The Annual Disability Status Reports provide policy makers, disability advocates, reporters, and the public with a summary of the most recent demographic and economic statistics on the non-institutionalized population with disabilities. They contain information on the population size and disability prevalence for various demographic subpopulations, as well as statistics related to employment, earnings, and household income. Comparisons are made to people without disabilities and across disability types. Disability Status Reports and other statistics are available for each state, DC, and Puerto Rico at www.disabilitystatistics.org.
The Status Reports primarily look at the working-age population because the employment gap between people with and without disabilities is a major focus of government programs and advocacy efforts. Employment is also a key factor in the social integration and economic self-sufficiency of working-age people with disabilities.
The estimates in the 2007 Disability Status Report are based on American Community Survey (ACS) data — a US Census Bureau survey designed to replace the decennial census long form. See the ACS User Guide on www.disabilitystatistics.org for additional information on the ACS.
In 2006 the ACS began to sample people living in institutional and non-institutional group quarters. Small sample sizes prohibit the estimation of the population with disabilities living in institutional group quarters for many states, thus we are not including statistics on institutionalization.
The estimates in these reports are based on responses from a sample of the population and may differ from actual population values because of sampling variability and other factors. As a result, differences between the estimates for two or more groups may not be statistically significant.
Erickson, W., & Lee, C. (2008). 2007 Disability Status Report: The United States. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Demographics and Statistics.
Additional Topics: This year, at the request of our users, we have added a new section regarding disability prevalence rates for those of Hispanic or Latino origin by age.
Margin of Error (MOE): We have replaced the Standard Error calculation provided in our tables in past years with the 90% MOE to better illustrate sampling variability. See the glossary entry for more information on this topic.
Puerto Rico: A Puerto Rico Disability Status Report, based on the parallel 2007 Puerto Rico Community Survey, is available again this year. However, please note that the Puerto Rico sample is not included in estimations covering the U.S. population as a whole.
Group Quarters: In 2006, the ACS began surveying the group quarters population. We include the non-institutionalized group quarters population, but exclude the institutionalized group quarters population (see glossary) in the 2006 and 2007 estimates. Therefore, it is not advisable to compare the 2006 or 2007 Disability Status Reports to the earlier 2004 and 2005 Disability Status Reports.
Reconfigured Topics: Median household income is now calculated with the household, rather than the person, as the unit of analysis. The annual labor earnings statistic has been replaced by annual earnings, which is the sum of wage and salary income and self-employment income. Because of these changes, comparisons to previous Disability Status Reports of household income and earnings should not be made.
Glossary: As in previous years, we provide a comprehensive glossary at the back of this report defining the terms used in the Disability Status Report. (See glossary.)
Note: According to the Census Bureau, estimates based on the ACS Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) file may differ slightly from the ACS summary tables produced by the Census Bureau because they are subject to additional sampling error and further data processing operations. Please see www.ilr.cornell.edu/edi/disabilitystatistics/faq.cfm for further information.
These statistics indicate the social and economic status of non-institutionalized people with disabilities in the United States, using data from the 2007 American Community Survey (ACS).
Age: In 2007, the prevalence of disability in the US was:
Gender: In 2007, 15.5 percent of females ages 5 and older and 14.3 percent of males ages 5 and older in the US reported a disability.
Hispanic/Latino: In 2007, the prevalence of disability among persons ages 5 and older of Hispanic or Latino origin in the US was 10.7 percent.
Race: In the US in 2007, the prevalence of disability for working-age people (ages 21 to 64) was:
Employment: In 2007, the employment rate of working-age people (ages 21 to 64) with disabilities in the US was 36.9 percent.
Looking for Work: In the US in 2007, the percentage actively looking for work among people with disabilities who were not working was 8.4 percent.
Full-Time/Full-Year Employment: In the US in 2007, the percentage of working-age people with disabilities working full-time/ full-year was 21.2 percent.
Annual Earnings: In 2007, the median annual earnings of working-age people with disabilities working full-time/full-year in the US was $34,200.
Annual Household Income: In the US in 2007, the median annual income of households with working-age people with disabilities was $$38,400.
Poverty: In the US in 2007, the poverty rate of working-age people with disabilities was 24.7 percent.
Supplemental Security Income: In 2007, the percentage of working-age people with disabilities receiving SSI payments in the US was 17.1 percent.
