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Explore what researchers studied, what they found, why it matters, and what remains uncertain. Single studies do not automatically change clinical care.
Based on CDC · Nature Genetics (2025) · Translational Psychiatry (2026) · Nature (2026) · SPARK · NIH news release and 1 more · All sources · Checked November 3, 2026. Photos are placeholders.
Surveillance years 2000–2022. Combined prevalence per 1,000 eight-year-olds across CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network sites. The number of sites changed between years (6 to 16), and so did geographic coverage and methods — these changes matter when reading the trend. These figures come from monitored communities; they are not a count of all U.S. children and do not explain causes. Source: CDC, Data and Statistics on Autism Spectrum Disorder (page updated April 15, 2025).
| Surveillance year | Sites | Per 1,000 | About |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 16 | 32.2 | 1 in 31 |
| 2020 | 11 | 27.6 | 1 in 36 |
| 2018 | 11 | 23.0 | 1 in 44 |
| 2016 | 11 | 18.5 | 1 in 54 |
| 2014 | 11 | 16.8 | 1 in 59 |
| 2012 | 11 | 14.5 | 1 in 69 |
| 2010 | 11 | 14.7 | 1 in 68 |
| 2008 | 14 | 11.3 | 1 in 88 |
| 2006 | 11 | 9.0 | 1 in 110 |
| 2004 | 8 | 8.0 | 1 in 125 |
| 2002 | 14 | 6.6 | 1 in 150 |
| 2000 | 6 | 6.7 | 1 in 150 |
In CDC’s 2022 surveillance data, about 1 in 31 eight-year-old children (32.2 per 1,000) in 16 monitored communities had been identified with autism. Identification varied across sites, from 9.7 to 53.1 per 1,000.
July 9, 2025 · Nature Genetics
Researchers analyzed clinical and developmental characteristics alongside genetic information and identified four research-derived groups. These are not four new official diagnoses or a test assigning every autistic person to a fixed type.
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July 2026 · Translational Psychiatry
A review discusses data-driven subtyping and questions about stability over time and usefulness for predicting outcomes. Research categories need further validation before clinical use.
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January 29, 2026 · Nature
Researchers used human cortical organoid models to examine genetically defined autism and developmental pathways. Laboratory models represent selected aspects of biology; this work is not a clinical diagnostic test or established treatment.
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Source updated July 2026 · SPARK
SPARK combines genetic and participant-reported information and has transitioned to whole-genome sequencing. Participation does not guarantee an individual explanation or immediate benefit. Review consent and privacy information.
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2022 surveillance data · CDC ADDM Network
CDC reports about 1 in 31 eight-year-old children identified with autism across 16 monitored U.S. communities. This is not a count of every autistic person nationwide and does not establish the causes of changes in prevalence.
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September 22, 2025 · NIH
NIH announced more than $50 million for 13 projects using large-scale data to study autism-related questions. A funding announcement describes planned research, not completed evidence of a new cause.
Read the original sourceSource: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The original information is available free at CDC.gov. Use of CDC material does not imply endorsement of Autism Family, its services, or products by CDC, HHS, or the U.S. Government.
This website provides general educational information. It does not diagnose autism or replace individualized medical, developmental, psychological, or educational advice. Screening is not diagnosis.
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