Prevalence of Mental Illness

A ranking 1-13 for Prevalence indicates a lower prevalence of mental health and substance use issues compared to states that ranked 39-51.

The seven measures that make up the Prevalence Ranking include:

  1. Adults with Any Mental Illness (AMI)
  2. Adults with Substance Use Disorder in the Past Year
  3. Adults with Serious Thoughts of Suicide
  4. Youth with at Least One Major Depressive Episode (MDE) in the Past Year
  5. Youth with Substance Use Disorder in the Past Year
  6. Youth with Serious Thoughts of Suicide
  7. Youth (Ages 6-17) Flourishing
StateRank
Connecticut1
New Jersey2
Georgia3
South Carolina4
Texas5
Mississippi6
Hawaii7
New York8
Massachusetts9
North Carolina10
Florida11
Michigan12
California13
Illinois14
Maryland15
Virginia16
Delaware17
Pennsylvania18
Kansas19
New Hampshire20
Alabama21
District of Columbia22
Wisconsin23
Arkansas24
South Dakota25
Kentucky26
Maine27
Utah28
Tennessee29
Ohio30
Indiana31
Nebraska32
West Virginia33
Minnesota34
Arizona35
Rhode Island36
Iowa37
Oklahoma38
Louisiana39
North Dakota40
Vermont41
Wyoming42
Missouri43
New Mexico44
Nevada45
Alaska46
Idaho47
Montana48
Washington49
Colorado50
Oregon51

Adult Prevalence of Mental Illness – Adults with Any Mental Illness (AMI)

23.08% of adults experienced a mental illness in the past year,equivalent to nearly 60 million Americans.

5.86% experienced a severe mental illness.

The state prevalence of adult mental illness ranges from 19.38% in New Jersey to 29.19% in Utah.

 

According to SAMHSA, “Any Mental Illness (AMI) aligns with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition criteria and is defined as having a diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder, other than a developmental or substance use disorder. These estimates are based on indicators of AMI rather than direct measures of diagnostic status.”

StateRankPercentageNumber
New Jersey119.38%1,389,000
Florida220.45%3,563,000
Delaware320.93%165,000
Connecticut421.05%599,000
New York521.11%3,273,000
Hawaii621.47%234,000
Texas721.94%4,797,000
Illinois822.01%2,136,000
Mississippi922.16%487,000
California1022.19%6,665,000
North Carolina1122.19%1,804,000
Virginia1222.28%1,470,000
South Carolina1322.35%902,000
Maryland1422.37%1,056,000
Georgia1522.52%1,836,000
Michigan1622.89%1,789,000
New Hampshire1723.06%259,000
Massachusetts1823.18%1,292,000
Pennsylvania1923.18%2,352,000
Arizona2023.26%1,308,000
Wisconsin2123.66%1,082,000
Kentucky2223.77%813,000
Arkansas2323.86%546,000
Maine2424.07%268,000
Alabama2524.09%931,000
Louisiana2624.34%838,000
Kansas2724.41%532,000
Indiana2824.44%1,260,000
Ohio2924.52%2,214,000
Nevada3024.65%600,000
Rhode Island3124.67%216,000
Minnesota3224.74%1,077,000
South Dakota3324.89%166,000
Alaska3424.96%132,000
Tennessee3525.47%1,370,000
New Mexico3625.67%414,000
Nebraska3725.71%376,000
Oklahoma3825.88%768,000
North Dakota3925.95%150,000
West Virginia4026.28%367,000
Colorado4126.30%1,186,000
Missouri4226.50%1,248,000
District of Columbia4326.63%143,000
Iowa4426.71%649,000
Vermont4526.80%141,000
Montana4627.12%234,000
Washington4727.14%1,629,000
Wyoming4827.44%121,000
Oregon4927.48%922,000
Idaho5028.02%402,000
Utah5129.19%700,000
National5223.08%58,867,000

Adults with Substance Use Disorder in the Past Year

17.82% of adults in the U.S. had a substance use disorder in the past year, totaling over 45 million people.

9.41% of adults in America had a drug use disorder in the past year.

11.28% of adults in America had an alcohol use disorder in the past year.

The state prevalence of adults with substance use disorder ranges from 14.15% in Utah to 24.30% in Alaska.

