Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults

US estimate 6.2% (95% interval 6.1–6.3), age-adjusted 5.3% (5.2–5.4). Published in the 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 releases.

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

8.4%median county, 2025middle half 7.0%–9.8%

2,956counties with a 2025 estimaterange 3.2%–17.6%

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults: CDC's PLACES 2025 release estimates 6.2% nationally (95% confidence interval 6.1–6.3%), or 5.3% age-adjusted, from 2023 BRFSS responses.

Across the 2,956 counties with a 2025 estimate, the median county is 8.4% and the middle half of counties fall between 7.0% and 9.8%; the full range runs from 3.2% to 17.6%. Population-weighted state figures computed by this site (no interval) range from 4.0% (District of Columbia) to 10.6% (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 and post-stratification approach was applied to BRFSS and ACS data to compute a detailed probability among adults who report having ever been told by a doctor, nurse, or other health professional they had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema, or chronic bronchitis. 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: The measure is based on being diagnosed by a physician and respondent recall of the diagnosis and may underestimate the true prevalence.

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

3.2%10.4%17.6%

Crude county point estimates in the 2025 release, 24 equal bins. Deciles: 10th 5.9%, 25th 7.0%, median 8.4%, 75th 9.8%, 90th 11.2%. 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	10.6%	6.7%	16.5%	55
Kentucky (2024 release)	10.2%	6.1%	19.4%	120*
Arkansas	8.6%	5.9%	13.7%	75
Mississippi	8.6%	5.8%	13.4%	82
Tennessee	8.6%	5.2%	17.6%	95
Louisiana	8.5%	6.6%	14.6%	64
Maine	8.4%	6.1%	11.3%	16
Indiana	8.1%	4.7%	13.8%	92
Michigan	8.1%	5.4%	13.5%	83
Alabama	8.0%	5.5%	13.8%	67
Missouri	8.0%	5.8%	16.0%	115
Ohio	8.0%	4.9%	12.9%	88
Oklahoma	8.0%	5.9%	12.8%	77
Pennsylvania (2024 release)	7.6%	5.1%	12.3%	67*
South Carolina	7.5%	5.7%	11.9%	46
Florida	7.2%	5.3%	13.0%	67
Delaware	7.1%	6.0%	9.1%	3
North Carolina	7.1%	4.6%	12.4%	100
Nevada	7.1%	6.7%	12.9%	17
Montana	7.0%	4.5%	12.8%	56
Wyoming	7.0%	4.5%	9.9%	23
Iowa	6.9%	4.5%	10.8%	99
Oregon	6.8%	5.0%	11.4%	36
Kansas	6.7%	4.6%	11.1%	105
South Dakota	6.7%	4.8%	13.7%	66
Arizona	6.6%	5.4%	12.5%	15
Idaho	6.6%	4.4%	11.8%	44
New Mexico	6.6%	3.7%	11.9%	33
Rhode Island	6.6%	5.9%	7.0%	5
Georgia	6.5%	4.2%	13.7%	159
Vermont	6.5%	4.9%	10.4%	14
Wisconsin	6.5%	4.4%	10.2%	72
Illinois	6.3%	4.7%	12.1%	102
New Hampshire	6.2%	5.7%	9.5%	10
Virginia	6.2%	3.2%	13.0%	133
Alaska	6.1%	4.3%	11.6%	30
Nebraska	6.1%	4.6%	10.6%	93
New York	6.0%	4.4%	9.4%	62
Massachusetts	5.9%	4.6%	7.7%	14
Maryland	5.9%	4.0%	9.9%	24
North Dakota	5.9%	4.5%	12.2%	53
Texas	5.7%	4.0%	14.1%	253
Connecticut	5.6%	4.6%	6.8%	9
Minnesota	5.4%	4.3%	10.2%	87
Colorado	5.3%	4.0%	10.7%	64
Hawaii	5.3%	4.7%	9.8%	5
California	5.1%	3.5%	11.3%	58
New Jersey	5.1%	4.1%	7.4%	21
Washington	5.1%	3.4%	9.8%	39
Utah	4.6%	3.6%	10.3%	29
District of Columbia	4.0%	4.0%	4.0%	1

State	State figure, age-adjusted (site aggregate)	Counties
Kentucky (2024 release)	9.0%	120*
West Virginia	8.8%	55
Arkansas	7.5%	75
Louisiana	7.5%	64
Mississippi	7.5%	82
Tennessee	7.5%	95
Indiana	7.2%	92
Oklahoma	7.2%	77
Alabama	7.0%	67
Missouri	7.0%	115
Michigan	6.9%	83
Ohio	6.9%	88
Maine	6.7%	16
Pennsylvania (2024 release)	6.6%	67*
South Carolina	6.4%	46
Nevada	6.3%	17
North Carolina	6.2%	100
Wyoming	6.1%	23
Iowa	6.0%	99
Kansas	6.0%	105
Georgia	5.9%	159
Idaho	5.9%	44
Montana	5.9%	56
South Dakota	5.9%	66
Alaska	5.8%	30
Delaware	5.8%	3
Florida	5.8%	67
Oregon	5.8%	36
Arizona	5.7%	15
New Mexico	5.7%	33
Rhode Island	5.7%	5
Illinois	5.6%	102
Virginia	5.5%	133
Wisconsin	5.5%	72
North Dakota	5.4%	53
Nebraska	5.4%	93
Texas	5.4%	253
Vermont	5.3%	14
Maryland	5.2%	24
New York	5.2%	62
Massachusetts	5.1%	14
New Hampshire	5.1%	10
Colorado	4.8%	64
Connecticut	4.8%	9
Minnesota	4.7%	87
Utah	4.7%	29
California	4.6%	58
Washington	4.6%	39
Hawaii	4.4%	5
New Jersey	4.4%	21
District of Columbia	4.2%	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
Hancock County, TN	17.6%	15.0–20.6
McDowell County, WV	16.5%	14.3–18.9
Calhoun County, WV	16.2%	13.8–18.8
Mingo County, WV	16.1%	13.8–18.9
Hickory County, MO	16.0%	13.6–18.7
Pickett County, TN	15.2%	12.5–18.0
Ozark County, MO	14.9%	12.6–17.5
Webster County, WV	14.8%	12.4–17.3
Tensas Parish, LA	14.6%	12.6–16.7
Roane County, WV	14.4%	11.9–17.0
Wayne County, MO	14.3%	12.0–16.9
Lake County, TN	14.3%	12.3–16.3
Braxton County, WV	14.3%	12.1–16.6
Claiborne Parish, LA	14.2%	12.3–16.2
San Augustine County, TX	14.1%	11.9–16.3
Clay County, WV	14.0%	11.9–16.3
Wyoming County, WV	14.0%	11.7–16.5
Pocahontas County, WV	13.9%	11.6–16.6
Summers County, WV	13.9%	11.5–16.3
Greene County, AL	13.8%	11.8–15.9

