Cognitive disability among adults

US estimate 13.7% (95% interval 13.4–13.9), age-adjusted 14.1% (13.8–14.3). Published in the 2023, 2024, 2025 releases.

Population: All Adults
Case definition period: Lifetime
Prevalence (crude and age-adjusted)

15.5%median county, 2025middle half 13.6%–17.6%

2,956counties with a 2025 estimaterange 9.1%–28.2%

Cognitive disability among adults: CDC's PLACES 2025 release estimates 13.7% nationally (95% confidence interval 13.4–13.9%), or 14.1% age-adjusted, from 2023 BRFSS responses.

Across the 2,956 counties with a 2025 estimate, the median county is 15.5% and the middle half of counties fall between 13.6% and 17.6%; the full range runs from 9.1% to 28.2%. Population-weighted state figures computed by this site (no interval) range from 11.5% (New Jersey) to 18.6% (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, post-stratification approach was applied to BRFSS and ACS data to compute a detailed probability of having a cognitive disability (reporting ‘yes’ to the question: “Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, do you have serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions?”). 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.

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

9.1%18.7%28.2%

Crude county point estimates in the 2025 release, 24 equal bins. Deciles: 10th 12.3%, 25th 13.6%, median 15.5%, 75th 17.6%, 90th 19.4%. 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	18.6%	15.5%	24.2%	55
Louisiana	18.4%	15.5%	26.3%	64
Arkansas	18.2%	14.9%	22.8%	75
Mississippi	17.5%	13.4%	22.8%	82
Tennessee	17.4%	11.8%	25.3%	95
Kentucky (2024 release)	17.3%	12.1%	25.9%	120*
Oklahoma	17.3%	14.5%	22.3%	77
Missouri	17.2%	14.1%	23.4%	115
Alabama	16.1%	12.3%	22.3%	67
Idaho	16.0%	12.9%	23.1%	44
Nevada	15.7%	12.5%	19.0%	17
Maine	15.5%	13.4%	18.1%	16
New Mexico	15.5%	9.2%	23.6%	33
Utah	15.2%	11.4%	21.0%	29
Texas	15.1%	11.1%	23.1%	253
Indiana	15.0%	10.4%	19.0%	92
North Carolina	14.8%	11.9%	21.3%	100
California	14.6%	10.6%	19.6%	58
Oregon	14.6%	12.6%	19.0%	36
Georgia	14.4%	10.1%	21.2%	159
Kansas	14.4%	11.1%	18.3%	105
Michigan	14.3%	10.6%	18.4%	83
Montana	14.3%	12.3%	22.0%	56
South Carolina	14.3%	11.5%	19.8%	46
Arizona	14.2%	12.8%	21.2%	15
Wyoming	14.2%	10.3%	15.6%	23
Pennsylvania (2024 release)	14.1%	10.7%	17.4%	67*
Alaska	14.0%	11.6%	26.0%	30
Virginia	14.0%	9.3%	21.6%	133
Colorado	13.9%	10.2%	20.2%	64
Ohio	13.9%	9.5%	19.5%	88
Rhode Island	13.9%	10.9%	15.2%	5
Florida	13.7%	10.3%	19.6%	67
Massachusetts	13.7%	11.1%	17.1%	14
South Dakota	13.7%	11.2%	28.2%	66
Iowa	13.5%	11.0%	16.3%	99
Washington	13.5%	10.7%	20.2%	39
Delaware	13.0%	12.1%	14.6%	3
Minnesota	12.8%	10.6%	19.7%	87
Wisconsin	12.8%	10.2%	17.3%	72
Illinois	12.6%	10.1%	17.1%	102
North Dakota	12.6%	11.1%	23.7%	53
Hawaii	12.5%	12.1%	14.5%	5
Vermont	12.5%	11.4%	15.1%	14
Connecticut	12.3%	10.1%	14.0%	9
Maryland	12.2%	9.1%	16.8%	24
Nebraska	12.1%	10.3%	16.2%	93
New York	12.1%	9.5%	16.3%	62
District of Columbia	12.0%	12.0%	12.0%	1
New Hampshire	12.0%	10.6%	14.5%	10
New Jersey	11.5%	9.2%	15.8%	21

State	State figure, age-adjusted (site aggregate)	Counties
West Virginia	19.7%	55
Louisiana	19.0%	64
Arkansas	18.8%	75
Mississippi	18.1%	82
Tennessee	18.0%	95
Kentucky (2024 release)	17.8%	120*
Missouri	17.8%	115
Oklahoma	17.7%	77
Alabama	16.7%	67
Maine	16.6%	16
Idaho	16.4%	44
Nevada	16.2%	17
New Mexico	16.1%	33
Indiana	15.5%	92
North Carolina	15.3%	100
Oregon	15.2%	36
Texas	15.2%	253
Montana	15.0%	56
South Carolina	15.0%	46
California	14.9%	58
Michigan	14.9%	83
Utah	14.9%	29
Kansas	14.8%	105
Wyoming	14.8%	23
Arizona	14.7%	15
Pennsylvania (2024 release)	14.7%	67*
Georgia	14.6%	159
Florida	14.5%	67
Ohio	14.4%	88
Virginia	14.4%	133
Rhode Island	14.3%	5
South Dakota	14.2%	66
Alaska	14.1%	30
Massachusetts	14.1%	14
Colorado	14.0%	64
Iowa	14.0%	99
Washington	13.9%	39
Delaware	13.8%	3
Wisconsin	13.4%	72
Hawaii	13.3%	5
Minnesota	13.3%	87
Vermont	13.3%	14
Illinois	13.0%	102
Connecticut	12.8%	9
North Dakota	12.8%	53
Maryland	12.7%	24
New Hampshire	12.7%	10
New York	12.6%	62
Nebraska	12.4%	93
New Jersey	12.0%	21
District of Columbia	11.6%	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
Oglala Lakota County, SD	28.2%	24.4–32.0
Todd County, SD	27.0%	23.0–31.3
East Carroll Parish, LA	26.3%	22.8–30.0
Kusilvak Census Area, AK	26.0%	22.3–29.9
Lake County, TN	25.3%	22.0–28.5
Madison Parish, LA	24.4%	21.5–27.7
Hancock County, TN	24.4%	21.1–28.2
McDowell County, WV	24.2%	21.2–27.5
Sioux County, ND	23.7%	20.6–27.5
McKinley County, NM	23.6%	20.4–26.9
Mingo County, WV	23.5%	20.4–27.0
Pemiscot County, MO	23.4%	20.7–26.3
Claiborne Parish, LA	23.3%	20.6–26.4
Buffalo County, SD	23.3%	20.0–26.7
Scott County, TN	23.2%	20.1–26.8
Madison County, ID	23.1%	17.7–28.5
Starr County, TX	23.1%	19.2–27.1
Dimmit County, TX	23.0%	19.7–26.4
Desha County, AR	22.8%	20.2–25.8
Issaquena County, MS	22.8%	20.0–25.7

