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U.S. mental health statistics

Recent national data on adult and adolescent mental health, gathered in one clear, source-linked reference. Last updated September 28, 2026.

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How to use this page

Reliable context, without reducing anyone to a number.

These figures describe national survey findings, not any one person, family, or community. They can help writers, educators, and families understand the broader context for conversations about mental health.

Restore & Thrive provides holistic care through Maryland telehealth. If you are looking for a thoughtful next step, you can learn what a psychiatric evaluation can include or book an appointment.

Key statistics

Adult and adolescent mental health, at a glance.

20.6%

of U.S. adults had any mental illness in 2025

SAMHSA estimates this represents 54.6 million adults aged 18 or older. “Any mental illness” includes diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorders and is broader than serious mental illness.

SAMHSA, 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health

6.9%

of U.S. adults had serious mental illness in 2025

That is an estimated 18.2 million adults. SAMHSA defines serious mental illness as a mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder that causes serious functional impairment.

SAMHSA, 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health

28.6%

of adults ages 18 to 25 had any mental illness in 2025

This was the highest reported rate among the adult age groups in SAMHSA’s 2025 national survey, representing an estimated 10.3 million young adults.

SAMHSA, 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health

39.7%

of U.S. high school students reported persistent sadness or hopelessness in 2023

CDC defines this measure as feeling so sad or hopeless almost every day for at least two consecutive weeks that students stopped doing some usual activities.

CDC, Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2023

28.5%

of U.S. high school students described their mental health as not good most of the time or always in 2023

The measure comes from CDC’s nationally representative Youth Risk Behavior Survey of students in grades 9 through 12.

CDC, Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2023

20.4%

of U.S. high school students seriously considered attempting suicide in 2023

This statistic reflects a serious public-health concern. It is not a measure of an individual child’s risk or a substitute for a personal assessment.

CDC, Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2023

Method and sources

Where these numbers come from.

This page uses the latest national adult figures from the 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and national high-school figures from the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The surveys use different populations, questions, and definitions. Statistics on this page are kept separate by source and should not be compared as though they were the same measure. SAMHSA also updated its adult mental-illness estimation method for the 2025 report, so its earlier published estimates should not be compared directly with these figures.

SAMHSA: 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, published July 2026.
CDC: Youth Risk Behavior Survey, published 2024, reporting 2023 data.

Cite this page

Restore & Thrive. “U.S. Mental Health Statistics.” Updated September 28, 2026. https://restoreandthrivehealth.com/mental-health-statistics.

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