Statistics on Disability
Learn more about disability statistics — why they are important, where to find them, and what they tell us.
This page discusses different sources for disability statistics, national-level estimates on disability prevalence, employment rates of people with disabilities, and links to additional information.
Where can I find the most current employment statistics for people with disabilities?
Why are disability employment statistics important to employers?
How many working-age people have a disability?
How does the United States count people with disabilities?
Who is counted as having a disability?
Where can I find the most current employment statistics for people with disabilities?
Each month, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) publishes updated labor force participation and employment statistics for people with and without disabilities.
Why are disability employment statistics important to employers?
Knowing the proportion of people with disabilities in a local labor pool compared to that in an employer's specific workforce helps with setting disability inclusion goals and measuring an organization’s success in hiring and retaining disabled workers.
How many working-age people have a disability?
About 22 million (11%) of the 201 million non-institutionalized [1] working-age (18 to 64 years old) people in the United States have a disability (2022 American Community Survey).
How does the United States count people with disabilities?
In the United States, we typically count the number of people with disabilities, assess employment, and determine their labor force participation using two surveys:
- The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual survey of approximately 2 million households conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. The ACS covers various topics, including age, sex, race, disability, employment, income and benefits, health insurance, education, veteran status, and housing characteristics.
- The Current Population Survey (CPS) is a monthly survey of 60,000 households, sponsored jointly by the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The CPS is the primary source of U.S. monthly labor force statistics and includes extensive details on employment-related issues.
One household member completes the ACS or CPS on behalf of all members. The surveys are conducted by mail, online form, phone, or in-person interview. Other Federal Government surveys also identify people with disabilities. Disability prevalence rates vary depending on the survey.
Who is counted as having a disability?
Surveys may use different questions and criteria to define a "person with a disability," but the ACS and CPS define disability similarly. Both ask people six yes/no questions about whether they find it difficult to do certain activities. A person is counted as having a disability if they (or the person responding on their behalf, such as a parent or caregiver) answer "yes" to one or more of these questions.
| ACS Disability Questions: | Answering "yes" means this person has a: |
|---|---|
| 1. Is this person deaf or does he/she have serious difficulty hearing? | Hearing Disability |
| 2. Is this person blind or does he/she have serious difficulty seeing even when wearing glasses? | Visual Disability |
| 3. Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, does this person have serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions? | Cognitive Disability |
| 4. Does this person have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs? | Ambulatory Disability |
| 5. Does this person have difficulty dressing or bathing? | Self-Care Disability |
| 6. Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, does this person have difficulty doing errands alone such as visiting a doctor’s office or shopping? | Independent Living Disability |
Source: American Community Survey – Sample ACS and PRCS Forms and Instructions
What do the data tell us about people with disabilities?
All the estimates below are based on an analysis of the 2022 [2] ACS Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) focused on the working-age (18-64), non-institutionalized population. Using ACS data offers a large sample and allows the development of nationally representative estimates by characteristics such as age, disability type, race, and ethnicity.
The following table shows how many working-age people in the United States report having a disability and the type of disabilities they report. Note that survey participants can report more than one disability, and nearly half, 43.3%, report having more than one type.
- In 2022, 11.0% of working-age, non-institutionalized people had a disability (22,071,000 people).
- The most common disability types were cognitive (5.2%) and ambulatory (4.4%).
| Disability type | Count | Prevalence rate |
|---|---|---|
| Any Disability | 22,071,000 | 11.0% |
| Hearing | 4,035,000 | 2.0% |
| Visual | 4,239,000 | 2.1% |
| Cognitive | 10,442,000 | 5.2% |
| Ambulatory | 8,849,000 | 4.4% |
| Self-Care | 3,344,000 | 1.7% |
| Independent Living | 7,873,000 | 3.9% |
Note: Non-institutionalized people, ages 18-64 (ACS 2022)
Yes, disability prevalence increases with age.
- 8.4% of people who are ages 18-29 have a disability.
- 7.9% of people who are ages 30-39 have a disability.
- 9.5% of people who are ages 40-49 have a disability.
- 14.6% of people who are ages 50-59 have a disability.
