May 21, 2024

Fast Facts: HIV in the US by Race and Ethnicity

While HIV affects all races and ethnicities in the United States, some groups are disproportionately affected compared to their population size. Black/African American people and Hispanic/Latino people are particularly affected by HIV, making up more than half (70%) of estimated new HIV infections in 2022. Get the latest data on HIV by race and ethnicity.

Fast facts

HIV affects some groups more than others. Social and structural issues—such as HIV stigma, homophobia, discrimination, poverty, and limited access to high-quality health care—influence health outcomes and continue to drive inequities.

HIV incidence

HIV incidence refers to the estimated number of new HIV infections in a given year.

There were 31,800 estimated new HIV infections in the US in 2022. The Ending the HIV Epidemic overall goal is to decrease the estimated number of new HIV infections to 9,300 by 2025 and 3,000 by 2030. — Estimated new HIV infections in the US.

Chart comparing estimated HIV infections by race and ethnicity. Black/African American people account for 37% of estimated new HIV infections, even though they make up 12% of the US population. Among American Indian/Alaska Native people, there were 200 estimated new HIV infections in 2022; among Asian people, there were 380; among Black/African American people, there were 11,900; among Hispanic/Latino people, there were 10,500; among White people, there were 7,600; among multiracial people, there were 1,200. — Estimated HIV infections in the US by race and ethnicity.

HIV diagnoses

HIV diagnoses refers to the number of people who received an HIV diagnosis during a given year.

In 2022, 37,981 people received an HIV diagnosis in the US and 6 territories and freely associated states. The Ending the HIV Epidemic overall goal is to decrease the number of new HIV diagnoses to 9,588 by 2025 and 3,000 by 2030. — HIV diagnoses in the US and 6 territories and freely associated states.

Chart comparing new HIV diagnoses in the US and 6 territories and freely associated states by race and ethnicity. Racism, HIV stigma, discrimination, homophobia, poverty, and other barriers to health care continue to drive disparities in HIV diagnoses. In 2022, 38% (14,553) of all HIV diagnoses were among Black/African American people; 32% (12,167) were among Hispanic/Latino people; 24% (9,112) were among white people; 3% (1,056) were among multiracial people; 2% (795) were among Asian people; 1% (215) were among American Indian/Alaska Native people; and less than 1% (83) were among Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander people. — HIV diagnoses by race and ethnicity.

Chart comparing new HIV diagnoses in the US and 6 territories and freely associated states by race and ethnicity and sex. In 2022, 36% (11,029) of all new HIV diagnoses among men were among Black/African American men; 35% (10,725) were among Hispanic/Latino men; 24% (7,433) were among white men; 3% (828) were among multiracial men; 2% (691) were among Asian men; 1% (158) were among American Indian/Alaska Native men; and less than 1% (71) were among Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander men. Among women, 50% (3,524) of all new HIV diagnoses were among Black/African American women; 24% (1,679) were among white women; 20% (1,442) were among Hispanic/Latina women; 3% (228) were among multiracial women; 1% (104) were among Asian women; 1% (57) were among American Indian/Alaska Native women; and less than 1% (12) were among Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander women. — HIV diagnoses among men and women by race and ethnicity.

From 2018 to 2022, HIV diagnoses remained stable overall in the US and 6 territories and freely associated states. But trends varied for different racial and ethnic groups.

Chart showing trends in HIV diagnoses by race and ethnicity. From 2018 to 2022, HIV diagnoses increased 30% among American Indian/Alaska Native people; decreased 6% among Asian people; decreased 5% among Black/African American people; increased 17% among Hispanic/Latino people; increased 51% among Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander people; remained stable among white people; and decreased by 31% among multiracial people. — Trends in HIV diagnoses from 2018 to 2022 by race and ethnicity.

Knowledge of status

Knowledge of status refers to the estimated percentage of people with HIV who have received an HIV diagnosis.

In 2022, an estimated 1.2 million people in the US had HIV. For every 100 people with HIV 87 knew their HIV status. The overall Ending the HIV Epidemic goal is to increase the estimated percentage of people with HIV who have received an HIV diagnosis to at least 95% by 2025 and remain at 95% by 2030. — Learn more about knowledge of HIV status among people with HIV in the US.

