Question
Is autism linked to IQ?
Short answer
Autism occurs across the whole range of intellectual ability. In CDC surveillance of autistic 8-year-olds in 2022, 39.6% of those with test data had intellectual disability (IQ 70 or below), 24.2% scored in the borderline range (71 to 85) and 36.1% scored above 85. Autism itself is not defined by IQ.
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This page is general information, not medical advice. For questions about autism for yourself or a child, talk to a qualified clinician.
A spectrum, including ability
NIMH explains that autism is called a spectrum disorder because autistic people have a range of characteristics, needs, strengths and challenges, and that a diagnostic evaluation includes an assessment of the child's cognitive abilities (NIMH autism brochure 2025). It notes that symptoms can include intellectual disabilities (NIMH autism topic), and it also lists strengths autistic people may have, including detailed learning, long-term memory, and excelling in math, science, music or art (NIMH autism brochure 2025).
Try one · Pattern Recognition
Which tile comes next?
Tap the option you think is right, or show the answer.
Show the answer
The missing tile shows a tiny outlined pentagon (option 2).
How to solve it
- Compare neighboring tiles and name what changes each time.
- From tile to tile, the pentagon gets smaller.
- The fill cycles outline, hatched and solid, then starts again.
- Everything else stays the same from tile to tile.
- The last tile shows a small solid pentagon. Apply each change once more.
- So the missing tile shows a tiny outlined pentagon.
That was 1 puzzle. The full test has 25.
What the CDC data show
The CDC's ADDM Network tracks autism among 8-year-olds at sites across the United States. For 2022, it reported a prevalence of 32.2 per 1,000 children, about 1 in 31, across 16 sites (Shaw et al. 2025, MMWR). Among autistic children with cognitive test data:
| Range | Share |
|---|---|
| Intellectual disability (IQ 70 or below) | 39.6% |
| Borderline (71 to 85) | 24.2% |
| Average or higher (above 85) | 36.1% |
Source: Shaw et al., MMWR Surveillance Summaries 2025 (Shaw et al. 2025, MMWR). Two cautions come with these numbers. Cognitive data were available for 5,292 of 8,613 children, or 61.4%, and the share with intellectual disability varied widely between sites, from 24.8% to 80.0% (Shaw et al. 2025, MMWR).
Two separate questions
Autism and intellectual disability are different things that sometimes occur together. Intellectual disability requires significant limits in both intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior that begin before age 22 (AAIDD); an autism diagnosis rests on its own criteria. A low score on a standardized test can also reflect the test situation, which is why evaluations combine testing with observation and history. See what IQ is considered intellectual disability and what a borderline IQ means.
High ability and autism
Students who combine high ability with a disability, including autism, are often called twice-exceptional, and each can mask the other. See what twice-exceptional means.
Sources
- Shaw, K. A., Williams, S., Patrick, M. E., et al., Prevalence and Early Identification of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 4 and 8 Years, ADDM Network, 16 Sites, United States, 2022, MMWR Surveillance Summaries 74(2), 1 to 22, April 17, 2025, PMID 40232988, PMC12011386 doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.ss7402a1
- National Institute of Mental Health, Autism Spectrum Disorder, health topic page www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-asd
- National Institute of Mental Health, Autism Spectrum Disorder, NIH Publication No. 25-MH-8084, revised 2025 www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/autism-spectrum-disorder
- Defining criteria for intellectual disability. American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. www.aaidd.org/intellectual-disability/definition