Depression reaches near historic levels in US, poll shows. Who is most affected?

A near-record-high share of Americans say they are depressed, with women, the young and low-income people being the most affected, according to a new Gallup poll.

At the same time, reports of daily loneliness have ticked up, following a sharp post-pandemic decrease.

These results are likely driven by multiple factors, from mounting economic and psychological stressors to a decline in stigma surrounding mental health treatment, Gallup noted.

The quarterly survey — conducted May 27 to June 4 — sampled 5,426 U.S. adults and has a margin of error of about 1.6 percentage points.

Near-record-high depression rate

In the poll, 18.3% of respondents said they currently have or are being treated for depression. This is down just slightly from the record-high 18.9% who said the same in 2024.

By comparison, in Gallup’s initial 2015 survey, 10.5% of Americans said they were depressed. This figure rose to 12.5% in 2019 and 13.8% in 2020 before surging to 17.8% in 2023.

Additionally, the share of adults who say they’ve been diagnosed with depression at some point during their life now stands at 28.5% — just below the record-high 29% recorded in early 2023.

Young and low-income Americans, as well as women, were the most likely to say they struggle with depression.

More than one-quarter of 18-29-year-olds, 26.7%, said they have or are being treated for the mental health illness. Meanwhile, 11.5% of those 65 and older said the same.

Nearly twice as many women as men also said they have depression — 23.4% vs. 12.7%.

And 35.1% of those with a household income of less than $24,000 said they are depressed, while 12.8% of those in households earning more than $120,000 said the same.

Rising loneliness

Twenty-one percent of respondents also reported experiencing loneliness “a lot of the day yesterday.”

This figure reached a record high of 25% in 2020 and 2021, amidst the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in lockdowns and periods of self-isolation.

After 2021, loneliness trended downward for several years before ticking up again in 2024, rising to 21% by the last quarter that year.

In the latest survey, young people were the most likely to report feeling lonely, with 29% of 18-29-year-olds saying they experienced daily loneliness. By comparison, 15% of those 65 and older said the same.

Unlike with depression, men and women experienced the same rate of loneliness, 21%.

Previous Gallup research has found a strong connection between loneliness and depression, with one-third of those saying they experienced loneliness also reporting they suffered from depression.

Factors at play

“The sustained rise in depression diagnoses — especially among young and lower-income adults — likely reflects a confluence of forces,” Gallup noted.

For one, it’s possible that reduced stigma around seeking treatment for mental health issues has led to an increase in diagnoses.

Additionally, depression may also be linked to growing “structural and psychological stressors,” especially among the country’s most vulnerable populations.

Economic stress, specifically, appears to be widespread throughout the population, recent polls have shown.

Thirty-seven percent of respondents in a September YouGov survey said they would find it difficult or impossible to cover an unexpected $100 expense, with young people being the most likely to say so.

And, in a July survey from Northwestern Mutual, 69% of respondents said financial uncertainty has led them to feel depressed and anxious — an increase of 8 points from 2023.

Americans’ regular use of social media, too, may play a role in rising mental health issues. A 2016 study published in the journal Depression and Anxiety found social media use among young people is “significantly associated with increased depression.”

This story was originally published September 10, 2025 at 12:18 PM with the headline "Depression reaches near historic levels in US, poll shows. Who is most affected?."