County	Age-adj.	95% interval
Oglala Lakota County, SD	15.0%	12.9–17.1
Todd County, SD	14.3%	12.2–16.6
Hancock County, TN	14.1%	11.9–16.6
McDowell County, WV	13.6%	11.8–15.5
Lake County, TN	13.4%	11.6–15.3
Mingo County, WV	13.0%	11.1–15.1
East Carroll Parish, LA	12.7%	11.0–14.6
Kusilvak Census Area, AK	12.4%	10.7–14.3
Calhoun County, WV	12.2%	10.4–14.0
Sioux County, ND	12.1%	10.6–13.9
Mellette County, SD	12.0%	10.4–13.5
Scott County, TN	12.0%	10.3–13.9
Madison Parish, LA	11.8%	10.2–13.5
Claiborne Parish, LA	11.6%	10.2–13.3
Corson County, SD	11.4%	9.8–13.0
Pemiscot County, MO	11.3%	9.8–12.9
Jackson County, SD	11.3%	9.9–12.9
Bullock County, AL	11.2%	9.8–12.8
Braxton County, WV	11.2%	9.5–13.0
Lincoln County, WV	11.2%	9.6–13.0

Lowest county estimates

County	Crude	95% interval
Arlington County, VA	3.2%	2.6–4.0
King County, WA	3.4%	2.9–4.1
Santa Clara County, CA	3.5%	2.9–4.2
Falls Church city, VA	3.6%	2.9–4.4
Utah County, UT	3.6%	3.0–4.3
Loudoun County, VA	3.7%	3.0–4.5
Los Alamos County, NM	3.7%	3.1–4.5
San Francisco County, CA	3.9%	3.2–4.7
Travis County, TX	4.0%	3.3–4.8
Howard County, MD	4.0%	3.3–4.9
District of Columbia, DC	4.0%	3.3–4.7
Douglas County, CO	4.0%	3.2–4.9
San Mateo County, CA	4.0%	3.4–4.8
Fairfax County, VA	4.1%	3.3–4.9
Alexandria city, VA	4.1%	3.4–5.0
Collin County, TX	4.1%	3.4–4.9
Somerset County, NJ	4.1%	3.4–4.9
Hudson County, NJ	4.1%	3.5–4.8
Alameda County, CA	4.1%	3.5–4.8
Davis County, UT	4.2%	3.5–5.1

County	Age-adj.	95% interval
Falls Church city, VA	3.2%	2.6–3.9
Los Alamos County, NM	3.2%	2.6–3.9
King County, WA	3.3%	2.8–4.0
Santa Clara County, CA	3.3%	2.7–3.9
Arlington County, VA	3.4%	2.7–4.1
Somerset County, NJ	3.4%	2.9–4.1
Morris County, NJ	3.5%	2.8–4.3
Howard County, MD	3.5%	2.9–4.3
San Mateo County, CA	3.5%	2.9–4.1
Loudoun County, VA	3.6%	2.9–4.3
Bergen County, NJ	3.6%	3.0–4.5
Douglas County, CO	3.6%	2.9–4.5
San Francisco County, CA	3.6%	3.0–4.2
Fairfax County, VA	3.7%	3.0–4.4
Summit County, UT	3.7%	2.9–4.6
Hunterdon County, NJ	3.8%	3.0–4.7
Washington County, MN	3.8%	3.1–4.6
Carver County, MN	3.8%	3.1–4.5
Montgomery County, MD	3.8%	3.2–4.5
Forsyth County, GA	3.8%	3.1–4.7

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	6.4% 6.3–6.6	5.6%	2020
2023 release	6.4% 6.3–6.6	5.7%	2021
2024 release	6.8% 6.6–6.9	5.9%	2022
2025 release	6.2% 6.1–6.3	5.3%	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 "chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults"?

A multi-level regression and post-stratification approach was applied to BRFSS and ACS data to compute a detailed probability among adults who report having ever been told by a doctor, nurse, or other health professional they had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema, or chronic bronchitis. 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 cOPD?

6.2% (95% confidence interval 6.1–6.3%) crude and 5.3% age-adjusted in the 2025 release.

Which counties have the highest and lowest estimates?

The highest county point estimate is 17.6% (Hancock County, TN) and the lowest 3.2% (Arlington County, VA). 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.