A care system carried in ordinary places
Family care often happens before anyone calls it a system: in the notes brought to an appointment, the medication question sent by text, the ride home after discharge, and the person who keeps the current story from being lost. These figures offer a clear picture of that work and the population around it.
63 million
Americans provided ongoing care in 2025.
That is nearly one in four adults. Of those caregivers, 59 million were caring for an adult with a complex medical condition or disability.
51 million
Americans cared for someone age 50 or older in 2025.
The companion report found that nearly one in five U.S. adults was providing care to an older adult.
Source: National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP (2026 report using 2025 survey data)
61.2 million
People in the United States were age 65 or older in 2024.
Older adults made up 18.0% of the population, and their number grew 13.0% from 2020 to 2024.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 Population Estimates (June 26, 2025)
27 hours
Average weekly time spent providing care.
The national caregiving study found that 24% of caregivers provide 40 or more hours of care each week.
64%
Of caregivers for adults age 50 or older reported moderate or high emotional stress.
The same report found that 24% of these caregivers reported feeling alone.
Source: National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP (2026 report using 2025 survey data)
35.4%
Of caregivers in a CDC study were age 60 or older in 2021-2022.
That share rose from 28.0% in 2015-2016, showing that many caregivers are managing care while aging themselves.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (August 29, 2024)
13 of 19
Health measures were less favorable for caregivers than noncaregivers.
In the CDC analysis of 2021-2022 data, caregivers had worse outcomes on 13 of the 19 health indicators examined.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (August 29, 2024)
7.4 million
Americans age 65 or older are living with Alzheimer's in 2026.
The Alzheimer's Association estimates that 74% of these older adults are age 75 or older.
Source: Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Facts and Figures (2026)
Nearly 13 million
Americans provide unpaid care for a person with dementia.
Family, friends, and other unpaid caregivers provide 83% of the help received by older adults in the United States.
Source: Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Facts and Figures (2026)
19 billion+
Hours of unpaid dementia care were provided in 2025.
The Alzheimer's Association values that care at more than $446 billion.
Source: Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Facts and Figures (2026)
Sources and method
How to read this page
This page brings together the latest available national figures from the named public reports. Some figures describe all family caregivers, while others describe caregivers of older adults or people living with dementia. The source notes preserve those distinctions so each statistic can be used in context.
- Caregiving in the US 2025, National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, published 2025.
- Family Caregivers of Adults Age 50+, National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, published 2026 using 2025 survey data.
- Vintage 2024 Population Estimates, U.S. Census Bureau, June 26, 2025.
- Changes in Health Indicators Among Caregivers, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, August 29, 2024.
- Alzheimer's Facts and Figures, Alzheimer's Association, 2026.
Cite this page
Alder Creek Editions. “U.S. Family Caregiving Statistics.” Updated August 24, 2026. https://aldercreekeditions.com/family-caregiving-statistics
For families
Put the next handoff in one clear place.
Care statistics describe a large national picture. The work at home is still personal. Alder Creek Editions offers practical reading and worksheets for families carrying appointments, changing needs, and shared responsibility.