A recent Gallup poll indicates that depression rates in the United States remain near historic highs, with women, young adults, and low-income individuals reporting the highest prevalence of symptoms.
The survey, conducted between May 27 and June 4 and sampling over 5,400 adults, found that 18.3% of respondents currently have or are being treated for depression. This figure is only slightly lower than the record-high of 18.9% reported in 2024. In comparison, just 10.5% of Americans said they were depressed in Gallup’s first such survey in 2015. The percentage has steadily increased over the past decade.
Gallup also reported that the proportion of U.S. adults who have ever been diagnosed with depression now stands at 28.5%, just below a record set in early 2023.
Certain groups appear to be more affected than others. Among those aged 18-29, more than one-quarter (26.7%) reported having or being treated for depression, while only 11.5% of those aged 65 and older said the same. Women were nearly twice as likely as men to report depression—23.4% compared to 12.7%. Additionally, people living in households earning less than $24,000 annually had a rate of depression nearly three times higher (35.1%) than those with household incomes above $120,000 (12.8%).
Loneliness is also on the rise after declining following pandemic-era peaks. In this most recent poll, about one in five adults (21%) said they felt lonely “a lot of the day yesterday.” This rate peaked at 25% during COVID-19 lockdowns before falling back and then increasing again by late last year.
Young adults were most likely to experience loneliness; among respondents aged 18-29 years old, 29% reported daily loneliness compared to just 15% among seniors aged 65 or older. Men and women reported similar rates of loneliness at about one-fifth each.
Previous Gallup findings suggest a strong link between loneliness and depression: about one-third of those who feel lonely also report suffering from depression.
Gallup stated: “The sustained rise in depression diagnoses — especially among young and lower-income adults — likely reflects a confluence of forces.”
According to Gallup, reduced stigma around mental health may have contributed to an increase in diagnoses as more people seek treatment or report their symptoms openly.
Other factors may be contributing as well—including growing economic pressures on vulnerable populations and widespread psychological stressors across society.
Recent polls highlight economic strain as a possible contributor to these trends; for example, a September YouGov survey found that over one-third of Americans would struggle to pay an unexpected $100 expense—with younger people particularly affected (https://today.yougov.com/politics/articles/48333-economic-hardship-americans-poll). In another survey conducted by Northwestern Mutual in July, nearly seven out of ten respondents cited financial uncertainty as causing feelings of anxiety or depression—an increase from previous years (https://news.northwesternmutual.com/2024-07-10-Financial-Uncertainty-Rising-for-Americans-Northwestern-Mutuals-2024-Planning-and-Progress-Study-Reveals).
Social media use may also play a role; research published in Depression and Anxiety found significant associations between social media use among young people and increased risk for depression (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/da.22466).
Gallup concludes that multiple factors are driving elevated rates of both depression and loneliness nationwide.
