Benzodiazepine Statistics 2026
Original analysis of CMS Medicare Part D prescribing data, 2013–2024 — national trends, drug shares, and state rankings. Free to cite with attribution.
34.4 million
benzodiazepine prescriptions filled through Medicare Part D in 2024
7.2 million
Medicare beneficiaries received at least one benzodiazepine in 2024
-22.2%
change in benzodiazepine prescriptions since the 2015 peak
34%
of benzodiazepine prescriptions are alprazolam (Xanax) — the most prescribed benzo
6.0 fills
per patient per year in West Virginia — the highest prescribing intensity of any state
+15.1%
benzodiazepine prescribing in New York over the decade — rising against a falling national trend
Journalists & researchers: cite freely
Attribute as “TaperOffBenzos.com analysis of CMS Medicare Part D prescriber data, 2013–2024” with a link to this page. Need a custom cut — one state, one drug, one trend? Email support@taperoffbenzos.com and we'll pull it, usually same-day. Updated when CMS releases each new data year. Last reviewed September 17, 2026.
The national trend: a long, steady decline
Benzodiazepine prescribing through Medicare Part D peaked in 2015 at 44,161,842 fills and has declined 22.2% since — to 34,355,606 fills for 7,175,026 beneficiaries in 2024. The five-year change is -10.4%; over the full decade of data it is -12.9%.
Which benzodiazepines are actually prescribed
| Drug | 2024 claims | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Alprazolam | 11,707,497 | 34.1% |
| Clonazepam | 8,856,348 | 25.8% |
| Lorazepam | 8,137,267 | 23.7% |
| Diazepam | 3,011,820 | 8.8% |
| Temazepam | 2,218,176 | 6.5% |
| Clorazepate Dipotassium | 130,461 | 0.4% |
| Triazolam | 98,172 | 0.3% |
| Chlordiazepoxide Hcl | 96,664 | 0.3% |
The states moving against the trend
The national decline hides a split map. Prescribing fell hardest in Mississippi (-38.9%), Arizona (-33.5%), and West Virginia (-31.5%) — while 9 states moved the other way, led by New York (+15.1%) and New Hampshire (+12.4%). Prescribing intensity tells a third story: West Virginia patients average 6.0 fills per year — roughly one refill every two months, the signature of long-term continuous use — versus 3.3 in District of Columbia.
State rankings
Every state links to its own page with the full trend, top drugs, and the individual psychiatric prescribers whose benzodiazepine prescribing has fallen most.
| State | 2024 claims | 10-yr change | Fills / patient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 3,544,578 | -6.7% | 4.83 |
| California | 2,377,297 | -29.3% | 4.23 |
| Texas | 1,920,091 | -13.8% | 4.49 |
| New York | 1,786,935 | +15.1% | 4.45 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,765,580 | -15.7% | 4.92 |
| North Carolina | 1,354,252 | -18.4% | 4.91 |
| Ohio | 1,206,858 | -23.4% | 4.88 |
| Illinois | 1,191,074 | -1.7% | 4.68 |
| Michigan | 1,110,988 | -25.6% | 4.45 |
| New Jersey | 1,048,023 | +3.6% | 4.63 |
| Massachusetts | 1,040,617 | +0.1% | 5.16 |
| Tennessee | 1,017,315 | -23.5% | 5.78 |
| Georgia | 1,011,913 | -5.8% | 4.68 |
| Missouri | 842,704 | -9.4% | 5.14 |
| South Carolina | 748,024 | +2.5% | 4.98 |
| Indiana | 744,145 | -15.1% | 5.05 |
| Virginia | 709,922 | -19.1% | 4.51 |
| Alabama | 676,876 | -30.3% | 5.46 |
| Louisiana | 672,102 | -7.4% | 5.17 |
| Kentucky | 660,545 | -24.0% | 5.83 |
| Wisconsin | 554,889 | -23.1% | 4.61 |
| Connecticut | 471,543 | +2.9% | 4.55 |
| Arkansas | 467,080 | -9.0% | 5.33 |
| Arizona | 428,385 | -33.5% | 3.74 |
| Maryland | 426,055 | +3.2% | 4.21 |
| Washington | 422,277 | -24.2% | 3.86 |
| Minnesota | 378,247 | -13.2% | 4.47 |
| Iowa | 369,891 | -7.2% | 5.18 |
| Colorado | 333,226 | -17.2% | 3.90 |
| West Virginia | 326,398 | -31.5% | 6.02 |
| Oklahoma | 325,735 | -31.3% | 4.92 |
| Kansas | 320,168 | -5.0% | 4.92 |
| Oregon | 295,875 | -25.9% | 3.78 |
| Mississippi | 276,786 | -38.9% | 4.96 |