According to SAMHSA, “Substance Use Disorder (SUD) estimates are based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition criteria. SUD is defined as meeting the criteria for drug or alcohol use disorder. Beginning with the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, questions on prescription drug use disorder were asked of all past year users of prescription drugs, regardless of whether they misused prescription drugs.”

StateRankPercentageNumber
Utah114.15%340,000
Alabama215.19%587,000
Florida315.30%2,665,000
South Carolina415.42%622,000
Texas515.45%3,380,000
North Carolina615.71%1,277,000
Arkansas715.76%361,000
New Jersey816.34%1,171,000
Hawaii916.35%178,000
Tennessee1016.49%887,000
Mississippi1116.82%370,000
Georgia1216.99%1,385,000
New Hampshire1317.37%195,000
Kentucky1417.41%596,000
Nebraska1517.58%257,000
Kansas1617.69%386,000
Maryland1717.73%837,000
Virginia1817.79%1,173,000
New York1917.81%2,762,000
Illinois2017.86%1,733,000
Arizona2117.97%1,011,000
Pennsylvania2218.01%1,827,000
California2318.04%5,418,000
Idaho2418.17%260,000
South Dakota2518.24%121,000
Connecticut2618.39%523,000
Michigan2718.42%1,440,000
Wisconsin2818.44%844,000
West Virginia2918.68%261,000
Maine3018.80%209,000
Delaware3118.81%148,000
Missouri3218.89%889,000
Indiana3319.08%983,000
Massachusetts3419.16%1,068,000
Ohio3519.19%1,733,000
Iowa3619.32%469,000
Oklahoma3719.66%584,000
Wyoming3820.21%89,000
Washington3920.23%1,214,000
Minnesota4020.43%890,000
Louisiana4120.62%710,000
North Dakota4220.80%120,000
Montana4321.00%181,000
Nevada4421.60%525,000
Rhode Island4522.61%198,000
Oregon4622.71%762,000
Vermont4722.79%120,000
Colorado4823.08%1,040,000
New Mexico4923.55%380,000
District of Columbia5024.22%130,000
Alaska5124.30%128,000
National5217.82%45,438,000

Adults with Serious Thoughts of Suicide

5.04% of adults reported experiencing serious thoughts of suicide. The estimated number of adults with serious suicidal thoughts in the U.S. is over 12.8 million.

After slight decreases in suicide deaths in 2019 and 2020, the number of individuals who died by suicide in 2022 was the highest number ever recorded in the U.S.

The state prevalence of adults with serious thoughts of suicide ranges from 4.16% in Connecticut to 7.12% in Utah.

StateRankPercentageNumber
Connecticut14.16%118,000
New York24.29%665,000
Massachusetts34.36%243,000
New Jersey44.37%313,000
Maryland54.41%208,000
Maine64.56%51,000
Hawaii74.64%50,000
South Carolina84.67%188,000
North Carolina94.70%382,000
Rhode Island104.74%41,000
Pennsylvania114.74%481,000
Delaware124.75%37,000
Virginia134.76%314,000
Florida144.80%836,000
New Hampshire154.87%55,000
Mississippi164.94%109,000
California174.97%1,491,000
Texas184.98%1,090,000
Georgia195.02%410,000
Minnesota205.07%221,000
Tennessee215.11%275,000
Arizona225.15%290,000
Wisconsin235.16%236,000
Ohio245.21%470,000
Arkansas255.23%120,000
District of Columbia265.25%28,000
Illinois275.26%511,000
Kansas285.31%116,000
Vermont295.35%28,000
Kentucky305.41%185,000
Michigan315.42%424,000
Alabama325.44%210,000
Oklahoma335.47%162,000
Alaska345.47%29,000
Louisiana355.51%190,000
Iowa365.51%134,000
Washington375.51%331,000
New Mexico385.55%90,000
Indiana395.56%287,000
South Dakota405.59%37,000
Missouri415.61%264,000
Oregon425.61%188,000
North Dakota435.68%33,000
West Virginia445.71%80,000
Nevada455.75%140,000
Wyoming465.84%26,000
Colorado475.91%266,000
Montana486.02%52,000
Nebraska496.15%90,000
Idaho506.68%96,000
Utah517.12%171,000
National525.04%12,860,000

Youth with at Least One Past Year Major Depressive Episode (MDE)

20.17% of youth (ages 12-17) reported suffering from at least one major depressive episode (MDE) in the past year.

