A source-linked reference for writers, researchers, and families looking for current national data about family caregiving.
Last updated October 27, 2026. This page reports source figures without combining different study definitions.
Family care is often discussed through individual stories. National estimates make the scale, duration, work effects, and financial effects easier to identify. The figures below come from the 2025 Caregiving in the U.S. study by AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving. Each figure links to that study’s public summary.
63 million
The 2025 AARP and National Alliance for Caregiving study estimated that 63 million United States adults provided ongoing care during the prior 12 months for an adult, or for a child with a complex medical condition or disability.
Source: AARP and National Alliance for Caregiving, 202559 million
Within the 63 million caregiver estimate, 59 million people cared for an adult. The figure describes caregivers, not the number of adults receiving care.
Source: AARP and National Alliance for Caregiving, 20254 million
Within the same 12-month estimate, 4 million caregivers supported a child with a complex medical condition or disability.
Source: AARP and National Alliance for Caregiving, 2025Nearly 1 in 4
AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving described the 2025 estimate as nearly 1 in 4 United States adults. The ratio reports the share of adults who gave qualifying care during the prior 12 months.
Source: AARP and National Alliance for Caregiving, 2025Nearly 1 in 4
Among caregivers in the 2025 study, nearly 1 in 4 reported giving at least 40 hours of care in a typical week. The threshold is weekly time spent on care, not paid work hours.
Source: AARP and National Alliance for Caregiving, 2025About 1 in 3
About 1 in 3 caregivers in the 2025 study had been caregiving for 5 years or longer. The measure reports duration of caregiving, not the age of a care recipient.
Source: AARP and National Alliance for Caregiving, 20256 in 10
Six in 10 family caregivers reported employment while also carrying caregiving responsibilities. The measure identifies employment status among caregivers in the 2025 study.
Source: AARP and National Alliance for Caregiving, 2025About 1 in 2
About half of employed caregivers reported disruptions such as arriving late or leaving early to provide care. The comparison is among employed caregivers, not all United States workers.
Source: AARP and National Alliance for Caregiving, 2025Nearly 1 in 2
Nearly half of caregivers reported at least 1 major financial impact, including debt, stopped savings, or inability to afford food. The measure counts any of the listed impacts, not the total financial cost of caregiving.
Source: AARP and National Alliance for Caregiving, 2025The AARP and National Alliance for Caregiving study asked adults age 18 and older about care provided during the prior 12 months. The study counted care for an adult relative or friend, or for a child with a complex medical condition or disability. The study used a nationally representative, probability-based online panel and included 6,858 caregivers.
Other credible surveys use different questions and intervals. For example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 1 in 5 adults in 47 states and Puerto Rico gave regular care or assistance to a friend or family member with a health problem or disability in 2021 and 2022. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention figure uses a different population, definition, and reporting interval, so it should not be treated as a revision of the AARP estimate.
These figures describe reported caregiving and related experiences. The figures do not establish that caregiving alone caused a work disruption, a financial impact, or any individual health result.
Stephen Deason, “Family Caregiving Statistics in the United States,” updated October 27, 2026, StephenDeason.com. When quoting a statistic, cite the linked original source as well.