| Nevada | 224,038 | -19.2% | 4.46 |
| Utah | 213,718 | -5.8% | 4.57 |
| Nebraska | 204,678 | -2.6% | 5.16 |
| New Hampshire | 187,183 | +12.4% | 4.39 |
| Rhode Island | 184,889 | +1.0% | 5.34 |
| Maine | 169,086 | -28.2% | 4.60 |
| Idaho | 142,308 | -4.5% | 4.08 |
| New Mexico | 129,179 | -28.4% | 4.39 |
| Delaware | 102,142 | -11.2% | 4.03 |
| Montana | 97,749 | -9.6% | 4.84 |
| South Dakota | 84,482 | -5.4% | 4.87 |
| Vermont | 73,449 | -19.5% | 4.72 |
| North Dakota | 70,652 | -6.9% | 4.55 |
| Hawaii | 60,067 | -18.8% | 3.82 |
| District of Columbia | 33,184 | +0.4% | 3.25 |
| Wyoming | 32,049 | -9.6% | 4.16 |
| Alaska | 28,017 | -12.0% | 3.61 |
Methodology
Source: the public CMS Medicare Part D Prescribers datasets, 2013–2024. We aggregate claims (30-day standardized fills) and unique beneficiary counts for the eleven benzodiazepine molecules across national and state geographies. Medicare Part D covers roughly 50 million mostly older Americans, so these figures are a large, consistent window on US prescribing — not a census of all benzodiazepine use. CMS suppresses very small counts; suppressed cells are excluded. Percentages are computed on 2024 data against 2013 (decade) and five years prior. This page updates when CMS publishes each new data year.
Frequently asked questions
How many people take benzodiazepines in the United States?
Within Medicare Part D alone, 7.2 million beneficiaries filled at least one benzodiazepine prescription in 2024, across 34.4 million prescription fills. Medicare covers mostly adults 65 and older plus some disabled adults, so total US use across all ages and payers is substantially higher; national survey research has estimated more than 30 million US adults use benzodiazepines in a given year.
Are benzodiazepine prescriptions going up or down?
Down — steadily. Medicare Part D benzodiazepine fills peaked in 2015 and have fallen 22% since, including a 10% drop over the last five years of data. The decline is not uniform: prescribing fell more than 30% in states like Mississippi and Arizona over the decade while actually rising in New York and New Hampshire.
What is the most prescribed benzodiazepine?
Alprazolam (Xanax), at 34.1% of Medicare benzodiazepine fills, followed by clonazepam (Klonopin) at 25.8% and lorazepam (Ativan) at 23.7%. Together the top three account for more than four in five benzodiazepine prescriptions.
Which states prescribe the most benzodiazepines?
By volume, the largest states lead simply because of population — Florida, California, and Texas top the list. Adjusted for prescribing intensity (fills per patient per year), the picture changes: West Virginia (6.0), Kentucky (5.8), and Tennessee (5.8) lead, suggesting longer-term continuous use in those states.
Can I cite these statistics?
Yes, freely, with attribution. Cite as: 'TaperOffBenzos.com analysis of CMS Medicare Part D prescriber data, 2013-2024.' A link to this page is appreciated. The underlying data is public CMS data; our processing methodology is described on this page, and we can provide state-level extracts to journalists and researchers on request at support@taperoffbenzos.com.
Why does falling prescribing matter for people currently taking a benzodiazepine?
Because the pressure lands on individual patients. When prescribing tightens, long-term patients are more likely to face forced or rapid tapers — which are exactly what tapering guidance warns against. Anyone being asked to come off should know that gradual, symptom-led reduction is the standard of care, and that our free taper calculator can generate a schedule to review with their prescriber.
Related
- State-by-state prescribing analysis — the full interactive breakdown behind these numbers
- How to find a benzo-friendly doctor
- Benzodiazepine taper calculator
Build your taper schedule in 60 seconds
Free week-by-week plan you can print for your prescriber — no account needed.