United States Dispensing Rate Maps

What to know

The table on this page shows the total number and rate of opioid, buprenorphine, and naloxone prescriptions dispensed from retail pharmacies in the United States from 2019 to 2023. Below the table, find links to maps showing the geographic distribution.

Pharmacy dispensed opioid, buprenorphine, and naloxone

This data table shows the distribution in the United States of retail pharmacy-dispensed opioidA, buprenorphine, and naloxone prescriptions per 100 persons per year from 2019–2023.B

Table 1. Total Number and Rate of Opioid, Buprenorphine, and Naloxone Prescriptions Dispensed, United States, 2019-2023

Note: Rates are subject to change with future data updates.

Dispensing rate maps

  1. Opioid prescriptions, including buprenorphine formulations commonly prescribed for treating pain (Belbuca and Butrans), codeine, fentanyl, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, methadone, morphine, oxycodone, oxymorphone, propoxyphene, tapentadol, and tramadol, were identified using National Drug Codes.
  2. Source for all dispensing data: IQVIA Xponent 2019–2023. IQVIA Xponent is based on a sample of approximately 54,600 retail (non-hospital) pharmacies, which dispense nearly 94% of all retail prescriptions in the United States. For this database, a prescription is a new or refilled prescription dispensed at a retail pharmacy in the sample and paid for by commercial insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, cash or its equivalent, and other third-party coverage. This database does not include mail-order prescriptions. Geographic location is based on the location of the prescriber. Methadone dispensed through methadone treatment programs is not included in the IQVIA Xponent data. For the calculation of dispensing rates, numerators are the projected total number of prescriptions dispensed annually at the state, county, or national level. Annual resident population denominators were obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau.