Why Do Autism Rates by Country Differ? Scientists Explain
Autism is a condition found all over the world, but reported rates can look very different depending on where you live. Families often ask me: “What countries have the most autism?”
The answer isn’t simple. Some countries report higher numbers because they have better diagnostic tools and awareness, while others may have lower numbers simply because autism isn’t being identified as often.
In this blog, I’ll break down the countries with the highest reported autism rates and explain why these numbers vary so much.
Why Autism Rates Differ Around the World
Before diving into the list, it’s important to understand that autism doesn’t necessarily occur more often in one country than another—it’s often about awareness, diagnosis, and access to healthcare.
High-income countries tend to report higher autism rates because screening and early diagnosis are more widely available. Low- and middle-income countries may underreport autism due to limited services or cultural stigma.
Widespread screening programs, strong advocacy, and better awareness contribute to these numbers. As awareness grows, reported rates usually increase—not because autism is “spreading,” but because more children are being identified.
7 Countries with the Highest Autism Rates: Global Insights
1. United States
The U.S. has one of the highest autism rates in the world. According to the CDC, about 1 in 31 children is diagnosed with autism.
2. South Korea
A large study in South Korea found autism rates as high as 1 in 38 children, which is among the highest ever reported.
Researchers believe the thorough screening process—including children not previously diagnosed—played a big role.
3. Canada
Canada reports rates close to 1 in 50 children. Increased awareness and strong healthcare systems have made it easier for families to access diagnostic services.
4. United Kingdom
In the UK, estimates suggest about 1 in 57 children has autism. The National Health Service (NHS) has made screening and awareness campaigns more accessible in recent years.
5. Sweden
Sweden has one of the most detailed health registries in the world, and studies there estimate autism rates around 1 in 63 children. Early identification and strong support services play a role.
6. Japan
Japan reports rising autism diagnoses, currently estimated at about 1 in 55 children. Improvements in awareness and education have increased identification.
7. Australia
Australia estimates that 1 in 150 people are on the spectrum, though advocacy groups believe the real number may be higher as awareness continues to grow.
Fukushima nuclear accident – Lessons Learned — Wikipedia
The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident, which began on March 11, 2011, was a significant event that highlighted the vulnerabilities of nuclear power plants to natural disasters. The disaster was caused by a severe earthquake and tsunami that disabled the power supply and cooling systems of three reactors, leading to a partial meltdown and the release of radioactive materials into the environment. The accident was rated level 7 on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale, indicating high radioactive releases over several days.
Despite the high levels of radiation, no one died from radiation exposure directly related to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident. However, the disaster had a tragic secondary impact on the residents, leading to significant mental and physical harm, including increased risk of chronic diseases and deaths among elderly people in temporary housing.
The lessons learned from the Fukushima radiation emergency include the importance of natural disaster preparedness, the need for robust safety measures, and the need to address the mental health and well-being of affected populations. The incident also underscored the need for transparent communication and support for those displaced by the disaster.
Abstract: Fukushima nuclear accident and increase of autism – Search Videos
This study examined changes in the mental health of mothers and children living in low-dose radiation areas over 5 years following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident and 11 years after the accident. The mothers’ and children’s psychological symptoms, such as stress, depression, and anxiety about radiation, were particularly strong immediately after the accident and diminished with time. However, the survey conducted 11 years after the accident showed that those symptoms remained higher among mothers and children in Fukushima than in unaffected prefectures, indicating the impact persisted for at least 11 years.
An age-period-cohort analysis of children’s psychological symptoms showed a weak cohort effect, indicating that preschool children were greatly affected at the time of the accident. The results suggest that it is necessary to provide support aimed at improving the mental health not only of residents who evacuated from highly contaminated areas following the nuclear accident but also of residents in low-dose radiation-contaminated areas where evacuation orders were not issued. Moreover, the findings underscore the importance of monitoring the psychological development of children who grew up in these areas.
