The prevalence of chronic pain in the United States increases significantly with age, with the highest rates seen in older adults. According to the most recent CDC National Health Interview Survey data from 2023:
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Among adults age 18–29, about 12.3% report chronic pain.
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For those age 30–44, it rises to approximately 17% (exact 2023 data not quoted, but trends are consistent with prior years).
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Adults age 45–64 experience chronic pain at rates near 29%.
High-impact chronic pain, defined as pain that frequently limits life or work activities, also rises sharply with age—from 3.0% among 18–29-year-olds to 13.5% in adults 65 and over15.
To summarize, the age distribution of chronic pain patients in the U.S. in 2023 is as follows:
| Age Group | % with Chronic Pain |
|---|---|
| 18–29 | 12.3% |
| 30–44 | ~17% (est.) |
| 45–64 | 29% |
| 65+ | 36% |
These findings demonstrate that chronic pain is most prevalent among older adults, with nearly 1 in 3 Americans aged 65 and older experiencing the condition, compared to about 1 in 8 young adults1356.
Note: Specific breakdowns for the 30–44 age group in 2023 were not stated but can be inferred from consistent multi-year CDC trends6.
Caveat: Most statistics represent non-institutionalized adults, so rates among residents in nursing homes or assisted living may differ. The numbers above are based on self-reported pain experienced “most days” or “every day” in the past three months136.
- https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db518.htm
- https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7215a1.htm
- https://www.statista.com/statistics/1189525/chronic-pain-adults-prevalence-by-age-us/
- https://www.nccih.nih.gov/research/research-results/defining-the-prevalence-of-chronic-pain-in-the-united-states
- https://www.mcknights.com/news/one-in-3-older-americans-deal-live-with-chronic-pain-study-reports/
- https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db390.htm
- https://journals.lww.com/painrpts/fulltext/2022/08000/impact_of_demographic_factors_on_chronic_pain.1.aspx
- https://northlakespain.com/chronic-pain-statistics-in-the-united-states/
- https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2804995
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6146950/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10189566/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1526590010006012
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1526590018304802
- https://agsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jgs.19076
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1526590024005558
- https://hpi.georgetown.edu/backpain/
Filed under: General Problems
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