Meditation Statistics (2025): Demographics & Effectiveness

In 2025, over 275 million people practice meditation globally, with India (80.7 million), the United States (37.9 million), and China (12.2 million) leading the way.

Meditation reduces depression relapse by 12%, enhances theta and alpha brain waves, and improves clarity and well-being. In the U.S., the use of meditation grew from 4.1% (2012) to 14.2% (2017), with 53% of adults aged 65 and older meditating weekly.

The global meditation app market hit $1.39 billion in 2023, led by Calm ($7.7M). Ireland tops Google searches for meditation. This data reveals how meditation is not just a trend, but a rapidly growing mental health and wellness tool worldwide.

So, without any further ado, let us get started!

Top Picks: Meditation Statistics

• 275 million people practice meditation in the world
  India has the highest number of meditators, with 80.7 million, followed by the United States (37.9 million) and China (12.2 million). (Source- Mindfulness Box)
• Meditation has been shown to reduce relapse of depression by 12%. (Source- Science Direct)
• While meditating, two essential types of brain waves—theta (4–7.5 Hz) and alpha (8–13 Hz)—increase, which is linked to greater awareness and relaxation.

As people meditate, they shift into a state that combines relaxation with heightened mental clarity, making it a powerful practice for improving overall well-being.
(Science Direct)

• The global revenues of mobile meditation and mental wellness apps amounted to approximately $1.39 billion in 2023. (Source- Statista)
• The leading meditation apps by revenue were Calm, generating approximately $7.7 million, followed by Headspace, with around $4 million, and Sleep Cycle at nearly $1.4 million. (Source- Statista)

Meditation Statistics By Country

• 60.53 million people in the USA reported using meditation between 2002 and 2022. (Source- Nature)

• The 2017 National Health Interview Survey in the United States surveyed 26,742 people and found that 14.2% of American adults meditate. (Source- NCCIH)
• A 2020 survey of 1,013 adults in Britain reported that 15% meditate. (Sage Journal)
• The latest 2018 survey of 2,126 adults in Germany found that 15.1% of the German population practices meditation. (Karger)
• During the pandemic, 26.3% of people in Canada reported practicing meditation. (Statistics Canada)
• In a 2021 study conducted in India, 17.8% practiced meditation, while 20.5% engaged in yoga and meditation, resulting in 38.3% practicing at least one of these activities. (JFMPC)
• Ireland has the most search volume on Google for “mediation.”

The top 10 countries that have looked up meditation on Google as per their ranks are:

1. Ireland

2. Australia

3. Canada

4. Switzerland

5. New Zealand

6. United Kingdom

7. United States

8. Austria

9. Nepal

10. Denmark

(Source- Google Trends)

Meditation Statistics By Demographics

• In the USA, 53% of those aged 65 and older practice meditation, whereas only 29% of individuals aged 18–29 meditate weekly.

The frequency of meditation practices in the United States by age group is as follows:

(Source- Pew Research)

• The use of meditation in the United States has seen a remarkable increase, rising from 4.1% in 2012 to 14.2% in 2017, reflecting a more than threefold growth.

Women are notably more likely to meditate than men, with 16.3% of women practicing meditation versus 11.8% of men.

The use of meditation varies significantly among different racial and ethnic groups. Non-Hispanic White adults have a higher meditation rate, at 15.2%, followed closely by non-Hispanic Black adults, at 13.5%. In contrast, Hispanic adults report a lower meditation rate, at 10.9%. 

(Source- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

• Among parents, 28% meditate at least once a week, significantly lower than the 72% of non-parents who engage in weekly meditation.

(Source- NCBI)

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Statistics On Meditation And Mental Health

• In a 2019 study, 96% of students reported experiencing maximum or high levels of relaxation after three months of meditation, whereas 64% reported either minimal or no tension. (Source- The International Journal of Indian Psychology)
• Active meditators maintained lower anxiety scores at both 6 and 12 months and lower depression scores even after 6 months. (Source- Science Direct)
• In a study of  1,856 participants from 66 countries, 25% of participants reported being formally diagnosed with a psychological disorder, with depression (19%) and anxiety (14%) being the most prevalent.
• 91% of people who tried meditation reported feeling like they were in a different world and liked the experience.

The most popular meditation techniques practiced by these participants were: 

(Source- Europe PMC)

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Meditation Practices As Part Of Yoga

• Recent data from a study conducted in 2022 in the USA indicates that a higher percentage of women (59.3%) engage in meditation as part of their yoga practice than men (52.9%).

The prevalence of meditation in yoga practices declines with increasing age. 

Specifically, 62.0% of adults aged 18–44 practice meditation as part of yoga, while this figure drops to 49.1% among those aged 65 and older.

When examining racial demographics, Asian (56.7%) and White (54.0%) adults are less likely to incorporate meditation into their yoga routines than individuals identifying as other or multiple races (70.8%), Black (70.7%), and Hispanic (66.8%).

Income levels also appear to influence meditation practices among adults. 

Those with family incomes below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) demonstrate a higher engagement rate in meditation as part of yoga at 65.3%, compared to 56.7% for those with incomes between 200% and less than 400% FPL, and 55.7% for individuals with incomes at or above 400% FPL.

(Source- NCBI)

Meditation Market Statistics

• In the U.S., meditation apps account for 4.9% of all health app downloads. (Source- Statista)
• In 2023, global revenues for mobile meditation and mental wellness apps reached approximately $1.4 billion. This market is projected to exceed $7.25 billion by 2033.

Here’s a table summarizing the mobile meditation app market size worldwide from 2023 to 2030:

(Source- Statista)

• The top mediation app was “Calm,” with in-app revenues of approximately 7.7 million U.S. dollars.

Here’s a table for the top 10 leading health and meditation apps worldwide:

(Source- Statista)

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