A note on interpretation: Chronic pain statistics describe the scale of pain reported by U.S. adults. They do not show that massage treats, cures, or replaces medical care for any condition.
Chronic pain in the U.S.
Six figures that put everyday pain in context
24.3%
of U.S. adults had chronic pain in 2023
The estimate covers adults who reported pain on most days or every day during the prior three months.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Health Interview Survey, 20238.5%
had pain that frequently limited life or work
The CDC calls this high-impact chronic pain. It is a subset of adults with chronic pain, not a measure of massage use or treatment success.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Health Interview Survey, 202325.4% / 23.2%
chronic pain prevalence among women and men
In 2023, women were more likely than men to report chronic pain in the prior three months.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Health Interview Survey, 202312.3% to 36.0%
chronic pain prevalence from ages 18-29 to age 65+
Reported chronic pain increased with age, from 12.3% among adults ages 18-29 to 36.0% among adults age 65 and older.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Health Interview Survey, 202320.5% to 31.4%
chronic pain prevalence from large central metros to nonmetro areas
The CDC found higher reported chronic pain as urbanization decreased, from 20.5% in large central metropolitan areas to 31.4% in nonmetropolitan areas.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Health Interview Survey, 2023The massage therapy profession
A growing, active field
15%
projected employment growth for massage therapists
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects massage therapist employment to grow 15% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025-2035 projection20,400
average annual openings projected over the decade
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects about 20,400 openings for massage therapists each year, on average, from 2025 through 2035.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025-2035 projection$58,450
median annual wage for massage therapists in May 2025
This national median means half of employed massage therapists earned more and half earned less. It does not include self-employed workers in the wage survey.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2025 wage dataSources and methodology
How this page is maintained
This page uses primary U.S. public-health and labor-market reporting. Each figure is shown with the reporting year and links to its original source. Figures are reviewed about monthly, or earlier when a source releases a material update.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Chronic Pain and High-impact Chronic Pain in U.S. Adults, 2023
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Massage Therapists, Occupational Outlook Handbook
Cite this page
Morgan’s Massage. “Massage Therapy Statistics: U.S. Pain and Industry Data.” Updated October 5, 2026.
For a specific figure, link directly to its source and this page’s matching statistic heading.