BEDFORD — As the number of Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease exceeds 7 million for the first time, New Hampshire faces a growing public health crisis with Alzheimer’s disease ranked as the seventh leading cause of death statewide.

This is among the findings uncovered in the 2025 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures Report. The report also found that nearly four in five Americans would want to know if they had Alzheimer’s disease before it impacted their lives and a majority would want treatment, even if it comes with risks, as long as it could slow the disease’s progression.

The 2025 Facts and Figures report provides an in-depth look at the latest national and state-by-state statistics on Alzheimer’s prevalence, mortality, dementia care workforce, costs of care and impact on caregivers. New disease-related statistics for the Granite State revealed the following:

-There are 26,500 New Hampshire residents aged 65 and older living with Alzheimer’s

-As of 2022, the number of deaths from Alzheimer’s disease was 462 statewide

-There are 48,000 New Hampshire residents serving as unpaid family caregivers

-77 million hours of unpaid care have been provided

-The total value of unpaid care is $1.8 billion

“This year’s report underscores the growing toll Alzheimer’s is taking on New Hampshire families,” said James Wessler, CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association Massachusetts/New Hampshire Chapter. “We cannot afford to slow down, accelerating research and expanding access to treatments is critical to changing the future for all Granite Staters facing Alzheimer’s and other dementias.”

An accompanying special report, American Perspectives on Early Detection of Alzheimer’s Disease in the Era of Treatment, highlights a national survey of more than 1,700 U.S. adults, aged 45 and older, examining awareness and attitudes of early detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, tests used to help diagnose Alzheimer’s and treatments that can slow progression of the disease.

Findings in the new survey reveal Americans overwhelmingly want to know if they have Alzheimer’s before symptoms appear and they’re eager for access to simple diagnostic tools like blood-based biomarker tests. More than 90 percent of those surveyed said they would take such a test if it were available, citing early access to treatment and care as the top reason. However, concerns remain — with 44 percent of respondents worried that insurance won’t cover future care and treatment following a diagnosis.

These insights are especially relevant in New Hampshire, where the Alzheimer’s Association is actively advocating for SB.120 — legislation that would require insurance coverage for biomarker testing. This type of precision medicine can improve diagnostic accuracy, shorten time to diagnosis, and allow individuals to access disease-modifying treatments sooner. Passage of SB. 120 would remove a significant barrier for Granite Staters, ensuring that more people receive a timely, accurate diagnosis and can take advantage of emerging therapies to slow disease progression.

“The survey underscores the need for advancing new treatments and making early diagnosis easier and more accessible to anyone concerned about their memory and thinking,” said Wessler. “We’re encouraged that the survey finds people want to be proactive in addressing cognitive concerns. That’s a real positive because early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s offers the best opportunity for care, management and treatment of the disease.”