Nearly one in five young adults in the United States reported feeling anxious every day in 2024, up from 15% in 2020. Over the same period, the odds of receiving an anxiety diagnosis as well as use of prescription anxiety medication each rose by roughly a third.
The overall increase in anxiety varied by race and ethnicity, sex, and sexual orientation, according to a new study by George Mason University researcher Melissa Villodas . The research found higher rates of anxiety among women and lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) young adults than among their peers. Racial and ethnic differences were less clear-cut, varying by whether researchers looked at anxiety symptoms, diagnoses, or medication use and by sex and sexual orientation.
Published in the American Journal of Public Health , the study explored anxiety among nearly 11,000 U.S. adults ages 18 to 25. While most research considers demographic characteristics separately, Villodas and her colleagues studied them in combination to reveal differences that might be overlooked.
“Rather than assuming that all young adults experience anxiety in the same way, these findings underscore the importance of considering the multiple social identities and contexts that shape experiences with anxiety,” said Villodas, an assistant professor in the Department of Social Work at the College of Public Health.
Why it matters
Young adulthood is a vulnerable phase for the onset of mental health problems, and anxiety was already rising in this age group before the COVID-19 pandemic. The study can’t establish what caused the increases after 2020, but the researchers say its findings warrant attention to possible lasting impacts from the pandemic.
The research also offers a more specific picture of which young adults need support and raises questions about whether groups with fewer diagnoses are facing obstacles to get help.
Key findings
The researchers analyzed National Health Interview Survey responses between 2020 and 2024. Key findings included:
Villodas’ coauthors were Alexandria B. Forte of the University of Connecticut, Hayden C. Dawes of Bryn Mawr College, Michelle R. Munson of New York University, and Mansoo Yu of the University of Missouri.
American Journal of Public Health
Trends in Anxiety Among Young Adults Aged 18 to 25 Years in the United States, 2020–2024: Differences by Race, Sex, and Sexual Orientation
20-Aug-2026