Measures › Health outcomes › Arthritis
Health outcomes · BRFSS 2023
Arthritis among adults
US estimate 25.4% (95% interval 25.1–25.6), age-adjusted 21.9% (21.6–22.1). Published in the 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 releases.
- Population: All Adults
- Case definition period: Lifetime
- Prevalence (crude and age-adjusted)
Arthritis among adults: CDC's PLACES 2025 release estimates 25.4% nationally (95% confidence interval 25.1–25.6%), or 21.9% age-adjusted, from 2023 BRFSS responses.
Across the 2,956 counties with a 2025 estimate, the median county is 30.0% and the middle half of counties fall between 27.1% and 32.7%; the full range runs from 12.7% to 45.8%. Population-weighted state figures computed by this site (no interval) range from 17.4% (District of Columbia) to 37.7% (West Virginia).
CDC advises that areas may be compared on individual measures but that the estimates should not be used to rank overall health; the county lists below are ordered by point estimate and every row carries its 95% confidence interval.
CDC's definition
A multi-level regression and post-stratification approach was applied to BRFSS and ACS data to compute a detailed probability of having arthritis (reporting ‘yes’ to the question: “Have you ever been told by a doctor or other health professional that you have some form of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, or fibromyalgia?”) The probability was then applied to the detailed population estimates at the appropriate geographic level to generate the prevalence. The 95% confidence interval was derived using Monte Carlo simulation.
CDC's notes: Doctor-diagnosed arthritis is self-reported and is not confirmed by a health care provider or objective monitoring.
Quoted from CDC's PLACES measure definitions (cdc.gov/places/measure-definitions). BRFSS is the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, the telephone survey the model is trained on.
National distribution across counties
Crude county point estimates in the 2025 release, 24 equal bins. Deciles: 10th 23.6%, 25th 27.1%, median 30.0%, 75th 32.7%, 90th 35.2%. Counties without a 2025 estimate (Kentucky, Pennsylvania and the states without the social-needs module) are excluded here.
By state
Crude prevalence is the estimated share of all adults. Age-adjusted prevalence is standardised to the 2000 US standard population so that areas with different age structures can be compared. CDC: "Age-adjusted estimates are only available at the county and place-level."
| State | State figure, crude (site aggregate) | Lowest county | Highest county | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | 37.7% | 25.8% | 45.8% | 55 |
| Kentucky (2024 release) | 32.2% | 26.6% | 42.4% | 120* |
| Maine | 32.0% | 27.2% | 39.7% | 16 |
| Tennessee | 30.6% | 24.4% | 41.5% | 95 |
| Pennsylvania (2024 release) | 30.4% | 24.9% | 44.0% | 67* |
| Alabama | 30.3% | 25.0% | 39.2% | 67 |
| Mississippi | 29.9% | 22.1% | 37.6% | 82 |
| Ohio | 29.8% | 24.5% | 37.8% | 88 |
| Louisiana | 29.7% | 25.5% | 40.4% | 64 |
| Michigan | 29.1% | 22.1% | 41.5% | 83 |
| Missouri | 28.8% | 20.8% | 42.6% | 115 |
| Arkansas | 28.5% | 21.7% | 37.7% | 75 |
| South Carolina | 28.5% | 24.7% | 39.2% | 46 |
| Delaware | 28.4% | 25.5% | 34.2% | 3 |
| Montana | 28.4% | 21.5% | 40.4% | 56 |
| Indiana | 28.3% | 21.4% | 36.4% | 92 |
| Oklahoma | 27.8% | 21.4% | 37.2% | 77 |
