17.3%
of U.S. adults reported using meditation in the past 12 months.
Research reference
Meditation statistics in the United States.
A clear, citable roundup of national data on how meditation use has changed, who reports using it, and the context worth keeping in view.
Last updated November 6, 2026. Every figure below links to its named source and data year.
At a glance
Six figures, with the details beside them.
These figures come from national surveys and a peer-reviewed evidence review. They describe reported use and study findings, not promises about what meditation will do for any one person.
7.5%
of U.S. adults reported meditation use two decades earlier.
14.2%
of U.S. adults reported meditation use in the prior 12 months.
Data: 2017Source: NCHS Data Brief 325 (2018) ↗
16.3% / 11.8%
of women and men, respectively, reported meditation use.
Data: 2017Source: NCHS Data Brief 325 (2018) ↗
5.4%
of U.S. children ages 4 to 17 used meditation.
Data: 2017Source: NCCIH ↗
8.3%
was the pooled prevalence of reported adverse events across a 2020 review of meditation studies.
Review: 2020Source: Farias et al. (2020) ↗
What the trend shows
Reported use has risen, but the questions matter.
In the 2022 National Health Interview Survey, 17.3% of U.S. adults reported using meditation in the previous year. The same source puts the 2002 figure at 7.5%. That is a 9.8 percentage-point increase, calculated from the published estimates.
Different surveys and research papers can use slightly different definitions of meditation or analytical methods. That is why this page gives the data year and source with each figure, and does not treat related estimates as interchangeable.
A balanced reading
Use is common. Individual experience still varies.
The 2022 adult estimate made meditation the most commonly reported of seven complementary health approaches in that survey, ahead of yoga, chiropractic care, massage therapy, guided imagery or progressive relaxation, acupuncture, and naturopathy.
It is also worth reading the safety evidence plainly. A 2020 systematic review covering 83 studies and 6,703 participants estimated reported adverse events at 8.3%, while noting substantial variation between studies. If a practice feels distressing or destabilising, pausing and seeking appropriate professional support is sensible.
Methodology and sources
How to read and cite this page.
This is a curated reference, not original research. It prioritises U.S. national survey figures and peer-reviewed evidence, states the data year for every figure, and links directly to the original report or agency page. We will refresh it when a material new national estimate is published, while keeping these section links stable.
Nahin, Rhee and Stussman, JAMA (2024)
National Health Interview Survey analysis of seven complementary health approaches among U.S. adults.
Read the source ↗National Center for Health Statistics, Data Brief 325 (2018)
National Health Interview Survey estimates for yoga, meditation, and chiropractic use among U.S. adults in 2012 and 2017.
Read the source ↗National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (Current agency reference)
Government overview of meditation and mindfulness, including National Health Interview Survey estimates and safety context.
Read the source ↗Farias et al., Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica (2020)
Systematic review of reported adverse events in meditation practices and meditation-based therapies.
Read the source ↗Cite this page
Prosemakers Media. “Meditation Statistics in the United States.” Updated November 6, 2026. https://prosemakers.com/meditation-statistics