ADHD Data and Resources for States

What to know

  • This page shows ADHD prevalence and treatment estimates among children and adolescents in each U.S. state and Washington, D.C.
  • These data come from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)'s National Survey on Children's Health (NSCH) and rely on parent report of ADHD diagnosis by a healthcare provider.1
  • States can play an important role in treatment for children and adolescents with ADHD. They can monitor how health resources are utilized, implement ADHD treatment policies, and shape access to behavioral health services.
  • CDC promotes the use of effective treatments for children and adolescents with ADHD, and a vital part of this effort is providing states with resources to guide decision-making.
A young boy with his parents on the couch pointing at a tablet

State data on ADHD

State-based prevalence estimates1

More information on prevalence data

Parents reported whether a healthcare provider ever told them that their child had ADHD, and, if "Yes", whether their child currently had ADHD.

Data note

Differences between states may not necessarily be statistically significant.2

Learn more about which states have a statistically significantly lower or higher ADHD prevalence than the rest of the country.

Variation in ADHD Prevalence Estimates by State

State-based treatment estimates1

More information on treatment data

ADHD treatment estimates include children with current ADHD who received ADHD medication or ADHD behavior treatment, or both.

  • ADHD behavior treatment: Parents reported whether a healthcare provider ever told them that their child had ADHD, and if "Yes", whether their child currently had ADHD and reported whether their child had received behavior treatment for ADHD in the past 12 months.
  • ADHD medication: Parents reported whether a healthcare provider ever told them that their child had ADHD, and if "Yes", whether their child currently had ADHD and whether their child was currently taking medication for ADHD.

State policies on ADHD treatment

States can play an important role in treatment for children with ADHD. They can monitor how health resources are utilized, implement ADHD treatment policies, and shape access to behavioral health services.

CDC promotes the use of effective treatments for children with ADHD, and a vital part of this effort is providing states with resources to guide decision-making.

More information on ADHD medication

State Medicaid Policies
Medicaid policies to manage the use of ADHD medications in children vary by state.
Two parents helping their sons with homework
Treatment of ADHD
ADHD treatment recommendations vary by age group.

Additional resources and tools

Print
Content Source:
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities
  1. Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) - Maternal & Child Health Bureau (MCHB). National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH). Available at https://mchb.hrsa.gov/data-research/national-survey-childrens-health. Accessed on March 26, 2026.
  2. Danielson ML, Holbrook JR, Bitsko RH, et al. State-Level Estimates of the Prevalence of Parent-Reported ADHD Diagnosis and Treatment Among U.S. Children and Adolescents, 2016 to 2019. J Atten Disord. 2022;26(13):1685-1697.