An estimated 10 million Americans age 50 and older have osteoporosis, and another 44 million have low bone density that puts them at increased risk. Nearly 1 in 5 women over 50 has the disease, compared to roughly 1 in 25 men, and osteoporosis-related fractures now cost the US healthcare system billions of dollars every year.
Osteoporosis in America – Introduction
Osteoporosis remains one of the most widespread yet underdiagnosed chronic conditions affecting older Americans in 2026. The disease, characterized by weakened bone tissue and increased fracture risk, affects roughly 1 in 8 adults aged 50 and older nationwide, according to the most recent comprehensive federal survey data available from the CDC’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Because osteoporosis produces no symptoms until a fracture actually occurs, millions of Americans carry the disease without knowing it, a gap that continues to shape public health strategy around screening and early intervention.
The burden of osteoporosis falls unevenly across the population, striking women far more often than men and varying considerably by age and racial or ethnic background. With more than 2 million fragility fractures occurring annually and costs already running into the tens of billions of dollars, osteoporosis represents both a significant clinical challenge and a growing economic burden as the American population continues aging. Understanding exactly who is affected, how prevalence breaks down demographically, and what the disease costs the healthcare system offers a clear picture of where the country stands on bone health heading into 2026.
The most comprehensive federal prevalence data still comes from the 2017-2018 NHANES survey cycle, since a survey of this scale, involving in-person bone density scans on a nationally representative sample, is not repeated annually. That makes the figures presented here the most current, verified baseline available for understanding osteoporosis prevalence across the country, even as more recent cost projections, screening access data, and fracture statistics continue to be tracked and updated on a more frequent basis by federal agencies and bone health advocacy organizations.
Interesting Facts about Osteoporosis
| Fact | Figure |
|---|---|
| Americans Age 50+ With Osteoporosis | ~10 million (8 million women, 2 million men) |
| Americans Age 50+ With Low Bone Density (Osteopenia) | ~44 million |
| Age-Adjusted Osteoporosis Prevalence, Adults 50+ | 12.6% |
| Osteoporosis Prevalence, Women 50+ | 18.8% |
| Osteoporosis Prevalence, Men 50+ | 4.2% |
| Annual Osteoporotic Fractures (US) | More than 2 million |
| Lifetime Fracture Risk, Women | 1 in 2 |
| Lifetime Fracture Risk, Men | 1 in 4 |
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics (NHANES 2017-2018), Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation
These interesting facts about osteoporosis in the US show a disease that touches a remarkably large share of the older adult population. With 10 million Americans carrying a confirmed osteoporosis diagnosis and another 44 million living with low bone density that raises their future risk, the combined at-risk population reaches well over 50 million people, more than half of all Americans aged 50 and older.
The stark gender gap, 18.8% prevalence in women compared to just 4.2% in men, reflects fundamental biological differences in bone density loss following menopause, a pattern that has made osteoporosis screening guidelines specifically prioritize postmenopausal women even as men remain meaningfully affected.
The disease’s largely symptomless progression until fracture makes these prevalence figures especially significant from a public health standpoint. Unlike many chronic conditions that produce gradually worsening symptoms over time, osteoporosis typically offers no warning signs at all, meaning the 10 million diagnosed cases likely represent only a fraction of the true number of Americans living with clinically significant bone loss, a gap explored in more detail in the diagnosis and screening data later in this report.
Osteoporosis Prevalence by Age in the US 2026
| Age Group | Overall Prevalence | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50-64 years | 8.4% | 13.1% | Lower than 65+ group |
| 65 years and older | 17.7% | 27.1% | 5.7% |
| All adults 50+ | 12.6% | 18.8% | 4.2% |
Source: CDC NHANES 2017-2018, National Center for Health Statistics Data Brief No. 405
Age remains the single strongest predictor of osteoporosis risk, with prevalence roughly doubling between the 50-64 age bracket and the 65-and-older population. Among adults aged 65 and older, 17.7% have osteoporosis, more than double the 8.4% rate seen in the 50-64 age group. That age-related climb is especially pronounced among women, whose prevalence jumps from 13.1% in the 50-64 bracket to 27.1% after age 65, meaning more than 1 in 4 women over 65 now lives with the disease.
Men show a comparatively steadier, though still meaningful, age-related increase, with prevalence rising from a lower baseline in the 50-64 range up to 5.7% among men 65 and older. This pattern reflects the accelerated bone loss women experience in the years immediately following menopause, when declining estrogen levels dramatically speed up bone density loss compared to the more gradual, age-related decline men typically experience over the same period.
The steepness of this age-related climb has important implications for how clinicians approach screening timing. Because the sharpest increase in prevalence occurs specifically around and after the menopausal transition for women, current screening guidelines generally recommend bone density testing begin around age 65 for average-risk women, though clinicians may recommend earlier testing for women with additional risk factors such as early menopause, low body weight, or a family history of fractures.
