More men than women reported having an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Of the population aged four years or older, over 3 percent of men and nearly 2 percent of women reported having ASD. This equates to approximately 280 thousand men and 140 thousand women. In all age groups up to 50 years, more men than women reported having ASD. Among people aged 50 years or older, there are no differences.

15- to 25-year-olds most frequently reported having ASD (6 percent). Within this age group, 8 percent of men and 4 percent of women reported having an autism spectrum disorder. In older age groups, ASD is reported less frequently by both men and women than in younger age groups.

More anxiety and depression feelings among people with ASD

Of people aged 12 or older with ASD, 74 percent experienced anxiety or depression feelings in the past four weeks. Among people who reported not having ASD, this was 43 percent. Within the group with ASD, 82 percent of women and 70 percent of men had such feelings. Women, both with and without ASD, experienced anxiety or depression feelings more often than men with and without ASD.

6 out of 10 people with ASD have paid work

People who reported having ASD less frequently reported having paid work than people without ASD. In the period 2022/2024, 58 percent of 25- to 65-year-olds with ASD reported that the description working with paid work or own business best suited them, compared to 82 percent of people without ASD. Additionally, 22 percent of people with ASD described themselves as disabled: almost 4 times as often as people who reported not having ASD (22 versus 6 percent).