Number of candidates on organ waiting list in the U.S. by age group 2025

The age group with the largest number of individuals on the transplant waiting list in the U.S. as of May 7, 2025 was those aged 50-64 years. This age group had 44,025 patients waiting to receive transplants at that time. There is an extensive need for organ donations in the United States.

Organ donations

In the U.S. deceased donors can donate kidneys, liver, lungs, heart, pancreas and intestines. Living donors can donate one kidney, one lung or a portion of the liver, pancreas or intestine. Organs are donated mostly from middle-aged U.S. adults. Among all age groups, those aged 50 to 64 years had the highest number of organ donors in 2024.

Waiting lists

The number of organ donors in the U.S. has increased dramatically since 1988. Despite such a dramatic increase in the number of donors, there is still a great need among U.S. patients. As of May 2025, the organs with the most patients waiting for transplants in the U.S. were kidneys and livers. Over 91 thousand patients required a kidney at that time.