Americans continue to report high rates of depression in latest survey

More than 47 million Americans suffer from depression, marking a rate above 18% since 2024, according to a recent Gallup poll.

Of 11,288 American adults surveyed online, 18.3% reported they currently struggle with depression or are receiving treatments for depression – an 8-point increase since 2015, the initial year of measuring depression rates.

Additionally, 28.5% of respondents report a depression diagnosis sometime in their lifetime, nearly matching the all-time high of 29%, reported in the first quarter of 2023.

In 2025, 26.7% of adults under the age of 30 report struggling with depression – up two percentage points since 2023 (24.6%) and double the depression rate of 2017 (13%).

In addition to the young-adult demographic, individuals in low-income households (less than $24,000/year) also report high levels of depression. In 2017, 22.1% of adults in low-income households reported suffering from depression. That rate increased to 26.1% in 2023 and 35.1% in 2025 – a 9-point jump in only two years.

Often, the categories “young adult” and “low-income household” coincide, increasing the likelihood of reported depression.

“Among young adults and lower-income adults alike, financial struggles beyond healthcare can serve as a trigger for the development of depression,” the report claims. “Food insecurity, student debt, and housing insecurity (including rent burden, eviction risk, or unstable housing amid a housing market that is prohibitively expensive for many to enter) can all be contributing factors.”

The study also examined the rate of reported loneliness. A previous 2023 Gallup study implied a strong link between depression and loneliness, with one-third of those reporting loneliness also reporting depression.

“The current upward drift in loneliness coincides with, and may be reinforcing, the continued rise in depression treatment among American adults, suggesting that social disconnection and the behaviors associated with it remains an enduring and evolving challenge in post-pandemic life,” the newest report says.

The rate of loneliness increased in 2025 from the previous post-pandemic decline in 2022 and 2023. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, one quarter of adults reported experiencing “significant loneliness a lot of the day yesterday.” In 2022 and 2023, that rate dropped to between 17-18% but has now increased to 21%.

Of 18- to 29-year-olds, nearly 3 in 10 (29%) experience “significant daily loneliness” – more than any other age group, like depression rates.

Recent research demonstrates the relationship of loneliness to social media use, especially when used to facilitate relationships.

“Social media, among those who use it for building or maintaining relationships … can exacerbate unhealthy social comparisons or expose users to damaging psychological outcomes such as body image issues, bullying, or lifestyle envy that can be harmful to mental health,” Gallup reports.

Notably, young adults may be more “open and honest” or more likely to report mental health struggles than other age demographics, according to the report. The increase in diagnosed depression and loneliness may also be a symptom of an increase in studying these categories. Seventy percent of Americans prefer their doctor ask about both physical and mental health concerns, according to a 2024 Gallup report.

These statistics not only reveal a societal shift but also pose economic ramifications. Gallup research suggests depression among workers creates a $23 billion loss in productivity annually, due to unplanned absences. More broadly, mental health struggles result in a $48 billion loss annually.