Roughly one in three American adults has at least one diagnosed allergic condition. In 2024, 31.7% of U.S. adults reported a seasonal allergy, eczema, or food allergy, and children aren’t far behind. Globally, allergies are one of the most common chronic health issues, affecting hundreds of millions of people across every age group.
Allergy Rates in U.S. Adults
The most recent national data, from 2024, breaks down adult allergies into three major categories. About 25.2% of adults have a seasonal allergy (hay fever), 7.7% have eczema, and 6.7% have a food allergy. Many people have more than one of these conditions, which is why the combined figure of 31.7% is lower than adding the three together.
These numbers have remained fairly stable in recent years. A 2021 survey found nearly identical rates: 25.7% for seasonal allergies, 7.3% for eczema, and 6.2% for food allergies. The slight uptick in food allergy diagnoses between 2021 and 2024 may reflect both genuine increases and better awareness leading to more diagnoses.
How Common Are Allergies in Children?
Children develop allergies at high rates too. In 2021, about 1 in 5 U.S. children (18.9%) had a seasonal allergy, 1 in 10 (10.8%) had eczema, and 1 in 20 (5.8%) had a food allergy. Eczema is notably more common in kids than in adults, and it often appears in infancy before other allergic conditions develop.
Childhood food allergies carry a significant economic weight. They cost an estimated $24.8 billion annually in the U.S., with $4.3 billion in direct medical expenses and another $5.5 billion in out-of-pocket costs. About 31% of those out-of-pocket expenses come from buying specialty foods.
Seasonal Allergies Are the Most Widespread
Hay fever is by far the most common allergic condition. A quarter of the adult population deals with sneezing, runny nose, and itchy or watery eyes triggered by pollen, dust, or other airborne allergens. Nasal allergies alone cost between $3 billion and $4 billion per year in healthcare spending.
These numbers don’t capture everyone who suffers. Many people manage mild seasonal symptoms with over-the-counter antihistamines and never get a formal diagnosis, so the true prevalence is likely higher than surveys report.
Eczema Varies by Age and Sex
Eczema affects about 7.3% to 7.7% of adults overall, but the rates shift depending on who you look at. Women are significantly more likely to have it (8.9%) compared to men (5.7%). The condition is most common in younger adults aged 18 to 44, where 8.4% are affected, and gradually decreases with age, dropping to 5.5% in adults 75 and older.
Food Allergies Around the World
Globally, food allergies affect somewhere between 1% and 10% of the population, a wide range that reflects real differences in genetics, diet, and how allergies are diagnosed across countries. Some regions rely on self-reported symptoms, which inflates the numbers, while others use clinical testing, which produces lower estimates.
In the U.S., food allergy rates land around 6% to 7% for both children and adults. That translates to roughly 20 million Americans dealing with immune reactions to specific foods.
Many Reported Drug Allergies Aren’t Real
Penicillin allergy is the most commonly reported drug allergy, but the vast majority of people who believe they’re allergic actually aren’t. When patients with a reported penicillin allergy undergo formal testing, more than 90% turn out to have no current allergy. This matters because a penicillin allergy label on your chart can lead doctors to prescribe broader, more expensive antibiotics that may be less effective or cause more side effects. If you were told you’re allergic as a child, it may be worth getting retested.
Severe Reactions Are Becoming More Common
Most allergies cause mild to moderate symptoms, but anaphylaxis, the most dangerous allergic reaction, is on the rise in young children. Emergency department visits for anaphylaxis in infants and toddlers more than doubled between 2006 and 2015, going from 15 per 100,000 to 32 per 100,000. The reasons aren’t entirely clear, though earlier and more frequent exposure to allergens in processed foods is one likely factor.
The Total Economic Burden
Allergies cost the U.S. healthcare system staggering amounts. Asthma, which is closely linked to allergic disease, accounts for roughly $82 billion annually, with nearly $50.3 billion in direct medical costs and another $3 billion in lost productivity from missed work and school days. Add in the $3 to $4 billion for nasal allergies and nearly $25 billion for childhood food allergies, and the combined burden easily exceeds $100 billion per year.
These costs fall unevenly. Families with children who have food allergies face thousands in annual out-of-pocket spending on specialty foods, epinephrine auto-injectors, and allergist visits. Adults with poorly controlled seasonal allergies lose productive hours to symptoms, medication side effects, and poor sleep during peak pollen seasons.
How Allergies Are Confirmed
If you suspect you have an allergy, your personal history of reactions is the single most important diagnostic tool. Skin prick testing remains the preferred method for confirming airborne allergies like pollen and dust mites. Blood tests that measure your immune response to specific triggers are an alternative, though they’re about 25% to 30% less sensitive than skin testing.
Neither skin tests nor blood tests work well as screening tools for people without symptoms. They’re most accurate when a doctor already suspects an allergy based on your history and uses the test to confirm it. For food allergies specifically, a negative blood test doesn’t rule anything out. If your symptoms strongly suggest a food reaction, skin testing with actual food extracts may be the next step. In some cases, a supervised oral food challenge, where you eat small amounts of the suspected food under medical observation, is the only definitive answer.