Kidney failure affects an estimated 37 million people worldwide. Chronic kidney disease occurs in one of every seven adults in the United States. The condition contributes to 2.5 million deaths globally and raises cardiovascular mortality risk by two to three times.
Key Takeaways
- 37 million people worldwide are living with kidney failure (estimated)
- Globally, kidney disease accounts for about 1.0% of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) (estimated burden share)
- In 2019, kidney disease contributed about 2.5 million deaths worldwide (estimated)
- In the U.S., the number of people living with a kidney transplant was about 323,000 in 2020 (USRDS)
- The global chronic kidney disease market was valued at about $XX billion in 2023 and expected to grow at a CAGR around low-to-mid double digits through 2030 (estimate in an industry market report)
- The global dialysis market size was valued at about $XX billion in 2023, with growth expected through 2030 (industry forecast)
- Cardiovascular disease is present in 38% of U.S. adults with CKD (NHANES, 2017–2018)
- Anemia affects 37% of people with CKD in the United States (NHANES 2015–2018)
- CKD is associated with a 2.2-fold higher risk of all-cause mortality compared with people without CKD in a large U.S. cohort analysis
- 2.3% of U.S. adults had CKD stage 4 or 5 in 2015–2018 (NHANES)
- Kidney stones affect 8.8% of U.S. adults (age-adjusted prevalence, 2017–2018 NHANES)
- Sepsis was present in 25% of cases of AKI in hospital patients in a 2020 meta-analysis of observational studies
- In a meta-analysis of 21 studies, the prevalence of chronic kidney disease in the general population was 13.5% (estimated)
- In a large multinational cohort study, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decline below 60 mL/min/1.73m² was associated with a 2.6-fold increased risk of kidney failure (hazard ratio, meta-estimate)
- In hospitalized patients with AKI, 90-day mortality was 26% in a pooled meta-analysis of observational studies
About 37 million people worldwide live with kidney failure, making kidney disease a major driver of deaths and disability.
Related reading
01 · Category
Epidemiology18 stats
01
37 million people worldwide are living with kidney failure (estimated)
02
Globally, kidney disease accounts for about 1.0% of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) (estimated burden share)
03
In 2019, kidney disease contributed about 2.5 million deaths worldwide (estimated)
04
In the United States, 1 in 7 adults (~15%) has CKD
05
Hypertension increases the risk of CKD by ~4 times (relative risk, summarized in clinical overview)
06
In CKD, cardiovascular disease is responsible for ~40% of deaths (proportion of mortality)
07
Kidney disease is associated with a 2–3 fold increased risk of cardiovascular mortality (risk magnitude)
08
Kidney failure is the 9th leading cause of death in the United States (ranking)
09
IgA nephropathy accounts for ~30% of primary glomerulonephritis cases worldwide (prevalence share)
10
Diabetic kidney disease affects ~1 in 3 adults with diabetes (prevalence estimate)
11
Nephrolithiasis (kidney stones) prevalence is ~10–15% in adults worldwide (estimated prevalence range)
12
In-hospital mortality for acute kidney injury is ~37% (pooled mortality estimate)
13
Anemia is present in about 40% of CKD patients (prevalence)
14
Mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) affects up to 80% of CKD patients (prevalence range)
15
Cardiovascular events occur at higher rates in CKD; ~1 in 2 CKD patients die from cardiovascular causes (proportion)
16
2.5% of U.S. adults were estimated to have advanced CKD (stage 4–5) in 2019–2020, based on NHANES analysis
17
53.4% of kidney transplant recipients in the U.S. were 50 years or older at transplant
18
Hypertension is reported as the cause of 28% of incident kidney failure cases in the U.S. (2020), per the USRDS
Interpretation
Epidemiology Interpretation
From an epidemiology perspective, kidney disease is a major global health burden with an estimated 2.5 million deaths in 2019 and 37 million people living with kidney failure, while in the United States about 1 in 7 adults has CKD and cardiovascular disease drives roughly 40% of deaths, showing how widespread kidney impairment translates into large numbers of preventable deaths.
02 · Category
Market Size3 stats
01
In the U.S., the number of people living with a kidney transplant was about 323,000 in 2020 (USRDS)
02
The global chronic kidney disease market was valued at about $XX billion in 2023 and expected to grow at a CAGR around low-to-mid double digits through 2030 (estimate in an industry market report)
03
The global dialysis market size was valued at about $XX billion in 2023, with growth expected through 2030 (industry forecast)
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
With about 323,000 kidney transplant recipients in the US in 2020 and industry forecasts showing the global chronic kidney disease and dialysis markets both growing through 2030 at low to mid double digit CAGRs, the market size case for kidney disease remains strongly expanding.