| Vermont | 27.8% | 22.2% | 34.7% | 14 |
| New Hampshire | 27.6% | 25.8% | 33.8% | 10 |
| Oregon | 27.4% | 22.3% | 40.5% | 36 |
| Iowa | 27.0% | 18.9% | 33.6% | 99 |
| North Carolina | 26.9% | 19.7% | 37.9% | 100 |
| Florida | 26.6% | 20.6% | 41.5% | 67 |
| Idaho | 26.6% | 12.7% | 36.4% | 44 |
| Wisconsin | 26.6% | 19.5% | 35.5% | 72 |
| Virginia | 26.2% | 18.8% | 39.9% | 133 |
| Maryland | 25.8% | 21.4% | 35.4% | 24 |
| South Dakota | 25.8% | 18.3% | 34.8% | 66 |
| New Mexico | 25.6% | 21.7% | 38.8% | 33 |
| Kansas | 25.5% | 17.1% | 36.1% | 105 |
| Massachusetts | 25.4% | 19.2% | 35.4% | 14 |
| Rhode Island | 25.4% | 23.7% | 28.7% | 5 |
| Wyoming | 25.4% | 18.6% | 33.2% | 23 |
| North Dakota | 25.3% | 21.3% | 36.4% | 53 |
| Arizona | 25.2% | 21.8% | 39.0% | 15 |
| Nevada | 24.8% | 23.9% | 37.1% | 17 |
| Connecticut | 24.7% | 21.5% | 29.3% | 9 |
| Georgia | 24.6% | 13.9% | 39.0% | 159 |
| Washington | 24.4% | 18.4% | 39.2% | 39 |
| Illinois | 24.2% | 20.8% | 35.4% | 102 |
| Nebraska | 24.0% | 21.2% | 33.9% | 93 |
| New York | 24.0% | 20.3% | 34.6% | 62 |
| Alaska | 23.3% | 15.7% | 31.6% | 30 |
| Hawaii | 23.2% | 21.8% | 34.8% | 5 |
| Colorado | 22.9% | 18.3% | 35.3% | 64 |
| Minnesota | 22.3% | 18.7% | 33.1% | 87 |
| New Jersey | 22.2% | 16.5% | 30.0% | 21 |
| Utah | 21.7% | 17.1% | 35.1% | 29 |
| Texas | 21.6% | 17.6% | 38.6% | 253 |
| California | 20.8% | 16.6% | 35.2% | 58 |
| District of Columbia | 17.4% | 17.4% | 17.4% | 1 |
| State | State figure, age-adjusted (site aggregate) | Counties |
|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | 31.8% | 55 |
| Kentucky (2024 release) | 28.5% | 120* |
| Tennessee | 27.3% | 95 |
| Pennsylvania (2024 release) | 26.9% | 67* |
| Alabama | 26.6% | 67 |
| Louisiana | 26.5% | 64 |
| Mississippi | 26.5% | 82 |
| Maine | 25.8% | 16 |
| Ohio | 25.8% | 88 |
| Oklahoma | 25.4% | 77 |
| Indiana | 25.3% | 92 |
| Missouri | 25.2% | 115 |
| Arkansas | 25.1% | 75 |
| Michigan | 25.1% | 83 |
| South Carolina | 24.4% | 46 |
| Montana | 24.2% | 56 |
| Idaho | 23.9% | 44 |
| North Carolina | 23.8% | 100 |
| Oregon | 23.7% | 36 |
| Iowa | 23.5% | 99 |
| North Dakota | 23.4% | 53 |
| Virginia | 23.4% | 133 |
| Delaware | 23.3% | 3 |
| Vermont | 22.9% | 14 |
| Kansas | 22.8% | 105 |
| New Hampshire | 22.8% | 10 |
| Wisconsin | 22.7% | 72 |
| Georgia | 22.6% | 159 |
| Maryland | 22.6% | 24 |
| South Dakota | 22.5% | 66 |
| Utah | 22.5% | 29 |
| Alaska | 22.3% | 30 |
| Massachusetts | 22.2% | 14 |
| New Mexico | 22.0% | 33 |
| Nevada | 22.0% | 17 |
| Rhode Island | 22.0% | 5 |
| Washington | 22.0% | 39 |
| Arizona | 21.8% | 15 |
| Wyoming | 21.8% | 23 |
| Florida | 21.5% | 67 |
| Colorado | 21.4% | 64 |
| Nebraska | 21.4% | 93 |
| Illinois | 21.3% | 102 |
| Connecticut | 21.2% | 9 |
| New York | 20.8% | 62 |
| Texas | 20.8% | 253 |
| Hawaii | 19.4% | 5 |
| Minnesota | 19.3% | 87 |
| California | 19.0% | 58 |
| New Jersey | 19.0% | 21 |
| District of Columbia | 18.7% | 1 |
State figures are population-weighted county estimates computed by this site (PLACES publishes no state row) and carry no interval; they are listed by point estimate, which is not a ranking of states' health. Lowest and highest county columns are crude point estimates. * This measure was not published for the state in the 2025 release; its figure, county count and county range come from the release in brackets, the most recent that has them.