- 19.5% of people who are ages 60-64 have a disability.
| Age group (years) | Total population | People with disability | Disability prevalence rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-29 | 52,822,000 | 4,459,000 | 8.4% |
| 30-39 | 44,974,000 | 3,560,000 | 7.9% |
| 40-49 | 40,943,000 | 3,904,000 | 9.5% |
| 50-59 | 40,976,000 | 5,967,000 | 14.6% |
| 60-64 | 21,393,000 | 4,181,000 | 19.5% |
Note: Non-institutionalized people, ages 18-64 (ACS 2022)
Note: Non-institutionalized people, ages 18-64 (ACS 2022)
Women are slightly more likely than men to have a disability: 11.1% of working-age women report a disability compared to 10.9% of men. [3]
Yes, disability prevalence rates vary by race and ethnicity. The ACS asks a question about race and a separate question about ethnicity. Responses reflect how the person defines their race and ethnicity.
- 11.2% of working-age people who are White reported a disability.
- 13.7% of working-age people who are Black reported a disability.
- 11.1% of working-age people who are two or more races reported a disability.
- 11.3% of working-age people who are Hispanic or Latino reported a disability.
| Race or ethnicity | Total population | People with disability | Disability prevalence rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Race | |||
| White | 120,668,000 | 13,466,000 | 11.2% |
| Black | 24,889,000 | 3,560,000 | 13.7% |
| Native American/Alaska Native | 2,030,000 | 310,000 | 15.3% |
| Asian | 13,151,000 | 683,000 | 5.2% |
| Some Other Race Alone | 16,103,000 | 1,505,000 | 9.3% |
| Two or More Races | 24,269,000 | 2,692,000 | 11.1% |
| Ethnicity | |||
| Hispanic or Latino | 39,181,000 | 3,751,000 | 9.6% |
| Not Hispanic or Latino | 161,928,000 | 18,320,000 | 11.3% |
Note: Non-institutionalized people, ages 18-64 (ACS 2022)
For working-age, non-institutionalized people with disabilities:
- 32% have some college education and/or an associate degree.
- 18% have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
| Educational attainment | Number of people without a disability | Percent of people without a disability | Number of people with any disability | Percent of people with any disability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than High School | 16,050,000 | 9% | 3,624,000 | 16% |
| High School | 45,259,000 | 25% | 7,499,000 | 34% |
| Some College/Associate | 53,298,000 | 30% | 7,031,000 | 32% |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 64,431,000 | 36% | 3,917,000 | 18% |
| Total | 179,038,000 | 100% | 22,071,000 | 100% |
The employment rate [4] for working-age, non-institutionalized people with disabilities:
- 44.8% are employed (9.9 million), compared to 79.1% of people without a disability.
- 55.2% are not employed (12.2 million).
- People with hearing disabilities are the most likely to be employed (57.8% employment rate).
- People with self-care disabilities are the least likely to be employed (17.8% employment rate).
| Disability status and type | Total population count | Number employed | Employment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| No Disability | 179,038,000 | 141,610,000 | 79.1% |
| Any Disability | 22,071,000 | 9,877,000 | 44.8% |
| Hearing | 4,035,000 | 2,334,000 | 57.8% |
| Visual | 4,239,000 | 2,166,000 | 51.1% |
| Cognitive | 10,442,000 | 4,089,000 | 39.2% |
| Ambulatory | 8,849,000 | 2,621,000 | 29.6% |
| Self-Care | 3,344,000 | 595,000 | 17.8% |
| Independent Living | 7,873,000 | 1,864,000 | 23.7% |
Note: Non-institutionalized people, ages 18-64 (ACS 2022)
Three quarters (74.4%) of employed working-age people with disabilities work full time [5] (35 or more hours/week), compared to 82.8% of people without a disability.
| Disability status and type | Employed part-time (1-34 hours/week) (% of all employed) |
Employed full-time (35 hours/week) (% of all employed) |
|---|---|---|
| No Disability | 17.2% | 82.8% |
| Any Disability | 25.6% | 74.4% |
| Hearing | 16.8% | 83.2% |
| Visual | 21.8% | 78.2% |
| Cognitive | 33.1% | 66.9% |
| Ambulatory | 25.3% | 74.7% |
| Self-Care | 29.8% | 70.2% |
| Independent Living | 38.0% | 62.0% |
Note: Non-institutionalized people, ages 18-64 (ACS 2022)
The table below looks at the employment rate of people with and without a disability by race and ethnicity. While the average for all races is 44.8%:
- 45.7% of White persons with a disability are employed.
- 37.5% of Black persons with a disability are employed.
- 46.4% of multi-racial persons with a disability are employed.