03 · Category
Clinical Outcomes4 stats
01
Cardiovascular disease is present in 38% of U.S. adults with CKD (NHANES, 2017–2018)
02
Anemia affects 37% of people with CKD in the United States (NHANES 2015–2018)
03
CKD is associated with a 2.2-fold higher risk of all-cause mortality compared with people without CKD in a large U.S. cohort analysis
04
For U.S. kidney transplant recipients, 2020 one-year survival was 95.6% (all ages, all-cause mortality)
Interpretation
Clinical Outcomes Interpretation
For the clinical outcomes angle, CKD is linked to serious health impacts, with cardiovascular disease affecting 38% of U.S. adults with CKD and CKD associated with a 2.2-fold higher risk of all-cause mortality, while kidney transplant recipients show a relatively strong one-year survival of 95.6% in 2020.
04 · Category
Prevalence & Risk1 stats
01
2.3% of U.S. adults had CKD stage 4 or 5 in 2015–2018 (NHANES)
Interpretation
Prevalence & Risk Interpretation
In the Prevalence and Risk category, 2.3% of U.S. adults had CKD stage 4 or 5 in 2015 to 2018, highlighting that severe kidney disease affects a notable minority of the population.
More related reading
05 · Category
Epidemiology & Incidence5 stats
01
Kidney stones affect 8.8% of U.S. adults (age-adjusted prevalence, 2017–2018 NHANES)
02
Sepsis was present in 25% of cases of AKI in hospital patients in a 2020 meta-analysis of observational studies
03
In a meta-analysis of 21 studies, the prevalence of chronic kidney disease in the general population was 13.5% (estimated)
04
The pooled incidence of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) in the U.S. was 286 per million population per year (2016–2020 estimates in a recent review)
05
In the Global Burden of Disease 2019 study, chronic kidney disease (CKD) ranked as the 12th leading cause of death worldwide (age-standardized rank)
Interpretation
Epidemiology & Incidence Interpretation
From an epidemiology and incidence perspective, kidney disease burden is widespread and persistent, with chronic kidney disease estimated in 13.5% of the general population and end-stage kidney disease occurring at a rate of 286 per million people per year in the United States, while CKD also ranks as the 12th leading cause of death worldwide.
06 · Category
Outcomes & Survival2 stats
01
In a large multinational cohort study, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decline below 60 mL/min/1.73m² was associated with a 2.6-fold increased risk of kidney failure (hazard ratio, meta-estimate)
02
In hospitalized patients with AKI, 90-day mortality was 26% in a pooled meta-analysis of observational studies
Interpretation
Outcomes & Survival Interpretation
From an outcomes and survival perspective, once kidney function drops below an eGFR of 60 mL/min/1.73m² the risk of kidney failure rises 2.6-fold, and among hospitalized AKI patients 90-day mortality reaches 26%, underscoring how quickly survival can worsen when kidney impairment advances.
07 · Category
Care Delivery & Costs3 stats
01
U.S. kidney disease costs were $125.8 billion in 2020 (direct medical costs and Medicare spending)
02
Dialysis and CKD-related hospitalizations were responsible for 47% of all hospital discharges among Medicare beneficiaries with CKD in 2019 (Medicare claims analysis)
03
Erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) use among U.S. hemodialysis patients increased from 74.5% in 2010 to 78.3% in 2019 (share of patients receiving ESA)
Interpretation
Care Delivery & Costs Interpretation
From a care delivery and costs perspective, kidney disease placed a $125.8 billion burden on the US in 2020, with dialysis and CKD-related hospitalizations driving 47% of Medicare CKD discharges in 2019, while ESA use among hemodialysis patients edged up from 74.5% in 2010 to 78.3% in 2019.
08 · Category
Markets & Investment2 stats
01
The global dialysis market is expected to reach $118.7 billion by 2030 (forecast value)
02
The global market for renal denervation devices is projected to grow to $1.4 billion by 2030 (forecast value)
Interpretation
Markets & Investment Interpretation
From an investment perspective, kidney care is set for sustained growth with the global dialysis market forecast to reach $118.7 billion by 2030, alongside rising opportunity in renal denervation devices projected to hit $1.4 billion by 2030.
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
Gabrielle Fontaine. (2026, February 13). Kidney Disease Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/kidney-disease-statistics
MLA
Gabrielle Fontaine. "Kidney Disease Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/kidney-disease-statistics.
Chicago
Gabrielle Fontaine. 2026. "Kidney Disease Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/kidney-disease-statistics.
Sources & references
38 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+20 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)