Autism Facts and Statistics

  • 1 in 54 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder according to estimates from CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network.

  • ASD is reported to occur in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups.

  • ASD is about 4.5 times more common among boys than among girls.

  • Studies in Asia, Europe, and North America have identified individuals with ASD with an average prevalence of between 1% and 2%.

  • Autism greatly varies from person to person (no two people with autism are alike)

  • The rate of autism has steadily grown over the last twenty years

  • Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disorder, yet most underfunded

  • Parents who have a child with ASD have a 2%–18% chance of having a second child who is also affected (CDC 2015).

  • It is estimated to cost at least $17,000 $21,000 more per year to care for a child with ASD compared to a child without ASD. Costs include health care, education, ASD-related therapy, family-coordinated services, and caregiver time (CDC 2015). Cost of lifelong care can be reduced by 2/3 with early diagnosis and intervention.