- 48.0% of Hispanic or Latino persons with a disability are employed.
| Race or ethnicity |
People with no disability
employment rate |
People with a disability
employment rate |
|---|---|---|
| Race | ||
| White | 80.6% | 45.7% |
| Black | 76.4% | 37.5% |
| Native American/Alaska Native | 73.6% | 42.4% |
| Asian | 77.2% | 51.4% |
| Some Other Race Alone | 76.3% | 47.2% |
| Two or More Races | 77.8% | 46.4% |
| Ethnicity | ||
| Hispanic or Latino | 77.1% | 48.0% |
| Not Hispanic or Latino | 79.6% | 44.1% |
Note: Non-institutionalized people, ages 18-64 (ACS 2022)
People with disabilities work in all sectors and account for 6.5% of all employees ages 18-64. The table below shows the percentage of people with disabilities working in different employment sectors.
- 6.5% of people working in the private, for-profit sector have a disability.
- 7.0% of people working in state government have a disability.
- 8.0% of people working in the Federal Government have a disability.
| Employment sector | Percent of workers with a disability in the sector |
|---|---|
| All Sectors | 6.5% |
| Private, For-Profit | 6.5% |
| Private, Non-Profit | 6.7% |
| Local Government | 5.7% |
| State Government | 7.0% |
| Federal Government | 8.0% |
| Self-Employed | 6.5% |
| Working without Pay in a Family Business or Farm | 9.6% |
Note: Non-institutionalized people, ages 18-64 (ACS 2022)
The ACS asks people their job and industry. People with disabilities work in all industries and all occupations. To summarize:
- The occupations with the highest proportion of people with disabilities are Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance, Health Care Support Occupations, and Food Preparation and Serving-Related Occupations.
- The occupations with the lowest proportion of people with disabilities are Architecture and Engineering Occupations.
- The retail industry has the highest proportion of people with disabilities.
- The Finance and Insurance, Real Estate, Renting and Leasing has the lowest proportion of people with disabilities.
| Occupational category | Total people employed in an occupation | Number of employees in an occupation without disability | Number of employees in an occupation with disability | Percent of employees in an occupation with disability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations | 4,788,000 | 4,338,000 | 450,000 | 9.4% |
| Healthcare Support Occupations | 4,876,000 | 4,455,000 | 421,000 | 8.6% |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations | 7,258,000 | 6,638,000 | 621,000 | 8.6% |
| Transportation and Material Moving Occupations | 11,582,000 | 10,653,000 | 930,000 | 8.0% |
| Production Occupations | 8,245,000 | 7,607,000 | 638,000 | 7.7% |
| Personal Care and Service Occupations | 3,604,000 | 3,330,000 | 273,000 | 7.6% |
| Office and Administrative Support Occupations | 15,749,000 | 14,579,000 | 1,171,000 | 7.4% |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations | 4,751,000 | 4,405,000 | 346,000 | 7.3% |
| Sales and Related Occupations | 13,392,000 | 12,460,000 | 933,000 | 7.0% |
| Community and Social Service Occupations | 2,614,000 | 2,435,000 | 179,000 | 6.8% |
| Protective Service Occupations | 3,164,000 | 2,949,000 | 215,000 | 6.8% |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations | 845,000 | 789,000 | 56,000 | 6.6% |
| Military Specific Occupations | 690,000 | 648,000 | 42,000 | 6.1% |
| Construction and Extraction Occupations | 7,655,000 | 7,197,000 | 457,000 | 6.0% |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations | 3,197,000 | 3,013,000 | 185,000 | 5.8% |
| Educational Instruction and Library Occupations | 9,393,000 | 8,874,000 | 519,000 | 5.5% |
| Computer and Mathematical Occupations | 6,007,000 | 5,695,000 | 311,000 | 5.2% |
| Management Occupations | 17,652,000 | 16,753,000 | 899,000 | 5.1% |
| Business and Financial Operations Occupations | 9,249,000 | 8,789,000 | 460,000 | 5.0% |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations | 1,758,000 | 1,675,000 | 83,000 | 4.7% |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations | 9,799,000 | 9,337,000 | 461,000 | 4.7% |
| Legal Occupations | 1,731,000 | 1,652,000 | 79,000 | 4.6% |
| Architecture and Engineering Occupations | 3,487,000 | 3,339,000 | 148,000 | 4.2% |
| Total | 151,487,000 | 141,610,000 | 9,877,000 | 6.5% |
Note: Non-institutionalized people, ages 18-64 (ACS 2022)
| Industry category | Total people employed in an industry | Number of employees in an industry without disability | Number of employees in an industry with disability | Percent of employees in an industry with disability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Trade | 16,292,000 | 14,949,000 | 1,343,000 | 8.2% |
| Arts, Entertainment, Recreation, Accommodation & Food Services | 12,308,000 | 11,340,000 | 968,000 | 7.9% |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 6,852,000 | 6,364,000 | 488,000 | 7.1% |
| Public Administration | 7,107,000 | 6,607,000 | 500,000 | 7.0% |
