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Quick kidney disease facts and stats

Check out basic facts and statistics about chronic kidney disease.

Kidney disease statistics

  1. 37 million Americans have kidney disease.
  2. Nearly 810,000 Americans are living with kidney failure.
    • Nearly 570,000 Americans are on dialysis
    • Nearly 240,000 Americans are living with a kidney transplant
  3. Kidney disease is growing at an alarming rate. It currently affects more than 1 in 7 — or 15% — of American adults, with people of color at greater risk for kidney failure.
  4. There were nearly 135,000 Americans newly diagnosed with kidney failure in 2019 (the most recent data available)
  5. 9 out of 10 people with kidney disease are unaware they have it, and half of those with severely reduced kidney function (but not yet on dialysis) do not know they have kidney disease.
  6. About 1 in 3 adults with diabetes may have kidney disease. Diabetes is the top cause of kidney failure, causing nearly half (47%) of new cases.
  7. 1 in 5 adults with high blood pressure may have kidney disease. High blood pressure is the second most common cause of kidney failure, causing 29% of new cases.
  8. For every two women who develop kidney failure, three men develop kidney failure. However, kidney disease is more common in women than men (14.3% vs. 12.4%).
  9. About 14% of Hispanic Americans have kidney disease.
  10. There are 92,000 Americans on the kidney transplant waiting list (as of February 2022), but in 2021, just 25,490 — or about 1 in 5 — were able to get a kidney. There were 5,971 living donor transplants performed in the U.S. last year.
  11. The shortage of available donor kidneys means that the vast majority of people who develop kidney failure are treated with dialysis. Of the 135,000 Americans newly diagnosed with kidney failure in 2019 (most recent data), more than 97% of them began dialysis. Only 4,022 were able to receive a preemptive kidney transplant.
  12. Compared to white Americans:
    • Black Americans are 3.4 times more likely to develop kidney failure
    • Native Americans are 1.9 times more likely
    • Asian Americans are 1.3 times more likely
  13. Compared to non-Hispanic Americans:
    • Americans of Hispanic ethnicity are 1.5 times more likely to develop kidney failure

 

Basic facts about kidney disease

  1. Kidney disease is the fastest-growing noncommunicable disease in the U.S.
  2. 37 million Americans have kidney disease and millions more are at risk
  3. Kidney disease is a silent killer, usually with no signs or symptoms until the late stages
  4. Kidney disease is one of the top 10 causes of death in the U.S. It kills more people each year than breast or prostate cancer.
  5. Kidney disease can lead to heart attack, stroke, kidney failure and death
  6. Kidney disease can often be prevented, and the progression of kidney disease to kidney failure can often be slowed down or stopped
  7. While early kidney disease has no signs or symptoms, simple blood and urine tests can tell how well your kidneys are working. If you're at risk, talk to your doctor about getting tested.
  8. Early detection saves lives. Kidney disease is not reversible, but it is treatable. When caught and treated early, it's often possible to slow or stop the progression of kidney disease and avoid serious complications like heart attack, stroke, kidney failure and death. 
  9. Your kidneys are vital organs — just like your heart, lungs and liver. Your kidneys clean your blood, help control your blood pressure, help make red blood cells and keep your bones healthy.
  10. Being physically active, keeping a healthy weight, consuming a kidney-friendly foods and fluids and getting tested for kidney disease can help protect your kidneys. Even small changes can make a big difference.