15% of youth in the U.S. experienced an MDE with severe impairment, meaning it severely impacted their functioning at work, school, or home.

The state prevalence of youth with MDE ranges from 16.02% in the District of Columbia to 24.96% in Oregon.

StateRankPercentageNumber
District of Columbia116.02%5,000
Hawaii217.15%17,000
Georgia317.39%159,000
South Carolina417.88%72,000
Utah518.33%62,000
Texas618.40%483,000
Michigan718.65%142,000
Mississippi818.73%47,000
Oklahoma918.76%63,000
Arkansas1018.97%47,000
Massachusetts1119.18%93,000
South Dakota1219.21%14,000
Vermont1319.25%8,000
Alabama1419.41%76,000
Wisconsin1519.41%89,000
North Carolina1619.46%160,000
Kentucky1719.50%69,000
New York1819.58%272,000
New Jersey1919.70%141,000
Connecticut2019.83%54,000
West Virginia2119.85%25,000
Louisiana2219.91%74,000
Maine2319.93%18,000
California2420.01%616,000
Illinois2520.21%202,000
Virginia2620.22%133,000
Kansas2720.34%50,000
Indiana2820.44%114,000
Tennessee2920.50%111,000
Pennsylvania3020.50%193,000
Delaware3120.55%15,000
Ohio3220.79%190,000
Iowa3320.88%54,000
Nebraska3421.12%35,000
Florida3521.43%325,000
Idaho3621.50%37,000
North Dakota3721.56%13,000
Missouri3821.59%105,000
New Hampshire3921.63%20,000
Wyoming4021.70%10,000
Alaska4121.72%13,000
Montana4221.89%18,000
Minnesota4322.07%102,000
Rhode Island4422.15%16,000
Maryland4522.17%105,000
New Mexico4623.23%40,000
Colorado4723.32%103,000
Washington4823.39%135,000
Nevada4923.51%58,000
Arizona5023.96%139,000
Oregon5124.96%76,000
National20.17%5,217,000

Youth with Substance Use Disorder in the Past Year

8.95% of youth in the U.S. reported a substance use disorder in the past year.

3.32% had an alcohol use disorder in the past year, while 7.17% had a drug use disorder.

The state prevalence of youth with substance use disorder ranges from 5.43% in Utah to 16.01% in New Mexico.

According to SAMHSA, “Substance Use Disorder (SUD) estimates are based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition criteria. SUD is defined as meeting the criteria for drug or alcohol use disorder. Beginning with the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, questions on prescription drug use disorder were asked of all past year users of prescription drugs, regardless of whether they misused prescription drugs.”

StateRankPercentageNumber
Utah15.43%18,000
New Hampshire27.13%7,000
New Jersey37.25%52,000
North Carolina47.42%61,000
South Carolina57.44%30,000
Connecticut67.66%21,000
Mississippi77.69%19,000
Virginia87.69%50,000
Texas97.79%204,000
Alabama107.82%31,000
Michigan118.12%62,000
Massachusetts128.14%39,000
Florida138.19%124,000
California148.21%253,000
South Dakota158.23%6,000
Maryland168.31%39,000
Kentucky178.40%30,000
Pennsylvania188.55%80,000
Maine198.66%8,000
Arkansas208.77%22,000
Indiana218.78%49,000
Kansas228.81%22,000
Nebraska238.86%15,000
West Virginia248.96%11,000
North Dakota258.97%5,000
Delaware269.09%7,000
Georgia279.29%85,000
Illinois289.33%93,000
Ohio299.41%86,000
Wyoming309.43%5,000
Hawaii319.44%9,000
Tennessee329.47%51,000
New York339.53%132,000
Idaho349.86%17,000
Vermont3510.10%4,000
Wisconsin3610.28%47,000
Minnesota3710.30%47,000
District of Columbia3810.34%4,000
Arizona3910.68%62,000
Montana4010.93%9,000
Iowa4110.95%28,000
Washington4210.96%63,000
Rhode Island4311.03%8,000
Missouri4411.15%54,000
Colorado4511.27%50,000
Oklahoma4611.49%38,000
Alaska4711.51%7,000
Oregon4812.52%38,000
Louisiana4913.40%50,000
Nevada5014.09%35,000
New Mexico5116.01%27,000
National528.95%2,316,000

Youth with Serious Thoughts of Suicide

13.16% of youth (over 3.4 million youth) are experiencing serious thoughts of suicide.