Educational Attainment: In 2007, the percentage of working-age people with disabilities in the US:
This summary lists percentages by state of non-institutionalized working-age (ages 21 to 64) people with disabilities using data from the 2007 American Community Survey (ACS).
| Location | 2007 |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 19.3 |
| Alaska | 15.0 |
| Arizona | 12.0 |
| Arkansas | 19.0 |
| California | 10.9 |
| Colorado | 10.8 |
| Connecticut | 10.4 |
| Delaware | 12.2 |
| District of Columbia | 11.8 |
| Florida | 12.1 |
| Georgia | 12.7 |
| Hawaii | 10.7 |
| Idaho | 12.6 |
| Illinois | 10.3 |
| Indiana | 13.6 |
| Iowa | 12.4 |
| Kansas | 12.0 |
| Kentucky | 19.5 |
| Louisiana | 16.2 |
| Maine | 18.1 |
| Maryland | 10.9 |
| Massachusetts | 11.4 |
| Michigan | 14.4 |
| Minnesota | 10.3 |
| Mississippi | 19.5 |
| Missouri | 15.0 |
| Montana | 13.5 |
| Nebraska | 10.9 |
| Nevada | 11.2 |
| New Hampshire | 11.3 |
| New Jersey | 9.3 |
| New Mexico | 14.5 |
| New York | 11.7 |
| North Carolina | 14.9 |
| North Dakota | 10.1 |
| Ohio | 14.1 |
| Oklahoma | 17.3 |
| Oregon | 13.9 |
| Pennsylvania | 13.8 |
| Puerto Rico | 24.4 |
| Rhode Island | 14.2 |
| South Carolina | 15.1 |
| South Dakota | 12.7 |
| Tennessee | 16.8 |
| Texas | 12.2 |
| Utah | 10.4 |
| Vermont | 13.2 |
| Virginia | 11.1 |
| Washington | 14.0 |
| West Virginia | 22.4 |
| Wisconsin | 11.3 |
| Wyoming | 13.7 |
This summary lists employment rates by state of non-institutionalized working-age (ages 21 to 64) people with disabilities using data from the 2007 American Community Survey (ACS).
| Location | People with Disabilities, 2007 | People without Disabilities, 2007 |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 31.4 | 79.5 |
| Alaska | 47.4 | 80.4 |
| Arizona | 35.4 | 77.3 |
| Arkansas | 31.9 | 79.0 |
| California | 36.8 | 77.3 |
| Colorado | 44.6 | 81.8 |
| Connecticut | 42.7 | 82.2 |
| Delaware | 36.0 | 79.8 |
| District of Columbia | 33.3 | 80.7 |
| Florida | 37.6 | 78.9 |
| Georgia | 34.3 | 79.2 |
| Hawaii | 44.0 | 80.0 |
| Idaho | 41.7 | 80.2 |
| Illinois | 39.2 | 79.3 |
| Indiana | 37.1 | 80.8 |
| Iowa | 47.0 | 85.2 |
| Kansas | 43.7 | 83.6 |
| Kentucky | 30.4 | 79.3 |
| Louisiana | 33.6 | 77.3 |
| Maine | 38.6 | 83.3 |
| Maryland | 42.8 | 82.5 |
| Massachusetts | 36.5 | 82.3 |
| Michigan | 31.3 | 76.7 |
| Minnesota | 46.1 | 84.2 |
| Mississippi | 30.4 | 77.3 |
| Missouri | 37.6 | 81.4 |
| Montana | 42.2 | 80.6 |
| Nebraska | 48.0 | 86.1 |
| Nevada | 40.1 | 79.7 |
| New Hampshire | 43.2 | 84.7 |
| New Jersey | 37.2 | 79.8 |
| New Mexico | 38.3 | 77.3 |
| New York | 34.0 | 78.6 |
| North Carolina | 35.6 | 80.5 |
| North Dakota | 56.0 | 85.8 |
| Ohio | 35.9 | 80.5 |
| Oklahoma | 37.7 | 80.4 |
| Oregon | 41.2 | 79.5 |
| Pennsylvania | 35.3 | 81.2 |
| Puerto Rico | 21.8 | 59.9 |
| Rhode Island | 37.2 | 82.4 |
| South Carolina | 30.0 | 79.3 |
| South Dakota | 46.4 | 86.2 |
| Tennessee | 32.3 | 79.9 |
| Texas | 38.7 | 78.5 |
| Utah | 49.5 | 80.9 |
| Vermont | 46.7 | 85.4 |
| Virginia | 37.7 | 82.3 |
| Washington | 40.9 | 80.6 |
| West Virginia | 26.6 | 76.3 |
| Wisconsin | 43.2 | 83.6 |
| Wyoming | 49.9 | 86.0 |
This section addresses the prevalence of disability among non-institutionalized people ages 5 and older in the United States, using data from the 2007 American Community Survey (ACS). For definitions of terms, see Glossary.