To compile the findings of studies assessing emotional and behavioral changes in the survivors of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, we performed a systematic review in August 2019 using four literature databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, and ICHUSHI). Peer-reviewed manuscripts, either in English or Japanese, were included in the searches. Sixty-one studies were retrieved for the review. Of these, 41 studies (67.2%) assessed emotional consequences, 28 studies (45.9%) evaluated behavioral consequences, and 8 studies (13.1%) evaluated both emotional and behavioral outcomes.
The main research topic in emotional change was radiation exposure-associated risk perception, as reported in 15 studies. This risk perception included immediate health effects (eg, acute radiation syndrome) as well as future health effects (eg, future cancer and genetic effects). Lowered subjective well-being was reported in eight studies. Six studies reported perceived discrimination/stigmatization in the disaster survivors.
The most critical behavioral change was an increase in suicides compared with residents in the whole of Japan or affected by the earthquake and tsunami, but not by the nuclear disaster. Increased rate of alcohol and tobacco use was reported, although the effect on one’s health was inconsistent.
As a conclusion, the Fukushima nuclear disaster survivors suffered issues in risk perception, well-being, stigmatization, and alcohol/tobacco use in the first 8 years after the disaster. The present study is important in order to better understand the emotional and behavioral responses to future nuclear/radiological disasters as well as other “invisible” disasters, such as chemical and biological public health crises.
SOURCE: Autism Rates by Country 2025
Why Some Countries Report Lower Rates
In many countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, reported autism rates are much lower. This doesn’t mean autism is less common—it often means:
Fewer professionals trained in diagnosis
Limited healthcare resources
Cultural stigma surrounding developmental differences
Families not seeking or receiving evaluations
Numbers can feel overwhelming, but what matters most is access to early diagnosis and support. Regardless of where you live, early intervention helps children with autism build essential skills and independence.
At Blossom ABA Therapy, we focus on helping children thrive—no matter the statistics. Our ABA services are personalized to meet each child’s needs through home-based ABA, center-based ABA, and school-based ABA.
We proudly serve families in Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina.
If you’re seeking support for your child, we’d love to help you take the next step.
FAQs
Does autism really occur more in certain countries?
Not necessarily. Reported rates vary because of differences in diagnosis, awareness, and healthcare access.
Why is the U.S. autism rate so high?
Because screening is common, awareness is widespread, and more children are being diagnosed earlier.
Are autism rates rising worldwide?
Yes, reported rates are increasing globally, but this is largely due to improved awareness and better diagnostic practices—not because autism itself is becoming more common.
Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a developmental disability characterized by challenges with social skills, speech, non-verbal communication, and repetitive behaviors. Typically, there is nothing visually that sets people with ASD apart from anyone else; however, people with ASD may learn, interact, behave, and communicate in ways that are different from most people.
The reason that autism is also called autism spectrum disorder is that the disability occurs on a spectrum, with the range and severity of symptoms varying widely.
Children or adults with autism might:
- Avoid contact and want to be alone
- Have trouble understanding other people’s emotions or talking about their own feelings
- Be unaware when people talk to them
- Have trouble expressing their needs using typical words
- Have trouble adapting when a routine changes
- Not look at objects when another person points to them
- Have unusual reactions to the way things smell, taste, feel, look, or sound
Diagnosing autism can be difficult since there is no medical test that can determine the disorder. Autism, however, can sometimes be detected at 18 months or younger and by age two, an experienced professional can usually provide a reliable diagnosis. Early recognition, as well as behavioral, educational, and family therapies, may reduce symptoms and support development and learning.
ASD occurs in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. ASD is four times more common among boys than among girls. There are several environmental, biological, and genetic factors that make a child more likely to have an ASD, including:
- Children born to older parents
- Children with a sibling who has ASD
- The prescription drugs valproic acid and thalidomide have been linked with a higher risk of ASD if taken during pregnancy
- ASD tends to occur more often in people who have certain genetic or chromosomal conditions.
According to the CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network, about 1 in 59 children has been identified with ASD.
