Disabilities in the United States (U.S. Census Bureau)
Total: 54 million people have a disability.
• 5 percent of children 5 to 17 have disabilities.
• 10 percent of people 18 to 64 have disabilities.
• 38 percent of adults 65 and older have disabilities.
Using or Needing Assistance
• 11 million people 6 and older need personal assistance with everyday activities. These activities include such tasks as getting around inside the home, bathing, preparing meals and performing light housework.
• 3.3 million people 15 and older use a wheelchair. Another 10 million use a walking aid, such as a cane, crutches or walker.
Specific Disabilities
• 1.8 million people 15 and older report being unable to see printed words.
• 1 million people 15 and older reported being unable to hear conversations.
• 2.5 million people 15 and older have difficulty having their speech understood. Of this number, 431,000 were unable to have their speech understood.
• 16.1 million people have limitations in cognitive functioning or have a mental or emotional illness that interferes with daily activities, including those with Alzheimer's disease and intellectual disabilities. This group comprises 7 percent of the population 15 and older. This included 8 million with one or more problems that interfere with daily activities, such as frequently being depressed or anxious, trouble getting along with others, trouble concentrating and trouble coping with stress.
Employment
• 13.3 million 16- to 64-year-olds reported difficulty finding a job or remaining employed because of a health condition.
• 14.5 percent of people with disabilities over 16 years old are unemployed. This figure is considered by some to be an underestimation.
• 46 percent of people 21 to 64 who were employed have some type of disability. The employment rate ranged from 75 percent of those with a non-severe disability to 31 percent with a severe disability. For those without a disability, the employment rate is 84 percent for the same period.
• 6 percent of disabled workers 16 and older used public transportation to commute to work. In addition, 69 percent of people with a disability drove alone, 13 percent carpooled, 4 percent walked and 3 percent used a taxicab, motorcycle, bicycle or other means.
Income and Poverty
• $2,250 – Median monthly earnings for people 21 to 64 with a non-severe disability.
• $1,458 – Median monthly earnings for people 21 to 64 with a severe disability.
• $2,539 – Median monthly earnings for people 21 to 64 with no disability.
• 12 percent – The poverty rate for people 25 to 64 with a non-severe disability.
• 27 percent – Poverty rate for those with a severe disability
• 9 percent – Poverty rate for those without a disability.
Education
• 28 percent of people 25 and older with a disability had less than a high school education. This compares with 12 percent for those with no disability.
• 13% percent of people 25 and older with a disability had a bachelor's degree or higher. This compares with 31 percent for those with no disability.
Serving Our Nation
$36.3 billion – Amount of compensation veterans received for service-connected disabilities in fiscal year 2008.