The state prevalence of youth with serious thoughts of suicide ranges from 10.68% in the District of Columbia to 15.00% in Oregon.

StateRankPercentageNumber
District of Columbia110.68%4,000
Connecticut211.00%30,000
Michigan311.85%90,000
Texas412.05%316,000
Massachusetts512.24%59,000
New York612.25%170,000
Georgia712.34%113,000
Mississippi812.37%31,000
South Carolina912.55%50,000
New Jersey1012.71%91,000
North Carolina1112.79%105,000
Kentucky1212.94%46,000
New Mexico1312.95%22,000
Rhode Island1412.98%10,000
Utah1513.04%44,000
Delaware1613.06%10,000
Vermont1713.07%6,000
Kansas1813.09%32,000
Louisiana1913.20%49,000
Illinois2013.21%132,000
Alabama2113.23%52,000
Maryland2213.32%63,000
Maine2313.34%12,000
Indiana2413.34%74,000
California2513.34%411,000
Virginia2613.37%88,000
Florida2713.40%203,000
Pennsylvania2813.46%127,000
New Hampshire2913.58%13,000
Arizona3013.61%79,000
North Dakota3113.63%8,000
Wisconsin3213.69%63,000
Oklahoma3313.71%46,000
Nevada3413.80%34,000
Iowa3513.80%36,000
West Virginia3613.90%18,000
Minnesota3713.94%64,000
Arkansas3814.03%35,000
Hawaii3914.04%14,000
Tennessee4014.16%77,000
Nebraska4114.18%24,000
Ohio4214.25%130,000
Colorado4314.26%63,000
South Dakota4414.33%11,000
Wyoming4514.34%7,000
Missouri4614.43%70,000
Alaska4714.52%9,000
Montana4814.64%12,000
Washington4914.79%85,000
Idaho5014.89%25,000
Oregon5115.00%46,000
National5213.16%3,406,000

Youth (Ages 6-17) Flourishing

Only 60.5% of youth ages 6-17 across the U.S. meet all three criteria for flourishing.

The state prevalence of youth flourishing ranges from 67.30% in Georgia to 54.30% in Kentucky.

Flourishing is determined as a positive indicator of mental health and wellbeing by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Maternal and Child Health Bureau. The criteria for flourishing were designed to assess children and adolescents’ learning, resilience, and self-regulation. Youth who were flourishing were those who always or usually showed interest and curiosity in learning new things, work to finish tasks they started, and stayed calm and in control when faced with a challenge.

StateRankPercentageNumber
Georgia167.30%1,140,135
Illinois265.10%1,227,071
Hawaii364.80%128,879
New Mexico464.00%209,545
Kansas563.00%300,226
Mississippi663.00%297,462
Nebraska763.00%200,239
California862.70%3,729,267
Connecticut962.70%314,841
Massachusetts1062.30%573,969
Maryland1162.10%558,711
South Dakota1262.10%90,027
Minnesota1361.80%544,795
New Jersey1461.80%816,222
Iowa1561.60%300,447
Florida1661.20%1,759,625
Wisconsin1761.20%529,575
New York1860.80%1,612,253
Ohio1960.70%1,059,324
Michigan2060.60%873,500
Texas2160.60%3,058,797
Pennsylvania2260.40%1,086,892
Wyoming2360.30%55,957
South Carolina2459.90%461,746
West Virginia2559.70%147,572
Nevada2659.60%278,526
Arizona2759.50%659,292
New Hampshire2859.50%105,697
District of Columbia2959.40%44,019
Rhode Island3059.10%82,001
Virginia3159.00%739,666
Delaware3258.60%81,622
Louisiana3358.10%416,806
North Dakota3458.00%68,132
North Carolina3557.90%911,184
Tennessee3657.60%590,681
Oklahoma3757.30%367,068
Utah3857.30%367,698
Alaska3957.20%67,381
Indiana4057.00%604,001
Missouri4157.00%529,779
Idaho4256.90%178,277
Alabama4356.70%420,313
Colorado4456.70%484,277
Montana4556.50%90,594
Arkansas4656.00%267,516
Vermont4755.20%44,448
Washington4854.80%611,376
Maine4954.40%91,980
Oregon5054.40%319,747
Kentucky5154.30%364,150
National5260.50%29,863,306