Research

2026 facts and figures

Brain Facts

Knowledge is power in the fight against disorders and diseases of the brain. Arm yourself with the facts.

Last reviewed

Older adults sharing time together in their community

The people behind the numbers

Who is affected by Alzheimer's?

7.4 million

Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer's dementia in 2026. [S1]

1 in 9

People age 65 and older—about 11%—has Alzheimer's. [S1]

35.8%

Of people age 85 and older have Alzheimer's dementia; risk rises steeply with age—5.2% at 65–74 and 13.8% at 75–84. [S1]

Almost 2/3

Of Americans with Alzheimer's are women. [S1]

2× and 1.5×

Older Black Americans are about twice as likely, and older Hispanic Americans about one and a half times as likely, to have Alzheimer's or other dementias as older White Americans. [S1]

An older adult enjoying an active lifestyle

Prevention matters

Risk you can change

Factors such as smoking, obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure increase a person’s chance of developing dementia or other forms of brain disease. [4–22]

That is why HMI focuses on prevention: lifestyle change—nutrition, exercise, stress management, restorative sleep and mental engagement—is where communities have real power.

Discover the INSPIRE Project

A growing challenge

How big is the problem?

Nearly 13 million

Americans with Alzheimer's projected by 2050, absent medical breakthroughs. [S1]

$409 billion

Projected 2026 health and long-term care costs for people living with dementia in the U.S., not counting unpaid caregiving. [S1]

1 in 3

Older adults dies with Alzheimer's or another dementia. [S1]

Community members supporting lifelong brain health

Last reviewed

Evidence base

Sources

S1.

Alzheimer's Association. 2026 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures.

View source

Research on modifiable risk factors

  1. Anstey KJ, von Sanden C, Salim A, O’Kearney R. Smoking as a risk factor for dementia and cognitive decline: A meta-analysis of prospective studies. Am J Epidemiol 2007;166(4):367–78.
  2. Rusanen M, Kivipelto M, Quesenberry CP, Zhou J, Whitmer RA. Heavy smoking in midlife and long-term risk of Alzheimer disease and vascular dementia. Arch Intern Med 2010;171(4):333–9.
  3. Pendlebury ST, Rothwell PM. Prevalence, incidence, and factors associated with pre-stroke and post-stroke dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Neurol 2009;8(11):1006–18.
  4. Whitmer RA, Gustafson DR, Barrett-Connor E, Haan MN, Gunderson EP, Yaffe K. Central obesity and increased risk of dementia more than three decades later. Neurology 2008;71:1057–64.
  5. Raji CA, Ho AJ, Parikshak NN, Becker JT, Lopez OL, Kuller LH, et al. Brain structure and obesity. Hum Brain Mapp 2010;31(3):353–64.
  6. Kivipelto M, Ngandu T, Fratiglioni L, Viitanen M, Kåreholt I, Winblad B, et al. Obesity and vascular risk factors at midlife and the risk of dementia and Alzheimer disease. Arch Neurol 2005;62:1556–60.
  7. Xu WL, Atti AR, Gatz M, Pedersen NL, Johansson B, Fratiglioni L. Midlife overweight and obesity increase late-life dementia risk: A population-based twin study. Neurology 2011;76(18):1568–74.
  8. Fitzpatrick AL, Kuller LH, Lopez OL, Diehr P, O’Meara ES, Longstreth WT, et al. Midlife and late-life obesity and the risk of dementia: Cardiovascular Health Study. Arch Neurol 2009;66(3):336–42.
  9. Rönnemaa E, Zethelius B, Lannfelt L, Kilander L. Vascular risk factors and dementia: 40-year follow-up of a population-based cohort. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord 2011;31(6):460–6.
  10. Luchsinger JA, Cheng D, Tang MX, Schupf N, Mayeux R. Central obesity in the elderly is related to late-onset Alzheimer disease. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord 2012;26(2):101–5.
  11. Wu W, Brickman AM, Luchsinger J, Ferrazzano P, Pichiule P, Yoshita M, et al. The brain in the age of old: The hippocampal formation is targeted differentially by diseases of late life. Ann Neurol 2008;64:698–706.
  12. Ohara T, Doi Y, Ninomiya T, Hirakawa Y, Hata J, Iwaki T, et al. Glucose tolerance status and risk of dementia in the community: The Hisayama Study. Neurology 2011;77:1126–34.
  13. Reitz C, Brayne C, Mayeux R. Epidemiology of Alzheimer disease. Nat Rev Neurol 2011;7(3):137–52.
  14. Ahtiluoto S, Polvikoski T, Peltonen M, Solomon A, Tuomilehto J, Winblad B, et al. Diabetes, Alzheimer disease, and vascular dementia: A population-based neuropathologic study. Neurology 2010;75(13):1195–202.
  15. Cheng D, Noble J, Tang MX, Schupf N, Mayeux R, Luchsinger JA. Type 2 diabetes and late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord 2011;31(6):424–30.
  16. Solomon A, Kivipelto M, Wolozin B, Zhou J, Whitmer RA. Midlife serum cholesterol and increased risk of Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia three decades later. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord 2009;28:75–80.
  17. Launer LJ, Ross GW, Petrovitch H, Masaki K, Foley D, White LR, et al. Midlife blood pressure and dementia: The Honolulu-Asia Aging Study. Neurobiol Aging 2000;21(1):49–55.
  18. Ninomiya T, Ohara T, Hirakawa Y, Yoshida D, Doi Y, Hata J, et al. Midlife and late-life blood pressure and dementia in Japanese elderly: The Hisayama Study. Hypertension 2011;58(1):22–8.
  19. Debette S, Seshadri S, Beiser A, Au R, Himali JJ, Palumbo C, et al. Midlife vascular risk factor exposure accelerates structural brain aging and cognitive decline. Neurology 2011;77:461–8.