| Transportation, Warehousing & Utilities | 9,206,000 | 8,610,000 | 596,000 | 6.5% |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, Mining/Extraction | 2,282,000 | 2,138,000 | 144,000 | 6.3% |
| Manufacturing | 15,237,000 | 14,284,000 | 953,000 | 6.3% |
| Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance | 34,857,000 | 32,682,000 | 2,175,000 | 6.2% |
| Active Duty Military | 1,346,000 | 1,264,000 | 82,000 | 6.1% |
| Professional, Scientific, Management & Administrative & Waste Management Services | 18,953,000 | 17,826,000 | 1,127,000 | 5.9% |
| Information | 2,974,000 | 2,802,000 | 172,000 | 5.8% |
| Wholesale Trade | 3,251,000 | 3,063,000 | 188,000 | 5.8% |
| Construction | 10,650,000 | 10,048,000 | 602,000 | 5.7% |
| Finance and Insurance, Real Estate, Rental & Leasing | 10,171,000 | 9,631,000 | 540,000 | 5.3% |
| Total | 151,487,000 | 141,610,000 | 9,877,000 | 6.5% |
Note: Non-institutionalized people ages, 18-64 (ACS 2022)
Do data exist about other specific disability types?
- The ACS and the CPS are the largest national surveys used to track labor force, employment, and disability prevalence rates. They are limited in how they identify people with disabilities. They do not ask about specific medical conditions, learning disabilities, or mental health conditions.
- Some other surveys ask about specific health conditions or include more detailed disability questions. Still, those surveys either are not done regularly (annual or monthly, so the information is not current) or contain limited information.
- The 2014 Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) SSA Supplement asks about a very comprehensive set of disability and health conditions. These 2014 data are the most recent available. (https://datasetdirectory.disabilitystatistics.org/show/126).
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is an annual survey that includes the ACS' six disability questions. It collects some questions about specific chronic conditions and mental health items, but contains little information regarding labor force participation and employment (https://datasetdirectory.disabilitystatistics.org/show/46).
Endnotes
- Non-institutionalized people are those who do not live in institutions such as hospitals or prisons.
Back to Text - U.S. Census Bureau estimates are lagged about a year due to data collection schedule and availability.
Back to Text - The 2022 ACS asked one question about a person’s gender: "What is Person 1's Sex? Mark X in ONE box." The response options are "Male" and "Female." Responses reflect how the person was identified on that question. For more information, see: https://www.census.gov/acs/www/about/why-we-ask-each-question/sex/
Back to Text - A person is defined as "employed" in the ACS if they answer a survey question about their job and say EITHER:
- They did any work at all during the previous week as a paid employee, including working at their business, on their own farm, or working at least 15 hours without pay on a family farm or business; OR
- They were "with a job but not at work," that is, they had a job but temporarily did not work at that job during the previous week due to illness, bad weather, industrial disputes, vacation, or other personal reasons.
- The employment rates presented here will differ from the labor force participation rate. The labor force participation rate is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as the proportion of the total population aged 16 and over that is in the labor force.
Back to Text
Disability statistics can help employers make informed decisions about disability inclusion goals.
For More Information
If you want to find more data about people with disabilities, visit the following sites:
- ODEP Disability Employment Statistics: This is the go-to site for CPS-based monthly labor force statistics for people with and without disabilities.
- DisabilityStatistics.org: This resource contains easy-to-understand ACS-based estimates and reports at the national and state levels, including prevalence and employment by race, age, and ethnicity.
-
Disability Statistics and Demographics Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (Stats RRTC)
- Annual Disability Statistics Compendium: A Stats RRTC report that provides disability statistics from a variety of data sources.
-
Census Bureau "Disability" Topic Page: The most recent annual disability estimates based on the ACS are found here. Some five-year tables narrow down to the county and larger city level. These are three of the most valuable tables:
-
Disability Characteristics
Disability prevalence by age, sex, race, and ethnicity. -
Selected Economic Characteristics by Disability Status
Employment status, occupation, industry, earnings, and educational attainment for people ages 16 and above. -
Employment Status by Disability Status and Type
Employment status estimates for working-age people (18-64 years old) with and without disabilities.
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Disability Characteristics