The estimated state-level prevalence of autistic adults varies from Maryland 861 @ 100k New Jersey 843 @ 100K, to Pennsylvania 1538 @ 100K, Utah 1079 @ 100K. One early study in Pennsylvania by a research group from Johns Hopkins University found only 3 cases of autism out of almost 10,000 Amish children surveyed. This suggested an autism rate of only around 1 in 3,000, compared to around 1 in 150 for the general US population at the time.
READ MORE: Do Amish Children Really Escape Autism? The Surprising Truth
Claim: The Amish don’t get autism because they do not vaccinate their children.
Anti-vaccine advocates have, at least since the early 2000s, used the Amish — a group of insular individuals descended from Swiss Anabaptist immigrants who shun modern technology — as a piece of evidence that links autism to vaccines.
This concept gained traction in 2005, when reporter Dan Olmstead conducted a a non-scientific survey in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania (which boasts one of the largest populations of Amish people) to find cases of autism.
Controversially, he claimed he could find only three, and that two of the three children had received vaccines:
So far, from sources inside and outside the Amish community, I have identified three Amish residents of Lancaster County who apparently have full-syndrome autism, all of them children. A local woman told me there is one classroom with about 30 “special-needs” Amish children. In that classroom, there is one autistic Amish child. Another autistic Amish child does not go to school. The third is that woman’s pre-school-age daughter. If there were more, she said, she would know it.
This series of stories, published and distributed by the newswire UPI, has been cited in some research papers as if it were an actual scientific study, and is often used as an argument that there is link between autism and vaccines.
The argument that near non-existent rates of autism amongst the Amish are related to a failure to vaccinate rests on two assumptions: 1) that the Amish do not vaccinate their children, and 2) that the Amish do not get autism. Both assumptions are false.
A 2011 study published in the journal Pediatrics surveyed 1,000 Amish parents about their vaccination habits. Of the 359 people who responded:
68% stated that all of their children had received at least 1 immunization, and 17% reported that some of their children had received at least 1 immunization.
These rates are lower than the national average, but to claim that the Amish do not vaccinate their children is false, as a majority of them do vaccinate to some degree.
Furthermore, researchers have documented many cases of autism amongst the Amish populations. Researchers from the University of Miami and Vanderbilt University interviewed 1,899 Amish children from two prominent Amish communities in Holmes County, Ohio and Elkhart-Lagrange County, Indiana.
In a 2010 presentation to the International Society of Autism Research, they stated:
Preliminary data have identified the presence of ASD in the Amish community at a rate of approximately 1 in 271 children using standard ASD screening and diagnostic tools although some modifications may be in order. Further studies are underway to address the cultural norms and customs that may be playing a role in the reporting style of caregivers, as observed by the ADI. Accurate determination of the ASD phenotype in the Amish is a first step in the design of genetic studies of ASD in this population.
Additionally, there is an actual clinic (The Clinic for Special Children) devoted to researching developmental diseases in Amish children and this clinic (among many other things) actively researches the occurrence of autism in Amish (and Mennonite) communities. This center is located in Lancaster, PA—the same place that Dan Olmstead searched for cases of Autism in 2005.
Counter to the claims that the Amish do not vaccinate and do not get autism are the facts that a majority of Amish people vaccinate their children and that Amish people are, in fact, diagnosed with autism. Though it is true that their vaccination rates are lower, and that — at least according to preliminary studies — their rates of autism occurrence are also lower, this observation in no way validates the idea — popularized by a fraudulent, retracted study by a doctor with a financial interest in promoting a different vaccine — that vaccines cause autism.
There are many factors that could explain apparent differences between the Amish population and the United States as a whole. These include a potential bias toward increased diagnosis in non-Amish communities, or the fact that the uniquely reduced genetic diversity of the Amish population plays a role.
Sources:
China announces plans to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions | Watch
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/autism-spectrum-disorders
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/autism-rates-by-country
Life expectancy in the South changed little in the 20th century, study finds
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/autism-rates-by-country
https://www.datapandas.org/ranking/autism-rates-by-country
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12279874
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9947250
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