In 2023, the U.S. states with the highest share of the population that had a disability were West Virginia, Arkansas, and Kentucky. At that time, around 19.7 percent of the population of West Virginia had some form of disability. The states with the lowest rates of disability were New Jersey, Utah, and Minnesota. Disability in the United States A disability is any condition, either physical or mental, that impairs one’s ability to do certain activities. Some examples of disabilities are those that affect one’s vision, hearing, movement, or learning. It is estimated that around 14 percent of the population in the United States suffers from some form of disability. The prevalence of disability increases with age, with 46 percent of those aged 75 years and older with a disability, compared to just six percent of those aged 5 to 15 years. Vision impairment One common form of disability comes from vision impairment. In 2023, around 3.6 percent of the population of West Virginia had a vision disability, meaning they were blind or had serious difficulty seeing even when wearing glasses. The leading causes of visual disability are age-related and include diseases such as cataracts, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration. This is clear when viewing the prevalence of vision disability by age. It is estimated that 8.3 percent of those aged 75 years and older in the United States have a vision disability, compared to 4.3 percent of those aged 65 to 74 and only 0.9 percent of those aged 5 to 15 years.

In 2023, it was estimated that around 14 percent of the population of the U.S. had some form of disability, such as a vision disability, hearing disability, or cognitive disability. This statistic presents the percentage of people in the U.S. who had a disability from 2008 to 2023.

Users can access data pertaining to individuals with disabilities. Topics include but are not limited to: people with disabilities’ access to employment, technology, healthcare, and community based services. Background The Disability Statistics Center is based at the Institute for Health and Aging at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). The Disability Statistics Center generates reports ranging from employment opportunities, Medicaid home and community-based services, mobility device use, computer and internet use, wheelchair use, vocational rehabilitation, education, medical expenditures, and functional limitations among people with disabilities. User functiona lity Data is presented in report or abstract form and can be downloaded in PDF or HTML formats by clicking on the publications link. All reports and abstracts use United States data. Additional data sources are listed under “Finding Disability Data” and include data from the United States as well as international data. Data Notes The data sources are clearly referenced for each article. The most recent publications are from 2003. There is no indication on the site when the data will be updated.

Graph and download economic data for Population - With a Disability, 16 Years and over (LNU00074597) from Jun 2008 to Feb 2026 about disability, civilian, 16 years +, population, and USA.

The prevalence of disabilities in the United States shows a clear correlation with age, with nearly half of Americans aged 75 and older experiencing some form of disability. This stark contrast to younger age groups highlights the increasing challenges faced by the elderly population in maintaining their independence and quality of life. Disability rates across age groups According to 2023 data, only 0.7 percent of children under 5 years old have a disability, compared to 6.3 percent of those aged 5 to 15. The percentage rises steadily with age, reaching 11.2 percent for adults between 21 and 64 years old. A significant jump occurs in the 65 to 74 age group, where 23.9 percent have a disability. The most dramatic increase is seen in those 75 and older, with 45.3 percent experiencing some form of disability. These figures underscore the importance of accessible services and support systems for older Americans. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) The prevalence of disabilities among younger Americans has significant implications for the education system. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law in the United States that guarantees the right to a free appropriate education for children with disabilities. In the 2021/22 academic year, 7.26 million disabled individuals aged 3 to 21 were covered by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This number includes approximately 25,000 children with traumatic brain injuries and 434,000 with intellectual disabilities.

This dataset provides Census 2021 estimates that classify usual residents in England and Wales by long-term health problems or disabilities, sex, age and level of deprivation. The estimates are as at Census Day, 21 March 2021. Age-standardisation allows for comparisons between populations that may contain proportions of different ages.

Differences in the number and proportion of persons with and without disabilities, aged 15 years and over, by census metropolitan areas.

Graph and download economic data for Employment-Population Ratio - With a Disability, 16 Years and over (LNU02374597) from Jun 2008 to Jan 2026 about disability, employment-population ratio, 16 years +, household survey, population, employment, and USA.

Employment outcomes for disabled people in the UK aged 16 to 64 years, with analysis by age, sex, impairment type, country, region, type of occupation and working patterns using Annual Population Survey (APS) data.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - With a Disability, 16 Years and over (LNU04074597) from Jun 2008 to Feb 2026 about disability, 16 years +, household survey, unemployment, rate, and USA.

Anti-social behaviour (ASB) outcomes for disabled people in England and Wales aged 16 and over, with analysis by disability status, country, sex, age, impairment type, type of ASB. Domestic abuse and sexual assault outcomes for disabled people in England and Wales aged 16 to 59 years, with analysis by disability status, age, sex, impairment type, impairment severity, country and region. All outcomes using the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) data.

Average well-being outcomes for disabled people in the UK aged 16 to 64 years, with analysis by age, sex, impairment type, impairment severity, country and region using Annual Population Survey (APS) data.

This indicator provides number and percentage of persons with a disability (one or more) within each age group. Disability status is determined for the civilian non-institutionalized population who responded to questions regarding six types of difficulty and may vary by age. For children under 5 years old, hearing and vision difficulty are used to determine disability status. For children between the ages of 5 and 14, disability status is determined from hearing, vision, cognitive, ambulatory, and self-care difficulties. For people aged 15 years and older, they are considered to have a disability if they have difficulty with any one of the six difficulty types. *Refers to the percent of those with a disability within the specific age group.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau; 2013-2017 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table S1810.

Graph and download economic data for Population - With No Disability, 16 Years and over (LNU00074593) from Jun 2008 to Jan 2026 about disability, civilian, 16 years +, population, and USA.

Number and proportion of persons by sex, age and urbanization for different disability types and different disability cut-off points.

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Graph and download economic data for Labor Force Participation Rate - With a Disability, 16 Years and over (LNU01374597) from Jun 2008 to Feb 2026 about disability, participation, civilian, 16 years +, labor force, household survey, labor, rate, and USA.

In 2023, the unemployment rate of persons with a disability was at 7.2 percent in the United States. This was a decrease from the previous year, when the unemployment rate was at 7.6 percent. The high unemployment among persons with disabilities may be due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has impacted everyone's employment, as can be seen in the unemployment rate of adults in the United States. The persons with a disability section of the Current Population Survey (CPS) is a set of six questions to identify persons who have physical, mental, or emotional conditions that cause serious difficulty with their daily activities. Disability in the labor force The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows the unemployment rate of persons with a disability that have the ability to participate in the civilian labor force. In 2020 around 20.5 percent of persons with disabilities in the United States participated in the civilian labor force. Among those capable of participating in the civilian labor force, persons with a disability tend to have a higher chance of employment the higher their level of education. Persons with a disability that had a bachelor's degree or higher had the highest employment rate in 2020 at 25.7 percent. Social Security benefits Due to the inability to work, or the lack of access to suitable employment, many persons with a disability rely on government sources for financial aid. A portion of civilian paychecks are taxed to fund programs like the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) which provide this aid. In 2018, around 12.46 million disabled persons received OASDI or SSI benefits in the United States.

Graph and download economic data for Civilian Labor Force - With a Disability, 16 Years and over (LNU01074597) from Jun 2008 to Feb 2026 about disability, civilian, 16 years +, labor force, household survey, labor, and USA.

Loneliness outcomes for disabled people in England aged 16 years and over, with analysis by age, sex, impairment severity and region using the Community Life Survey (CLS) data.

Labour market status of disabled people, UK, published quarterly, non-seasonally adjusted. Labour Force Survey. These are official statistics in development.