Millions Still Smoke Cigarettes

Many millions of Americans still smoke cigarettes, despite decades of warnings, hundreds of thousands of deaths each year, and millions in health care expenses. According to the CDC, this is the percentage of Americans aged 18 or older who smoke cigarettes...

Total adults: 12.5%

Men: 14.1%

Women: 11.0%

Aged 18 to 24: 7.4%

Aged 25 to 44: 14.1%

Aged 45 to 64: 14.9%

Aged 65-plus: 9.0%

Northeast: 10.4%

Midwest: 15.2%

South: 14.1%

West: 9.0%

Metropolitan counties: 11.4%

Nonmetropolitan counties: 19.0%

High school only: 17.6%

Some college: 14.4%

Associate's degree: 12.7%

Bachelor's degree: 5.6%

Graduate degree: 3.5%

Household income <$35,000: 20.2%

Income $35,000 to $74,999: 14.1%

Income $75,000 to $99,999: 10.5%

Income $100,000 or more: 6.2%

These figures do not include those who smoke other types of tobacco such as e-cigarettes (3.7 percent of adults), cigars (3.5 percent), smokeless tobacco (2.3 percent), pipes (1.1 percent), or two or more tobacco products (3.3 percent). 

Note: Cigarette smokers are defined as those who have smoked 100 or more cigarettes in their lifetime and who currently smoke cigarettes every day or some days.

Source: CDC, Tobacco Product Use among Adults—United States, 2020