CDC PLACES County-Level Data

Depression Prevalence by State

The national average county-level depression prevalence is 23.1% of adults. Depression rates are highest in states with the greatest workforce shortages, fewest mental health providers, and most rural populations — creating a treatment gap where need is highest and access is most limited.

23.1%

National Average

States Above 25%

Highest (30.8%)

Lowest (16.2%)

Depression Prevalence Map

Average county-level adult depression prevalence by state. Darker colors indicate higher rates. Click a state for its full health profile.

15%

30%+

Avg county-level adult depression prevalence (CDC PLACES)

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All 50 States Ranked by Depression Prevalence

Sorted by highest average county-level depression rate. Click any column header to re-sort.

#	State	Avg Depression % ▼	HPSA Designations	Hospital Deserts	PCPs/100K
1	West VirginiaWV	30.8%	366	15	81.6
2	TennesseeTN	29.7%	1,012	24	68.2
3	MaineME	27.2%	449	1	105.3
4	LouisianaLA	27.1%	577	6	72.0
5	MichiganMI	26.9%	1,041	13	80.5
6	OregonOR	26.7%	496	4	94.7
7	VermontVT	26.6%	39	2	114.3
8	UtahUT	26.4%	193	6	56.1
9	OhioOH	26.3%	2,058	11	76.7
10	IndianaIN	26.0%	490	18	66.1
11	OklahomaOK	25.4%	500	5	59.2
12	MissouriMO	25.3%	909	47	72.1
13	WashingtonWA	25.3%	896	3	85.1
14	ArkansasAR	25.0%	377	21	69.3
15	North CarolinaNC	24.8%	1,142	23	70.3
16	MassachusettsMA	24.6%	343	0	102.2
17	MinnesotaMN	24.1%	947	8	89.9
18	MontanaMT	24.0%	342	7	82.8
19	AlabamaAL	23.9%	266	8	65.4
20	New HampshireNH	23.5%	158	0	84.8
21	Rhode IslandRI	23.5%	184	1	93.2
22	VirginiaVA	23.4%	598	65	75.9
23	WisconsinWI	23.4%	1,406	8	81.3
24	ColoradoCO	22.6%	469	16	83.1
25	New MexicoNM	22.6%	267	7	73.1
26	TexasTX	22.5%	1,261	75	60.9
27	CaliforniaCA	22.4%	3,152	2	84.2
28	IdahoID	22.4%	277	11	62.8
29	IllinoisIL	22.4%	1,324	25	82.6
30	South CarolinaSC	22.2%	447	10	67.3
31	NevadaNV	21.8%	187	3	58.4
32	DelawareDE	21.6%	258	0	78.2
33	WyomingWY	21.4%	128	0	71.2
34	MarylandMD	21.3%	158	3	85.6
35	ConnecticutCT	21.0%	286	0	83.7
36	South DakotaSD	20.9%	316	21	80.5
37	KansasKS	20.8%	422	10	79.1
38	GeorgiaGA	20.7%	434	56	67.5
39	IowaIA	20.5%	890	10	74.3
40	North DakotaND	20.3%	297	18	79.3
41	New YorkNY	20.3%	4,556	5	83.4
42	ArizonaAZ	20.1%	1,150	1	63.9
43	AlaskaAK	20.0%	990	20	93.9
44	MississippiMS	19.5%	458	9	56.2
45	FloridaFL	18.6%	787	11	73.0
46	HawaiiHI	17.6%	153	1	88.1
47	NebraskaNE	17.2%	391	27	75.1
48	New JerseyNJ	16.2%	189	1	79.2
49	KentuckyKY	—	874	44	63.2
50	PennsylvaniaPA	—	624	9	80.7

Source: CDC PLACES (county-level model-based estimates), HRSA HPSA (shortage designations), AHRF (workforce), CMS Provider of Services (hospital data).

The Rural Mental Health Crisis

Depression is the most common mental health condition in the United States, and rural communities face disproportionate burden. Rural residents report higher rates of depression, yet have significantly fewer mental health providers available to them. Over 60% of rural Americans live in a mental health professional shortage area.

The consequences are measurable: rural counties have higher suicide rates, higher substance use disorder rates, and fewer options for outpatient behavioral health treatment. When the nearest psychiatrist or therapist is 60+ miles away, many patients rely on emergency departments for crisis care — putting additional strain on hospitals already operating on thin margins.

RHT Compass integrates CDC PLACES depression data with HRSA shortage area designations, hospital financial metrics, and workforce supply data. This combination allows state agencies and health system leaders to identify where depression burden intersects with access gaps and target investments accordingly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the depression prevalence metric measure?

The CDC PLACES depression estimate measures the percentage of adults aged 18 and older who report ever having been told by a health professional that they have a depressive disorder (including depression, major depression, minor depression, or dysthymia). These are model-based estimates at the county level.

What is a mental health HPSA?

A Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) for mental health is a geographic area, population, or facility designated by HRSA as having a shortage of mental health providers. The HPSA count shown in the table includes all active mental health, primary care, and dental HPSA designations for each state. States with more designations have more areas facing provider shortages.

How does depression affect rural hospital operations?

Depression increases emergency department utilization, extends inpatient lengths of stay, and worsens outcomes for comorbid conditions like diabetes and heart disease. Rural hospitals without psychiatric services often must board behavioral health patients in the ED while awaiting transfer — consuming resources and increasing costs.

Can I see county-level depression data for my state?

Yes. Every state profile page includes county-level CDC PLACES data for depression, mental health days, and other behavioral health indicators. Click any state in the table above to see the full breakdown.

Explore Mental Health Data for Your State

Every state page includes county-level behavioral health data, shortage area designations, and hospital financial metrics. Start with your state, or request a demo.

Explore Your State Request a Demo

Depression prevalence from CDC PLACES (model-based county-level estimates). Shortage area data from HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas. Workforce data from AHRF. Hospital data from CMS Provider of Services. Last updated: 2026-02-15.