism has increased by 10% to 17% annually in recent years.
Autism Diagnosis Statistics
- Early diagnosis and intervention can improve outcomes for children with autism.
- The average age of diagnosis for autism in the United States is 4 years old.
- The diagnostic process for autism involves a comprehensive evaluation by a team of professionals.
- There is no single test that can diagnose autism.
- The diagnostic criteria for autism have changed over time.
- The current diagnostic criteria for autism focus on two core areas: social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviors.
- Autism can be diagnosed as early as 18 months of age.
- Some children with autism are not diagnosed until they are school-age or older.
- Autism can co-occur with other conditions, such as intellectual disability, ADHD, and anxiety.
International Autism Statistics
- The prevalence of autism varies widely from country to country.
- Some countries have higher rates of autism than others.
- The diagnostic criteria for autism are not the same in all countries.
- Some countries may have more limited access to diagnostic and treatment services for autism.
- The United Nations has designated April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day.
Autism Rates by Country
Autism Rates by Year
- In 2000, the CDC reported that around 6.7 out of every 1,000 children were diagnosed with autism.
- In 2004, diagnoses of autism were given to 8 out of ever 1,000 children.
- In 2006, autism diagnoses were given to about 1 out of every 110 children.
- In 2008, that number jumped to 1 out of every 88 children.
- In 2010, the number of autism diagnoses given to children was about 1 in 68.
- By 2018, the number of diagnoses given to children had risen to about 1 in 44, or 23 out of every 1,000 children. That’s almost 4 times the rate in 2000.
Autism Demographics
Autism Rates by Gender
- Around 4 times as many boys have been diagnosed with autism as girls.
- Girls are underdiagnosed - the ratio of boys to girls with autism might be just 1 to 2.
- In one study, the ratio fell from 4.2 to 3.3 boys for every girl when researchers changed how they evaluated whether the participants had autism
Autism Rates by Age
- Approximately 2.2% of all American adults have autism spectrum disorder.
- Over 5.4 million U.S. adults have a diagnosed autism spectrum disorder.
- Most autism diagnoses are given to children, since most individuals are diagnosed at a young age.
- Autism screenings are recommended for children when they reach 18 and 24 months old, as autism diagnoses are fairly reliable by age 2.
Autism Rates by Race & Ethnicity
- Autism is prevalent across all races and ethnicities, but it is sometimes underdiagnosed in certain groups.
- White children were shown to have an autism prevalence ratio of about 1.1 to Black children in 2014.
- In 2014, white children were shown to have an autism prevalence ratio of around 1.2 to Hispanic or Latino children.
- In 2006, the prevalence ratio of autism in white children vs. Hispanic or Latino children was 1.7, significantly higher than the 2014 rate.
Autism Economic Costs
Most of autism's economic costs in the U.S. are for adult services, an estimated $175 to $196 billion a year, compared to $61 to $66 billion a year for children.
Autism Unemployment Rate
- Around 15% of adults with autism who have a college degree are fully employed.
- Approximately 25% of adults with autism in general are fully employed.
- Around 21% young adults with autism are currently or were recently employed.
Autism Marriage Statistics
- Around half of all adults with autism live with a member of their family.
- Old research shows that about 5% of adults with autism are married or have been married in the past.
- 9% of adults with autism are married, while 32% have a romantic partner.
Interesting Autism Facts
- Autism spectrum disorder affects approximately 1 in 36 children.
- Boys are nearly 5 times more likely than girls to receive a diagnosis of ASD. Girls often experience underdiagnosis and misdiagnosis with other conditions.
- ASD is one of the fastest-growing developmental disorders in the United States, surpassing the prevalence of childhood cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined.
- Autism spectrum disorder affects individuals of all nationalities, creeds, religions, races, and genders, without discrimination towards any specific group.
- Self-advocacy is a crucial skill, especially for individuals with autism, empowering them to understand their strengths and required accommodations to become their own advocates within family, school, and community settings.
- Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disability that typically presents challenges before the age of 3 and persists throughout a person's lifetime.
- Early identification, treatment, and support significantly improve important outcomes for children's lives with autism.
- Early behavior-based interventions have positive effects on some children with autism spectrum disorder, while others may require more individualized approaches based on their unique needs and learning styles. Services for adults with ASD must also be tailored accordingly.
- Currently, there is no medical blood test or cure available for autism spectrum disorder.
- Parental behavior before, during, and after pregnancy does not cause autism spectrum disorder. The exact causes of ASD remain uncertain.
- Many individuals with autism spectrum disorder experience communication difficulties, which may manifest as challenges with spoken language or social communication.
- Autism spectrum disorder does not worsen with age. Proper support, specialized services, and opportunities for inclusion can lead to continuous learning and skill development for individuals with ASD.
- Being nonverbal at age 4 does not mean a child with autism will never speak; most will learn to use words, and a significant number will speak fluently.
- People with autism spectrum disorder may have difficulty spontaneously developing empathic and socially connected behavior, even though they may deeply care about others.
- Supporting an individual with autism spectrum disorder costs an average of $60,000 per year for a family. Early diagnosis and intervention can significantly reduce the lifetime costs of care, which average between $1.4 million to $2.4 million.
- Co-occurring medical conditions such as allergies, asthma, epilepsy, digestive disorders, and sleep disorders are common among individuals with autism spectrum disorder.
- Children and teens with autism often have lower bone density compared to their peers.
- About one-third of individuals with autism spectrum disorder develop seizure disorders, which occur at a rate 10 times higher than in the general population.
- Approximately 10% of individuals with autism spectrum disorder may also have another genetic, neurological, or metabolic disorder.
- Each person with autism spectrum disorder is unique, with varying communication abilities, social interaction skills, cognitive strengths, and intelligence levels.
- Hyperlexia, the ability to read above one's age or grade level, is often seen in individuals with autism spectrum disorder.
- Individuals with autism spectrum disorder frequently exhibit creativity and may have a natural talent for music, theater, art, dance, and singing.
- Autism-affected children are 160 times more likely to drown than typical children, highlighting the importance of teaching them to swim and vigilant supervision around water.
- Autism symptoms may differ between males and females, leading to later diagnoses in females, who are often an underrepresented group in research studies.
- Gender differences in autism symptoms are observed in the areas of social understanding, social communication, and social imagination.
- Around 50,000 individuals with autism spectrum disorder exit high school annually in the United States, and post-school services for young adults are often insufficient.
- 35% of adults with autism spectrum disorder have not pursued employment or postgraduate education after leaving high school.
- Employers recognize the benefits of a neurodiverse workforce, leading to increased productivity, innovation, and talent retention.
- There is no federal requirement for providing supportive services to adults with autism, leaving many families to navigate these services independently.
- With appropriate services delivered during their educational years, many individuals with autism successfully live, work, and contribute to their local communities.
Summary
In conclusion, the autism statistics and interesting facts about autism mentioned above shows how common and complex the disorder is. Autism affects individuals, families, and society as a whole.
The prevalence of autism is increasing, and there is ongoing research on the causes, treatment, and support for individuals with autism. Increased awareness and advocacy can help improve outcomes for individuals with autism and their families.
