Autism Prevalence Rates
Updated 4/25/2025
According to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the national rate of children identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder is 1 in 31 children. This statistic is based on their evaluation of health and educational records of 8-year-old children in 2022 in 11 states, including New Jersey. New Jersey has one of the highest rates of autism in the nation: 1 in 29 children, or 3.5% of 8-year-old children.
Prevalence in 8-year-old children
About the rates
Autism prevalence in the U.S. has continued to increase without interruption since 2000, when it was .6% .
- Nationally, the prevalence of autism is 1 in 31 (3.2%).
- Here in New Jersey, it is 1 in 29 (3.5%)
About the CDC study
Since the study began more than 20 years ago, the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network has been reviewing records of 8 year olds in New Jersey and across the country and issuing biennial reports on their prevalence findings. The 2025 prevalence report is from records reviewed in 2022.
In 2014, some of the states, including New Jersey, began studying 4-year-old children. The findings on 4 year olds offer a snapshot at an earlier point in time and, therefore, provide a means to monitor progress toward key initiatives such as ages of screening, evaluation, and diagnosis. The rates for 4-year-old children are currently 1 in 34 nationally and 1 in 27 in New Jersey.
Key take-away messages
In its analysis, the CDC offers the following observations.
- Autism continues to be more likely in boys than girls. The current report states that it is 3.4 times more likely.
- Approximately 40% of those with autism also have an intellectual disability. The occurrence of intellectual disability is similar in boys and girls, but racial differences exist. Black children had the highest proportion of co-occurrent intellectual disability (53%) while multiracial and white children had the lowest (31% and 33%, respectively).
- There continue to be racial and socioeconomic differences in the prevalence of autism. The 2023 study was the first to report lower rates of autism among white children than other racial groups and this year’s report continues that trend.
- At 11 of the 16 study sites, there was no association between prevalence and median household income. At five sites, including New Jersey, however, the report found a higher prevalence of autism in lower income neighborhoods.
Dive deeper into the CDC’s data
Community Reports: Easy to understand summaries of the study and its data
A Snapshot of Autism Spectrum Disorder in New Jersey
Scientific Report: For the full peer-reviewed report and data
MMWR Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network Report (April, 2025)
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) (March 24, 2023)
Additional Analysis
In January 2023, a Rutgers study explored prevalence data over time, specifically looking at autism spectrum disorder with and without Intellectual Disability (ID) and delays in diagnosis among certain groups. See coverage of their study.