Osteoporosis Prevalence by Gender in the US 2026
| Gender | Prevalence, Age 50+ | Ratio Compared to Overall |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 18.8% | Nearly 1 in 5 |
| Men | 4.2% | About 1 in 25 |
| Overall Population | 12.6% | About 1 in 8 |
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, NHANES 2017-2018
The gender gap in osteoporosis prevalence stands as one of the disease’s most defining characteristics. Women face more than four times the risk of men, with 18.8% of women aged 50 and older affected compared to just 4.2% of men in the same age range. Average Lifespan of American Female tracking women’s health outcomes through midlife and beyond help explain why this gap exists, since the hormonal shifts accompanying menopause, typically occurring in a woman’s late 40s to early 50s, trigger a period of accelerated bone loss that can last for several years before stabilizing at a lower baseline bone density.
That said, osteoporosis in men, while less common, still represents a meaningful and often overlooked public health concern. Men who do develop osteoporosis face a notably higher rate of underdiagnosis than women, since screening guidelines have historically focused more heavily on postmenopausal women, leaving many men with low bone density unaware of their condition until a fracture occurs. Data on undiagnosed cases shows the gap is particularly stark for men, with underdiagnosis rates running considerably higher than among women with the same condition.
Beyond menopause-driven bone loss, additional risk factors compound the gender disparity in osteoporosis prevalence. Women on average build lower peak bone mass than men during early adulthood, giving them less of a buffer before bone density drops into the osteoporosis range as they age. Combined with typically longer average life expectancy, which extends the window of years during which continued bone loss can occur, these compounding factors help explain why the gender gap in osteoporosis prevalence remains one of the widest disparities of any major chronic condition tracked in national health surveys.
Osteoporosis Prevalence by Race and Ethnicity in the US 2026
| Race/Ethnicity | Age-Adjusted Prevalence, 50+ |
|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic Asian | 18.4% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 14.7% |
| Non-Hispanic White | 12.9% |
| National Average | 12.6% |
| Non-Hispanic Black | 6.8% |
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, NHANES 2017-2018
Osteoporosis prevalence varies notably across racial and ethnic groups, with Non-Hispanic Asian adults recording the highest rate at 18.4%, followed by Hispanic adults at 14.7% and Non-Hispanic White adults at 12.9%, both close to the national average. Non-Hispanic Black adults show the lowest prevalence of any group tracked, at just 6.8%, less than half the national average and roughly a third of the rate seen among Non-Hispanic Asian adults.
Researchers attribute much of this variation to differences in average peak bone mass achieved in early adulthood, which tends to run higher among Black individuals and lower among Asian individuals, differences that persist into older age even as bone loss occurs at broadly similar rates across groups. The CDC notes that the observed differences among Non-Hispanic White, Non-Hispanic Asian, and Hispanic adults did not reach statistical significance in the underlying survey data, meaning the clearest, most statistically robust racial disparity in the data is the notably lower prevalence among Non-Hispanic Black adults compared to every other group measured.
These demographic patterns carry direct implications for how screening resources get allocated and how individual risk assessments are conducted in clinical settings. Understanding that Asian and Hispanic populations face elevated risk relative to the national average, while Black adults face comparatively lower risk, allows public health researchers and clinicians to better calibrate screening recommendations and community outreach efforts, even as age and gender remain far stronger overall predictors of individual risk than race or ethnicity alone.
Fracture Risk and Outcomes from Osteoporosis in 2026
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Annual Osteoporotic Fractures (US) | More than 2 million |
| Lifetime Fracture Risk, Women | 1 in 2 (comparable to combined breast, uterine, and ovarian cancer risk) |
| Lifetime Fracture Risk, Men | Up to 1 in 4 |
| 1-Year Mortality Rate After Hip Fracture | Up to 24% |
| Share of Hip Fracture Patients Regaining Prior Mobility | Only 40% to 60% |
Source: Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation, USPSTF Osteoporosis Screening Recommendation
The consequences of osteoporosis become clearest in fracture statistics, where the disease drives more than 2 million fractures annually across the United States. A woman’s lifetime risk of an osteoporosis-related fracture, 1 in 2, is often cited alongside her combined lifetime risk of breast, uterine, and ovarian cancer, a comparison public health researchers use to underscore how commonly fractures occur despite receiving far less public attention than cancer risk. Men face a lower but still substantial lifetime risk of up to 1 in 4.
Hip fractures represent the most severe fracture outcome tied to osteoporosis, carrying a 1-year mortality rate as high as 24% among patients aged 50 and over. Even among survivors, recovery is often incomplete: only 40% to 60% of hip fracture patients regain their pre-fracture level of mobility and ability to perform daily activities, according to the US Preventive Services Task Force’s most recent screening recommendation review. That combination of high mortality risk and frequently incomplete functional recovery makes hip fractures among the most consequential outcomes tracked in osteoporosis research.
Beyond hip fractures, wrist and spinal fractures represent the other most common osteoporotic fracture sites, though they generally carry lower mortality risk and shorter recovery periods than hip fractures. Spinal compression fractures in particular can occur gradually and sometimes go unnoticed initially, presenting as a slow loss of height or increasing back pain rather than the sudden, dramatic event typically associated with a hip fracture, which contributes further to the broader pattern of underdiagnosis affecting the condition as a whole.
