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.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - With No Disability, 16 Years and over (LNU04074593) from Jun 2008 to Jun 2025 about disability, 16 years +, household survey, unemployment, rate, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Labor Force Participation Rate - With No Disability, 16 Years and over (LNU01374593) from Jun 2008 to May 2025 about disability, participation, civilian, 16 years +, labor force, labor, household survey, 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.

In 2023, it was estimated that around ** percent of people in the United States living with a disability were in poverty. In comparison, the poverty rate among people in the U.S. without a disability was **** percent. A disability is any physical or mental condition that significantly impacts a person's ability to carry out daily tasks or life activities. How many people in the United States are disabled? In 2023, around ** percent of people in the United States were thought to be living with a disability. Types of disabilities include those that affect hearing, cognition, self-care, mobility, and vision. The most common type of disability in the United States is ambulatory disabilities, which impairs a person’s ability to walk. In 2023, almost ** percent of those aged 75 years and older in the U.S. had an ambulatory disability. However, disabilities are far less common among younger people, with less than **** percent of those aged 21 to 64 suffering from an ambulatory disability. Employment among the disabled The most obvious reason why the poverty rate among those with a disability is higher than those without a disability is because disabilities affect a person’s ability to work and be employed. In 2023, the employment rate for those with a disability was **** percent, compared to an employment rate of **** percent among those without a disability. Those with hearing disabilities are the most likely to be employed, with a rate of around ** percent, compared to an employment rate of ** percent among those with an ambulatory disability. Still, those with disabilities who do work have lower annual median earnings than those without disabilities. In 2023, the annual median earnings for U.S. adults without a disability were ****** U.S. dollars, compared to ****** U.S. dollars for those with a disability.

In 2022, only around 45 percent of people with a disability were employed, compared to 78.9 percent of those without a disability. This statistic presents the percentage of U.S. adults with a disability who were employed from 2008 to 2022.

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.

Disability, Independence and Dependency Situations Survey: Population rate with disabilities, according to type of disability, by age and sex. National.

Graph and download economic data for Population - With a Disability, 16 Years and over (LNU00074597) from Jun 2008 to Jun 2025 about disability, civilian, 16 years +, population, and USA.

This report of DES Outcome Rates by Disability Type provides information about the performance of DES providers in each Employment Services Area by primary disability groupings. The report aims to help people with disability, family, carers or others choose a DES provider.

There are a number of factors that should be taken into account when choosing a DES Provider, such as the location of their office in relation to public transport and your home or other available information. This Outcome Rates by Disability Type report is just one piece of information to help you decide which provider might be best for you. You can find out more about your local DES providers on the Job Access or Workforce Australia websites.

Find a Service Provider | Job Access - https://www.jobaccess.gov.au/find-a-provider

Find Your Employment Services Provider - Workforce Australia - https://www.workforceaustralia.gov.au/individuals/coaching/providers/

To access the report you will require Excel 2010 or a more recent version. If you have Excel 2007 or earlier, no access to Excel or have a Macintosh/Apple computer, then you will need to access the report from other available spreadsheet software. Some examples of alternative and free spreadsheet software (not a complete list) are; Google Sheets, Zoho Sheet or Microsoft Office Excel Online.

In 2022, it was estimated that almost 20 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 2022.

In 2023, there were 7.53 million persons with a disability employed either full-time or part-time in the United States. This was an increase from the previous year, when 6.96 million persons with a disability were employed. The increase in employment among persons with disabilities may be due to the recovery of the COVID-19 pandemic. The persons with a disability section of the Current Population Survey, (CPS) is a set of six questions to identify persons have physical, mental, or emotional conditions that cause serious difficulty with their daily activities.

Graph and download economic data for Employment-Population Ratio - With a Disability, 16 Years and over (LNU02374597) from Jun 2008 to May 2025 about disability, employment-population ratio, 16 years +, household survey, employment, population, and USA.

Statistics on the Employment of Persons with Disabilities: Activity and employment rates by type of disability. National.

Population rate with disabilities in centres by disability group, age and centre type. National.

Table of INEBase Rate of population aged 6 years and over with a disability, according to disability group, by gender and type of household. National. Disability, Independence and Dependency Situations Survey

In 2023, the employment rate of women with one or more disability in the United States stood at 20.5 percent. This was significantly lower than the rate of men with one or more disability, which was 24.8 the same year.

United States - Labor Force Participation Rate - With a Disability, 16 Years and over was 24.50% in May of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Labor Force Participation Rate - With a Disability, 16 Years and over reached a record high of 25.10 in November of 2024 and a record low of 18.20 in January of 2014. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Labor Force Participation Rate - With a Disability, 16 Years and over - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

Table of INEBase Rate of population aged 6 years and over with a disability, according to disability group and number of disabilities, by gender and age. National. Disability, Independence and Dependency Situations Survey

In the United States, the employment rate of persons with a disability was 22.7 percent in 2024. This was an increase from the previous year, when 22.5 percent of persons with a disability were employed. The persons with a disability section of the Current Population Survey (CPS) is a set of six questions to identify persons have physical, mental, or emotional conditions that cause serious difficulty with their daily activities.