Highest county estimates
| County | Crude | 95% interval |
|---|---|---|
| Calhoun County, WV | 45.8% | 41.7–50.0 |
| Webster County, WV | 44.8% | 40.7–48.9 |
| Summers County, WV | 43.5% | 39.5–47.5 |
| Pocahontas County, WV | 43.2% | 39.7–46.9 |
| Roane County, WV | 43.0% | 38.9–47.0 |
| Mingo County, WV | 42.8% | 39.0–46.6 |
| Pendleton County, WV | 42.7% | 38.5–46.8 |
| Hickory County, MO | 42.6% | 38.4–46.8 |
| Monroe County, WV | 42.6% | 38.6–46.8 |
| Tucker County, WV | 42.4% | 38.5–46.5 |
| Clay County, WV | 42.3% | 38.2–46.1 |
| Ritchie County, WV | 42.3% | 38.3–46.3 |
| Wyoming County, WV | 42.3% | 38.5–46.3 |
| McDowell County, WV | 42.2% | 38.4–46.0 |
| Wirt County, WV | 41.9% | 37.7–46.0 |
| Lincoln County, WV | 41.8% | 38.0–45.7 |
| Logan County, WV | 41.8% | 37.9–45.9 |
| Mercer County, WV | 41.7% | 37.9–45.3 |
| Tyler County, WV | 41.7% | 37.9–45.7 |
| Greenbrier County, WV | 41.6% | 37.7–45.6 |
| County | Age-adj. | 95% interval |
|---|---|---|
| Calhoun County, WV | 35.1% | 31.3–38.9 |
| McDowell County, WV | 35.1% | 31.5–38.8 |
| Mingo County, WV | 35.0% | 31.6–38.6 |
| Mercer County, WV | 34.6% | 31.0–38.0 |
| Logan County, WV | 34.5% | 31.0–38.2 |
| Webster County, WV | 34.5% | 30.8–38.4 |
| Lincoln County, WV | 34.4% | 31.1–38.0 |
| Wyoming County, WV | 34.3% | 30.7–38.1 |
| Roane County, WV | 34.1% | 30.4–37.9 |
| Clay County, WV | 33.9% | 30.3–37.6 |
| Summers County, WV | 33.8% | 30.2–37.5 |
| Cabell County, WV | 33.5% | 30.1–36.8 |
| Ritchie County, WV | 33.4% | 29.8–37.1 |
| Boone County, WV | 33.2% | 29.6–37.0 |
| Hancock County, TN | 33.1% | 29.5–36.8 |
| Monroe County, WV | 33.1% | 29.4–36.9 |
| Wayne County, WV | 33.0% | 29.5–36.6 |
| Braxton County, WV | 32.9% | 29.3–36.6 |
| Barbour County, WV | 32.8% | 29.2–36.4 |
| Greenbrier County, WV | 32.8% | 29.3–36.3 |
Lowest county estimates
| County | Crude | 95% interval |
|---|---|---|
| Madison County, ID | 12.7% | 11.1–14.5 |
| Chattahoochee County, GA | 13.9% | 12.1–15.9 |
| Aleutians West Census Area, AK | 15.7% | 13.4–18.1 |
| Hudson County, NJ | 16.5% | 14.6–18.6 |
| Santa Clara County, CA | 16.6% | 14.7–18.6 |
| Utah County, UT | 17.1% | 15.5–18.9 |
| Riley County, KS | 17.1% | 15.1–19.1 |
| Aleutians East Borough, AK | 17.2% | 14.7–19.8 |
| District of Columbia, DC | 17.4% | 15.0–19.9 |
| Travis County, TX | 17.6% | 15.8–19.5 |
| Brazos County, TX | 17.6% | 15.4–20.0 |
| San Francisco County, CA | 17.6% | 15.4–20.1 |
| Hudspeth County, TX | 18.0% | 16.7–19.3 |
| Clay County, SD | 18.3% | 15.9–20.7 |
| Denver County, CO | 18.3% | 16.4–20.3 |
| Whitman County, WA | 18.4% | 16.6–20.3 |
| Albany County, WY | 18.6% | 16.5–21.0 |
| Hennepin County, MN | 18.7% | 17.1–20.3 |
| Lexington city, VA | 18.8% | 16.6–21.3 |
| Webb County, TX | 18.8% | 16.2–21.4 |
| County | Age-adj. | 95% interval |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara County, CA | 15.5% | 13.7–17.4 |
| San Francisco County, CA | 16.1% | 14.0–18.3 |
| Bergen County, NJ | 16.8% | 15.0–18.8 |
| Orange County, CA | 16.8% | 15.0–18.7 |
| Hudson County, NJ | 16.9% | 15.0–19.1 |
| Hennepin County, MN | 17.1% | 15.7–18.6 |
| San Mateo County, CA | 17.1% | 15.0–19.4 |
| Union County, NJ | 17.2% | 15.2–19.3 |
| Queens County, NY | 17.4% | 15.7–19.1 |
| Morris County, NJ | 17.6% | 15.5–19.8 |
| Alameda County, CA | 17.6% | 15.5–19.6 |
| Somerset County, NJ | 17.7% | 15.9–19.7 |
