review of studies with good methodology by Fejer et al. published in 2006 found that point prevalence (in pain right now) of neck pain in the adult (15-75 years) population ranged from 5.9% to 22.2%, with one study of the elderly (65+ years) finding 38.7% were in pain when surveyed. Generally, more urban populations had more neck pain, e.g. 22.2% of a large 1998 Canadian study had neck pain when surveyed.

Based on these surveys of neck pain prevalence, and adding to them the prevalence of thoracic pain