New Autism Prevalence Findings in Minnesota

New data from the Minnesota-Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network (MN-ADDM) at the University of Minnesota shows that 1 in 28 (3.6%) 8-year-old children in Minnesota have autism. The findings are based on 2022 data from 17,331 children in parts of Anoka, Hennepin, and Ramsey counties.

Minnesota is part of a 16-state network funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC found that, on average, 1 in 31 (3.2%) children were identified as having autism in communities where prevalence was tracked by the ADDM Network in 2022, an increase from 1 in 36 in 2020. This estimate is based on 8-year-old children living in parts of 16 states and does not represent the entire population of children in the United States.

“These latest autism prevalence numbers show that we are identifying more children with autism in our communities than ever before,” said Dr. Jennifer Hall-Lande, co-principal investigator for the Minnesota project. “Behind every data point is a real child and a real family. What matters most is making sure they have access to the support and services they need to thrive.”

This project does not examine what causes autism. The focus is on providing data and training that helps policymakers, educators, communities, providers, families, and individuals make informed decisions and support children with autism and their families.

Minnesota Autism and Developmental Disability Monitoring also found that:

• Autism occurs among all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. Among 8-year-olds in Minnesota, autism prevalence for Hispanic children was 1.4 times higher than that of White children, 1.4 times higher than prevalence for Black children, and 1.1 times higher than prevalence for Asian/Pacific Islander children.
• The median age of first autism diagnosis by a community provider in Minnesota was 4 years, 7 months. This is later than the overall ADDM Network median age of 3 years, 11 months.
• 8-year-old boys were about three times more likely to be identified with autism than girls of the same age.
• Of the Minnesota 8-year-old children with autism who had IQ tests in their records, 37% had intellectual disability. This is consistent with national data.

“As overall autism prevalence is going up, the proportion of children with autism plus intellectual disability is stable, between 30 and 40%. This tells us that the overall number of children with autism with intellectual disability is also increasing. Children with autism and intellectual disability often have high and lasting support needs, and families report difficulties accessing services and community social opportunities.,” said Dr. Amy Esler, co-principal investigator for the Minnesota project. “MN-ADDM data can help Minnesota to invest in resources to provide services and supports throughout the lifespan.” The MN-ADDM Network, which is part of the Institute on Community Integration in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Minnesota, collaborates with a wide variety of community autism organizations and several Minnesota state organizations, including the Minnesota Departments of Education, Human Services, and Health.

Autism prevalence data for our local Hmong and Somali communities are still being analyzed and will be available later in 2025.

For more information on the MN-ADDM Network, visit addm.umn.edu. To access the CDC’s nationwide ADDM Network studies, visit cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/addm-community-report/index.html .