For every 100 American Indian/Alaska Native people with HIV 77 knew their HIV status. For every 100 Asian people with HIV 93 knew their HIV status. For every 100 Black/African American people with HIV 88 knew their HIV status. For every 100 Hispanic/Latino people with HIV 84 knew their HIV status. For every 100 Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander people with HIV 80 knew their HIV status. For every 100 White people with HIV 89 knew their HIV status. For every 100 Multiracial people with HIV 89 knew their HIV status. — Learn more about racial and ethnic differences in knowledge of HIV status.

Behaviors associated with HIV transmission

The chances of getting or transmitting HIV varies widely depending on the type of exposure or behavior. Most commonly, people get or transmit HIV through anal or vaginal sex, or sharing needles, syringes, or other drug injection equipment—for example, cookers.

Getting and keeping an undetectable viral load is the best way for people with HIV to stay healthy and protect others. In 2020, 7% of Black/African American people, 8% of Hispanic/Latino people, and 9% of white people with HIV had sex without using any HIV prevention strategy in the last 12 months. — Sexual behaviors among people with diagnosed HIV by race and ethnicity.

One-third (33%) of PWID without HIV used a syringe after someone else used it and more than half (60%) of PWID without HIC used any injection equipment after someone else used it in the past month. 29% of American Indian/Alaska Native PWID, 32% of Asian PWID, 23% of Black/African American PWID, 30% of Hispanic/Latino PWID, 14% of Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander PWID, 42% of white PWID, and 33% of multiracial PWID used a syringe after someone else used it in the past 12 months. 61% of American Indian/Alaska Native PWID, 54% of Asian PWID, 50% of Black/African American PWID, 58% of Hispanic/Latino PWID, 36% of Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander PWID, 68% of white PWID, and 64% of multiracial PWID used any injection equipment after someone else used it in the past 12 months. — Injection behaviors among PWID without HIV by race and ethnicity.

PrEP coverage

CDC has paused PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) coverage reporting to determine the best methodology for calculating PrEP coverage, and to update PrEP coverage estimates using updated methods and sources. Due to a formula error that affects a subset of race and ethnicity data, all race and ethnicity data have been removed from this site. CDC plans to resume PrEP coverage reporting in the next HIV Monitoring Report for all demographic groups, currently scheduled for publication in June 2025. Until updated PrEP coverage estimates are published, CDC advises against citing specific PrEP coverage data points, as historical estimates will be updated.

Keep Reading: Monitoring Selected National HIV Prevention and Care Objectives by Using HIV Surveillance Data United States and 6 Territories and Freely Associated States, 2022

Viral suppression and barriers to care

Viral suppression refers to the percentage of people with diagnosed HIV who have less than 200 copies of HIV per milliliter of blood.

More than half of people with diagnosed HIV are virally suppressed. For every 100 people overall with diagnosed HIV, 76 received some care, 54 were retained in care, and 65 were virally suppressed. The overall Ending the HIV Epidemic goal is to increase the percentage of people with diagnosed HIV who are virally suppressed to at least 95% by 2025 and remain at 95% by 2030. — Learn more about HIV care among people with diagnosed HIV.

For every 100 American Indian/Alaska Native people with diagnosed HIV, 76 received some HIV care, 54 were retained in care, and 65 were virally suppressed. For every 100 Asian people with diagnosed HIV, 75 received some HIV care, 54 were retained in care, and 70 were virally suppressed. For every 100 Black/African American people with diagnosed HIV, 74 received some HIV care, 52 were retained in care, and 61 were virally suppressed. For every 100 Hispanic/Latino‡ people with diagnosed HIV, 73 received some HIV care, 55 were retained in care, and 64 were virally suppressed. For every 100 Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander people with diagnosed HIV, 74 received some HIV care, 49 were retained in care, and 64 were virally suppressed. For every 100 White people with diagnosed HIV, 79 received some HIV care, 55 were retained in care, and 71 were virally suppressed. For every 100 multiracial people with diagnosed HIV, 85 received some HIV care, 61 were retained in care, and 72 were virally suppressed. — Learn more about HIV care among people with diagnosed HIV by race and ethnicity.

Many people with HIV experience challenges with achieving and maintaining viral suppression over time. Some of these challenges include missing HIV medical appointments, needing but not receiving other important health care services, or missing doses of HIV treatment.