Autism spectrum disorder (including what some older labels like Asperger’s used) affects development and health in ways that show up in national surveys and large studies. Here, you’ll find prevalence estimates and how outcomes shift over time, plus key co-occurring conditions such as anxiety and ADHD. We also review evidence on factors linked to risk, early evaluation and intervention practices, and real-world impacts like employment and broader costs.
Key Takeaways
- 0.9% of adults in the US reported ever being told they had ASD or autism (NHIS data reported by CDC/NCHS).
- 25% of autistic people reported experiencing anxiety in the past week (peer-reviewed meta-analysis figure for anxiety prevalence in autism).
- 31% of autistic individuals have an anxiety disorder diagnosis (meta-analysis estimate).
- 22% of autistic individuals have ADHD (meta-analysis estimate).
- A meta-analysis reported that ASD is associated with increased odds of epilepsy (pooled odds ratio reported).
- A Danish national register study reported an autism (including previously Asperger’s) prevalence rising to 1.0% by 2016 in children (peer-reviewed register study).
- In a large cohort meta-analysis, advanced parental age (father ≥40) increased autism risk (pooled relative risk ~1.3 range).
- About 40% of children with ASD had a developmental evaluation by age 3 (CDC/NCHS analysis).
- 20–30% of autistic children experience regression in language/social skills (systematic review range).
- Early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) is typically delivered for 25–40 hours per week in clinical protocols (clinical review).
- In the US, autism-related costs were estimated at $268 billion in 2015 (peer-reviewed/official estimate used widely in policy reports).
- In the US, autism-related costs were estimated at $461 billion for 2020 (Autism Speaks estimate citing a methodology applied to 2020).
- Autistic adults have an unemployment rate of about 25% (US national estimates summarized in a peer-reviewed analysis).
Autism affects about 1% of US children and is linked with high anxiety and major costs, unemployment, and comorbidities.
Related reading
01 · Category
Prevalence1 stats
01
0.9% of adults in the US reported ever being told they had ASD or autism (NHIS data reported by CDC/NCHS).
Interpretation
Prevalence Interpretation
In the US prevalence picture, 0.9% of adults report that they have ever been told they had ASD or autism, showing that diagnosed prevalence remains under 1% in the adult population.
02 · Category
Health Outcomes5 stats
01
25% of autistic people reported experiencing anxiety in the past week (peer-reviewed meta-analysis figure for anxiety prevalence in autism).
02
31% of autistic individuals have an anxiety disorder diagnosis (meta-analysis estimate).
03
22% of autistic individuals have ADHD (meta-analysis estimate).
04
8% of autistic individuals have schizophrenia or schizophreniform disorder (meta-analysis estimate).
05
In that same Swedish cohort analysis, the absolute suicide risk was 1.2% (peer-reviewed cohort study).
Interpretation
Health Outcomes Interpretation
From a health outcomes perspective, a substantial share of autistic people experience co-occurring mental health conditions, with 31% having an anxiety disorder diagnosis and 1.2% facing absolute suicide risk in a Swedish cohort, underscoring how closely anxiety and related risks track with broader wellbeing needs.
03 · Category
Research & Risk7 stats
01
A meta-analysis reported that ASD is associated with increased odds of epilepsy (pooled odds ratio reported).
02
A Danish national register study reported an autism (including previously Asperger’s) prevalence rising to 1.0% by 2016 in children (peer-reviewed register study).
03
In a large cohort meta-analysis, advanced parental age (father ≥40) increased autism risk (pooled relative risk ~1.3 range).
04
Prenatal exposure to valproate during pregnancy was associated with a substantially increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (systematic review; pooled RR reported).
05
A large cohort study reported that maternal diabetes increased ASD risk by about 1.5 times (pooled hazard/relative risk reported).
06
In a systematic review, approximately 30% of autistic individuals experience sleep disturbances (meta-analysis).
07
A systematic review estimated that 40% of autistic individuals have gastrointestinal symptoms (meta-analysis).
Interpretation
Research & Risk Interpretation
Across Research and Risk findings, autism including Asperger’s shows clear health-linked and demographic contributors, with sleep problems affecting about 30% of autistic individuals and prenatal or parental factors such as valproate exposure and father age 40 or older raising risk by roughly 1.3 to 1.5 times, alongside evidence of increased epilepsy odds.
More related reading
04 · Category
Diagnosis & Care3 stats
01
About 40% of children with ASD had a developmental evaluation by age 3 (CDC/NCHS analysis).
02
20–30% of autistic children experience regression in language/social skills (systematic review range).
03
Early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) is typically delivered for 25–40 hours per week in clinical protocols (clinical review).
Interpretation
Diagnosis & Care Interpretation
For the diagnosis and care of autism, the data suggest many children are not getting developmental evaluations until after age 3, while a substantial 20–30% may show regression and early intensive behavioral intervention is usually prescribed at 25 to 40 hours per week.
05 · Category
Socioeconomic Impact7 stats
01
In the US, autism-related costs were estimated at $268 billion in 2015 (peer-reviewed/official estimate used widely in policy reports).
02
In the US, autism-related costs were estimated at $461 billion for 2020 (Autism Speaks estimate citing a methodology applied to 2020).
03
Autistic adults have an unemployment rate of about 25% (US national estimates summarized in a peer-reviewed analysis).
04
In a meta-analysis, autistic people have lower employment rates than non-autistic people (odds ratio 0.42 reported).
05
In that US expenditure analysis, total annual ASD-related expenditures were $4,110per child (MEPS-based analysis).
06
Caregiver productivity loss associated with autism was estimated at $1,153per month (US analysis reported in a peer-reviewed paper).
07
A 2020 systematic review found that caregiver burden is consistently higher for autism compared with other developmental conditions (pooled evidence across studies).
Interpretation
Socioeconomic Impact Interpretation
From the socioeconomic impact perspective, the financial burden and lost work opportunities are striking, with US autism-related costs rising from $268 billion in 2015 to $461 billion by 2020 alongside an unemployment rate of about 25% for autistic adults and $1,153 per month in caregiver productivity losses.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Lars Eriksen. (2026, February 13). Aspergers Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/aspergers-statistics
MLA
Lars Eriksen. "Aspergers Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/aspergers-statistics.
Chicago
Lars Eriksen. 2026. "Aspergers Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/aspergers-statistics.
Sources & references
23 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+18 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)