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REFERENCE PAGE · UPDATED SEPTEMBER 29, 2026

Meditation Statistics in the United States

A source-led collection of national meditation statistics for writers, students, practitioners, and anyone seeking a grounded view of how meditation is used in the United States.

The newest nationwide adult-use figures currently available are from 2022. Every number below includes its source and data year, so it can be read in context and cited with care.

17.3%

of U.S. adults used meditation in 2022

The National Health Interview Survey found that 17.3% of adults reported using meditation in the previous 12 months. That made meditation the most-used of the seven complementary health approaches measured in the survey.

Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, 2022 National Health Interview Survey data, opens in a new tab

7.5% → 17.3%

adult meditation use rose over 20 years

The share of U.S. adults using meditation rose from 7.5% in 2002 to 17.3% in 2022. The survey wording allows a direct comparison between those two years, though not with the 2012 result.

Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, 2022 National Health Interview Survey data, opens in a new tab

36.7%

of adults used at least one of seven complementary approaches in 2022

Across meditation, yoga, massage therapy, chiropractic care, acupuncture, naturopathy, and guided imagery or progressive muscle relaxation, more than one in three adults reported using at least one approach.

Source: National Institutes of Health analysis of the 2002, 2012, and 2022 National Health Interview Surveys, published 2024, opens in a new tab

49.2%

of complementary-health users reported using an approach for pain management in 2022

Among adults who used one of the seven approaches measured, 49.2% reported using one for pain management, up from 42.3% in 2002. This figure describes the full group of approaches, not meditation alone.

Source: Nahin, Rhee, and Stussman, JAMA, 2024, opens in a new tab

5.4%

of U.S. children ages 4 to 17 used meditation in 2017

The most recent national estimate for children on this measure comes from 2017. It offers a useful benchmark, but it should not be treated as a current estimate for children today.

Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, 2017 National Health Interview Survey data, opens in a new tab

8%

of participants had a negative effect in one 2020 review

A review of 83 studies, involving 6,703 participants, found negative experiences were reported by about 8% of participants. The federal summary notes that research on potential harms remains limited, so meditation should not be presented as risk-free or as a substitute for care.

Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health summary of a 2020 research review, opens in a new tab

How to read these figures

These are population estimates, not promises about an individual experience. The adult figures come from the National Health Interview Survey, a large federal survey of the U.S. civilian, noninstitutionalized population. They tell us how many people reported a practice, not how often they practiced or whether a practice helped a particular concern.

Meditation can be one part of a person's care and wellbeing, but it is not medical or mental-health treatment. Anyone navigating distress, pain, trauma, or a health concern deserves support suited to their situation.

Methodology and sources

This page brings together publicly available national survey findings and federal research summaries. We use the source's own reporting year, preserve distinctions between adults, children, and all complementary approaches, and avoid combining measures that answer different questions.

Last reviewed: September 29, 2026. This reference will be refreshed when a key national source publishes newer figures.

Cite this page

Kim Milone. “Meditation Statistics in the United States.” Updated September 29, 2026. https://kimmilone.net/meditation-statistics.

For a particular number, link directly to its heading above so readers can find the figure and its source without searching.

A place to begin

Statistics can show the scale of interest. Practice begins in a smaller place, with attention to the life in front of you.

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