Economic Cost of Osteoporosis in the US 2026
| Cost Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Current Annual Cost of Osteoporotic Fractures | ~$19 billion |
| Projected Annual Cost by 2025 | $25.3 billion |
| Projected Annual Fractures by 2025 | 3 million |
| Share of Fracture Costs From Hip Fractures | 72% |
| Share of Fracture Costs Covered by Medicare | ~80% |
Source: Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation Fast Facts, peer-reviewed fracture cost analyses
Osteoporosis carries a substantial and growing economic burden, with osteoporosis-related bone breaks currently costing patients, families, and the healthcare system an estimated $19 billion annually. Cost of Chronic Disease Statistics in US tracking the broader financial toll of chronic conditions nationally provide useful context for placing osteoporosis within the larger landscape of expensive, common chronic diseases driving American healthcare spending. Experts have projected that annual fracture-related costs could climb to $25.3 billion, with fracture counts reaching 3 million annually, reflecting the aging of the US population and the growing pool of adults reaching the age range where fracture risk climbs sharply.
Hip fractures alone account for 72% of total fracture-related costs, despite representing a smaller share of overall fracture incidents than more common fracture sites like the wrist. Medicare covers approximately 80% of these fracture-related costs, making osteoporosis and its complications a significant driver of federal healthcare spending tied to the nation’s aging population, a burden expected to intensify further as the large Baby Boomer generation continues moving into the older age brackets where fracture risk is highest.
Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment Gaps in 2026
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Overall Undiagnosed Osteoporosis Rate | ~69% of all cases |
| Undiagnosed Rate Among Men | ~87% of men with osteoporosis |
| Bone Density Scan Cost (Without Insurance) | $150 to $400 |
| Medicare Coverage Frequency | Once every 24 months, $0 if criteria met |
| Decline in Reduced Medicare Screening Payment Rates | 70% cut, linked to 2.3 million fewer women screened |
Source: Bone Health Policy Institute, Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation, CMS coverage guidelines
Despite osteoporosis’s high prevalence, diagnosis rates remain strikingly low. An estimated 69% of all osteoporosis cases go undiagnosed nationally, with the gap even more pronounced among men, where roughly 87% of those with the disease remain undiagnosed. Boomer Generation Statistics in US tracking the healthcare demands of America’s aging Baby Boomer population help explain why closing this diagnostic gap has become an increasing policy priority, since the sheer number of Americans entering the highest-risk age brackets continues to grow even as screening capacity struggles to keep pace.
Access barriers have compounded the diagnosis gap in recent years. A 70% cut in Medicare payment rates for bone density tests has been linked to 2.3 million fewer women receiving screening, alongside an 18% decline in osteoporosis diagnoses among older women over a recent five-year period. Bone density scans, which typically cost $150 to $400 without insurance, remain covered by Medicare once every 24 months at no cost to beneficiaries who meet eligibility criteria, though the broader reimbursement cuts affecting provider participation have made access to that covered benefit less consistent than intended.
Osteoporosis in US – FAQ
How many Americans have osteoporosis?
Approximately 10 million Americans aged 50 and older have osteoporosis, including 8 million women and 2 million men.
What percentage of women over 50 have osteoporosis?
18.8% of women aged 50 and older have osteoporosis, meaning nearly 1 in 5 women in this age group is affected.
What percentage of men over 50 have osteoporosis?
4.2% of men aged 50 and older have osteoporosis, or about 1 in 25 men.
Which racial or ethnic group has the highest osteoporosis prevalence?
Non-Hispanic Asian adults have the highest prevalence at 18.4%, while Non-Hispanic Black adults have the lowest at 6.8%.
How many people have low bone density in the US?
An estimated 44 million Americans aged 50 and older have low bone density (osteopenia), placing them at increased risk of developing osteoporosis.
How many osteoporosis-related fractures occur each year in the US?
More than 2 million osteoporotic fractures occur annually across the United States.
What is the mortality rate after a hip fracture?
Up to 24% of patients aged 50 and older die within one year of suffering a hip fracture.
How much does osteoporosis cost the US healthcare system?
Osteoporosis-related fractures currently cost an estimated $19 billion annually, with projections reaching $25.3 billion as the population continues aging.
What percentage of osteoporosis cases go undiagnosed?
An estimated 69% of osteoporosis cases go undiagnosed overall, rising to roughly 87% among men specifically.
How often does Medicare cover bone density screening?
Medicare covers bone density screening once every 24 months at no cost to beneficiaries who meet age and risk-factor eligibility criteria.
What share of hip fracture costs does Medicare cover?
Medicare covers approximately 80% of osteoporosis-related fracture costs, with hip fractures alone accounting for 72% of total fracture-related spending.
What percentage of hip fracture patients regain their previous mobility?
Only 40% to 60% of hip fracture patients regain their pre-fracture level of mobility and ability to perform daily activities.
Disclaimer: The data research report we present here is based on information found from various sources. We are not liable for any financial loss, errors, or damages of any kind that may result from the use of the information herein. We acknowledge that though we try to report accurately, we cannot verify the absolute facts of everything that has been represented.