County	Age-adj.	95% interval
Oglala Lakota County, SD	27.1%	23.6–30.8
East Carroll Parish, LA	26.4%	22.9–30.1
Todd County, SD	26.1%	22.3–30.1
Hancock County, TN	26.1%	22.5–30.0
McDowell County, WV	25.7%	22.3–29.4
Lake County, TN	25.5%	22.4–28.7
Madison Parish, LA	25.3%	22.2–28.9
Mingo County, WV	25.2%	21.8–29.0
Kusilvak Census Area, AK	25.1%	21.8–28.8
Claiborne Parish, LA	24.7%	21.8–27.9
Pemiscot County, MO	24.5%	21.7–27.6
Desha County, AR	24.1%	21.3–27.4
Scott County, TN	24.1%	20.7–27.9
Calhoun County, WV	24.1%	20.4–27.5
Tensas Parish, LA	23.9%	20.9–27.1
McKinley County, NM	23.8%	20.6–27.3
Hickory County, MO	23.6%	20.5–26.8
Bienville Parish, LA	23.5%	20.6–26.7
Dunklin County, MO	23.5%	20.3–26.7
Lafayette County, AR	23.4%	20.6–26.5

Lowest county estimates

County	Crude	95% interval
Howard County, MD	9.1%	7.8–10.6
Los Alamos County, NM	9.2%	7.7–10.9
Somerset County, NJ	9.2%	7.9–10.5
Falls Church city, VA	9.3%	7.8–11.0
Delaware County, OH	9.5%	7.9–11.3
Nassau County, NY	9.5%	8.1–11.1
Morris County, NJ	9.5%	7.9–11.2
Hunterdon County, NJ	9.5%	7.8–11.3
Bergen County, NJ	9.6%	8.2–11.2
Montgomery County, MD	10.0%	8.6–11.4
DuPage County, IL	10.1%	8.5–12.0
Forsyth County, GA	10.1%	8.3–12.1
Western Connecticut planning region, CT	10.1%	9.1–11.1
Ozaukee County, WI	10.2%	8.5–12.0
Arlington County, VA	10.2%	8.6–12.3
Westchester County, NY	10.2%	8.7–11.9
Putnam County, NY	10.2%	8.6–12.1
Monmouth County, NJ	10.2%	8.5–12.0
Hinsdale County, CO	10.2%	8.5–12.1
Teton County, WY	10.3%	8.5–12.3

County	Age-adj.	95% interval
Howard County, MD	9.5%	8.1–11.1
Falls Church city, VA	9.6%	8.1–11.5
Somerset County, NJ	9.6%	8.3–11.0
Los Alamos County, NM	9.7%	8.1–11.5
Delaware County, OH	9.9%	8.2–11.8
Arlington County, VA	10.0%	8.5–11.8
Nassau County, NY	10.0%	8.4–11.7
Morris County, NJ	10.0%	8.4–11.9
Bergen County, NJ	10.1%	8.7–11.8
Hunterdon County, NJ	10.3%	8.4–12.2
Forsyth County, GA	10.4%	8.7–12.5
Montgomery County, MD	10.5%	9.0–11.9
DuPage County, IL	10.5%	8.8–12.6
New York County, NY	10.7%	9.2–12.5
Sarpy County, NE	10.7%	9.0–12.5
Hamilton County, IN	10.7%	8.9–12.9
Teton County, WY	10.8%	8.8–12.9
Loudoun County, VA	10.8%	9.2–12.5
Westchester County, NY	10.8%	9.1–12.6
Monmouth County, NJ	10.8%	9.0–12.7

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	—	—	—
2023 release	12.4% 12.2–12.7	12.6%	2021
2024 release	13.4% 13.2–13.6	13.7%	2022
2025 release	13.7% 13.4–13.9	14.1%	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 "cognitive disability among adults"?

A multi-level regression, post-stratification approach was applied to BRFSS and ACS data to compute a detailed probability of having a cognitive disability (reporting ‘yes’ to the question: “Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, do you have serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions?”). 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 cognitive Disability?

13.7% (95% confidence interval 13.4–13.9%) crude and 14.1% age-adjusted in the 2025 release.

Which counties have the highest and lowest estimates?

The highest county point estimate is 28.2% (Oglala Lakota County, SD) and the lowest 9.1% (Howard County, MD). 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 1 Oct 2026.