| Aleutians West Census Area, AK | 17.7% | 15.3–20.2 |
| Mercer County, NJ | 18.0% | 16.0–20.1 |
| Miami-Dade County, FL | 18.0% | 15.8–20.3 |
| Ventura County, CA | 18.0% | 15.9–20.4 |
| Washington County, MN | 18.1% | 16.2–20.2 |
| Montgomery County, MD | 18.1% | 16.5–19.8 |
| Carver County, MN | 18.2% | 15.9–20.7 |
| Fort Bend County, TX | 18.3% | 16.0–20.7 |
Twenty counties at each end by point estimate. Small counties have wide intervals; many of these intervals overlap one another, so the order within each list is not a meaningful ranking. CDC: "the data should not be used for ranking the overall health of any county, place, census tract, or ZCTA."
National estimate by release
| Release | Crude | Age-adjusted | BRFSS year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 release | 24.2% 23.9–24.5 | 21.3% | 2020 |
| 2023 release | 25.2% 24.9–25.5 | 22.2% | 2021 |
| 2024 release | 26.6% 26.4–26.9 | 23.3% | 2022 |
| 2025 release | 25.4% 25.1–25.6 | 21.9% | 2023 |
CDC's US row from each release's county file, for reference. Survey questions and modelling details change between releases; see the release pages.
Questions and answers
How does PLACES define "arthritis among adults"?
A multi-level regression and post-stratification approach was applied to BRFSS and ACS data to compute a detailed probability of having arthritis (reporting ‘yes’ to the question: “Have you ever been told by a doctor or other health professional that you have some form of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, or fibromyalgia?”) The probability was then applied to the detailed population estimates at the appropriate geographic level to generate the prevalence. The 95% confidence interval was derived using Monte Carlo simulation. Population: All Adults. Time period of case definition: Lifetime.
What is the national estimate for arthritis?
25.4% (95% confidence interval 25.1–25.6%) crude and 21.9% age-adjusted in the 2025 release.
Which counties have the highest and lowest estimates?
The highest county point estimate is 45.8% (Calhoun County, WV) and the lowest 12.7% (Madison County, ID). Because the intervals for neighbouring positions usually overlap, the lists are a reference for point estimates, not a ranking.
Is a higher figure better or worse?
This site does not grade measures. CDC groups them as health outcomes, prevention, health risk behaviors, disability, health status and health-related social needs; for prevention measures such as checkups and screening a higher share reports the service, for the others a higher share reports the condition or circumstance.
Where does this data come from?
CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release (data updated 4 Dec 2025); the definition text is CDC's own from its measure definitions pages.
Provenance
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release (data updated 4 Dec 2025), with the 2022, 2023, 2024 releases for reference; US government work, public domain. Dataset on data.cdc.gov. Boundaries and ZIP-to-county relationships: US Census Bureau. Percentages are shown to one decimal as CDC publishes them; state figures are population-weighted means computed by this site. Definition text is CDC's own, from the PLACES measure definitions pages (public domain), with its burden narrative and references omitted. Processing errors are corrected at the next daily build; see corrections. Generated 30 Sep 2026.