A Gallup poll finds that more than 18% of U.S. adults currently report having or being treated for depression — a level that has remained historically high since 2024. That share equates to about 47.8 million Americans in 2025, roughly an eight-point rise since 2015, and highlights growing mental health burdens concentrated among young adults and lower-income households.
Survey details
Gallup’s National Health and Well-Being Index surveyed more than 11,000 adults age 18 and older across all 50 states and the District of Columbia in early to mid-2025, using representative sampling. Respondents were asked both whether a health professional had ever diagnosed them with depression and whether they currently have depression or are being treated for it.
Who is most affected
– Young adults: The increase has been steepest among people under 30. Reported depression in this group more than doubled since 2017, rising from 13.0% to 26.7% in 2025. The rate climbed from 24.6% in 2023 to 26.7% in 2025, showing persistent and growing challenges for this cohort.
– Lower-income households: Adults in households with annual incomes under $24,000 saw rates rise from 22.1% in 2017 to 35.1% in 2025 — a 13-point increase over eight years and a 9-point jump since 2023.
Gallup analysts say part of the trend among younger adults reflects higher baseline rates entering early adulthood, combined with rising depression among older adults over the same period, which creates an additive effect across younger cohorts.
Loneliness and its link to depression
The poll also highlights loneliness as a major factor. Among people who reported feeling lonely “a lot of the day” on the previous day, one-third were currently experiencing depression, compared with 13% among those not reporting loneliness. After falling from pandemic-era highs, the share of adults experiencing daily significant loneliness rose to 21% in late 2024 and early 2025 — the highest level since March 2021. Nearly three in ten adults aged 18–29 (29%) report significant daily loneliness, higher than other age groups; adults 65 and older remained steady at about 15%.
Lifetime diagnoses and persistence
The share of U.S. adults who have ever been diagnosed with depression stands at 28.5%, just under the 29% record seen in early 2023. The gap between lifetime diagnoses and current treatment suggests many people receive a diagnosis and continue to experience ongoing or recurrent symptoms, underscoring how widespread and persistent depression can be.
Expert perspectives
Robert Bell, LPC, LAC, founder of Intrepid Insights, points to multiple drivers: rising stressors for young adults such as student debt, social media pressures, economic uncertainty, and disrupted career and relationship pathways; financial strain that keeps the nervous system in prolonged stress; and widespread feelings of disconnection despite digital connectivity. He also notes that cultural ties between identity and productivity in the U.S. can deepen shame when depression affects work or school performance.
Seeking help and treatment options
Iman Hypolite, MD, CEO and Principal Psychiatrist at Aspira Health and Wellness Consulting, urges anyone with depressive symptoms to seek help promptly. Primary care physicians are a practical starting point for referrals. Effective treatments include psychotherapy, medications, and evidence-based supplements. Lifestyle measures — improving sleep and nutrition, increasing social connection, getting more sunlight and exercise, simplifying demands, reducing media exposure, and setting healthier boundaries — can also help.
Hypolite stresses early intervention: appointments can take weeks, and delaying care increases risks, including suicide, deeper isolation, lost productivity, and worsening financial strain. She emphasizes that depression is not a personal failing but a signal that support and recalibration are needed.