Across the U.S., Childhood Vaccination Rates Continue to Decline | International Vaccine Access Center

As we prepare for a new school year, an increasing number of children may be vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases, including measles, pertussis, polio, and more. 

New data reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that childhood vaccination rates in the United States are continuing to decrease, with vaccination exemptions reaching an all-time high. 

During the 2024-25 school year, coverage for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP), polio, and varicella vaccines decreased among kindergartners. MMR vaccination coverage was just 92.5%, well below the 95% threshold needed to prevent transmission of measles virus. State-level coverage for MMR vaccines varied, ranging from 78.5% in Idaho to 98.2% in Connecticut, and only 10 states had coverage above 95%. These immunization gaps have led to measles outbreaks in multiple states and the highest number of measles cases since the disease was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000. 

National diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP) coverage among kindergartners also declined, falling from 92.3% in 2023-24 to 92.1% in 2024-25. Idaho reported the lowest DTaP coverage (78.3%) and Connecticut and Virginia reported the highest (both at 98.2%). With more young children left unprotected, we may continue to see a rise in pertussis (also known as whooping cough). Additionally, polio vaccination coverage dropped from 92.7% to 92.5%. 

The CDC also reports estimates of both medical and non-medical exemptions to vaccination requirements. While medical exemptions remained stable at 0.2% in 2024-25, non-medical exemptions reached an all-time high of 3.4%, with 3.6% of kindergartners receiving an exemption from at least one vaccine. This represents approximately 138,000 children across the country.

In Idaho, 15% of children have a non-medical exemption for at least one vaccine, while Connecticut has a rate of just 0.1% for non-medical exemptions. These numbers demonstrate the connection between vaccination exemptions and vaccination coverage, with higher exemption rates generally associated with lower coverage, and vice versa. Notably, Connecticut stopped allowing religious exemptions in 2021, while Idaho continues to allow both personal and religious vaccination exemptions. 

“To reverse declining childhood immunization rates in the U.S., we need to focus on strengthening public trust in the safety and effectiveness of vaccines,” said IVAC Executive Director Dr. William Moss. “If more and more parents choose not to vaccinate their children for non-medical reasons, we will no doubt see a rise in disease outbreaks.”