| Disability Type | Percent | MOE | Number | MOE | Base Pop. | Sample Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any Disability | 14.9 | 0.0 | 41,306,000 | 117,300 | 276,758,000 | 2,765,433 |
| Sensory | 4.2 | 0.0 | 11,696,000 | 65,900 | 276,758,000 | 2,765,433 |
| Physical | 9.4 | 0.0 | 25,930,000 | 95,600 | 276,758,000 | 2,765,433 |
| Mental | 5.8 | 0.0 | 16,021,000 | 76,500 | 276,758,000 | 2,765,433 |
| Self-Care | 3.0 | 0.0 | 8,382,000 | 56,100 | 276,758,000 | 2,765,433 |
| Go-Outside-Home | 5.4 | 0.0 | 12,631,000 | 68,300 | 232,329,000 | 2,331,218 |
| Employment | 7.1 | 0.0 | 13,826,000 | 71,300 | 196,103,000 | 1,895,941 |
* Note: Go-Outside-Home disability question only asked of persons aged 16 year old and older. Employment disability only includes persons aged 16-64.
This section focuses on the prevalence of disability among non-institutionalized children ages 5 to 15 in the United States, using data from the 2007 American Community Survey (ACS). For definitions of terms, see Glossary.
| Disability Type | Percent | MOE | Number | MOE | Base Pop. | Sample Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any Disability | 6.3 | 0.1 | 2,786,000 | 32,600 | 44,429,000 | 434,215 |
| Sensory | 1.1 | 3.3 | 489,000 | 13,700 | 44,429,000 | 434,215 |
| Physical | 1.1 | 3.3 | 508,000 | 14,000 | 44,429,000 | 434,215 |
| Mental | 5.1 | 0.1 | 2,260,000 | 29,400 | 44,429,000 | 434,215 |
| Self-Care | 0.9 | 3.3 | 401,000 | 12,400 | 44,429,000 | 434,215 |
This section focuses on the prevalence of disability among non-institutionalized children ages 16 to 20 in the United States, using data from the 2007 American Community Survey (ACS). For definitions of terms, see Glossary.
| Disability Type | Percent | MOE | Number | MOE | Base Pop. | Sample Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any Disability | 6.8 | 0.1 | 1,496,000 | 24,000 | 21,897,000 | 203,326 |
| Sensory | 1.3 | 3.3 | 283,000 | 10,400 | 21,897,000 | 203,326 |
| Physical | 1.6 | 3.3 | 350,000 | 11,600 | 21,897,000 | 203,326 |
| Mental | 4.6 | 0.1 | 1,018,000 | 19,800 | 21,897,000 | 203,326 |
| Self-Care | 0.7 | 3.3 | 156,000 | 7,800 | 21,897,000 | 203,326 |
| Go-Outside-Home | 1.6 | 3.3 | 345,000 | 11,500 | 21,897,000 | 203,326 |
| Employment | 2.4 | 0.1 | 529,000 | 14,300 | 21,897,000 | 203,326 |
This section focuses on the prevalence of disability among non-institutionalized working-age people (ages 21 to 64) in the United States, using data from the 2007 American Community Survey (ACS). For definitions of terms, see Glossary.
| Disability Type | Percent | MOE | Number | MOE | Base Pop. | Sample Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any Disability | 12.8 | 0.1 | 22,295,000 | 89,200 | 174,206,000 | 1,692,615 |
| Sensory | 2.9 | 0.0 | 5,033,000 | 43,700 | 174,206,000 | 1,692,615 |
| Physical | 7.9 | 0.0 | 13,789,000 | 71,200 | 174,206,000 | 1,692,615 |
| Mental | 4.7 | 0.0 | 8,273,000 | 55,700 | 174,206,000 | 1,692,615 |
| Self-Care | 2.3 | 0.0 | 4,056,000 | 39,300 | 174,206,000 | 1,692,615 |
| Go-Outside-Home | 3.4 | 0.0 | 5,931,000 | 47,400 | 174,206,000 | 1,692,615 |
| Employment | 7.6 | 0.0 | 13,297,000 | 70,000 | 174,206,000 | 1,692,615 |
This section explores the prevalence of disability among non-institutionalized people ages 65 to 74 in the United States, using data from the 2007 American Community Survey (ACS). For definitions of terms, see Glossary.
| Disability Type | Percent | MOE | Number | MOE | Base Pop. | Sample Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any Disability | 29.7 | 0.2 | 5,667,000 | 46,300 | 19,104,000 | 233,783 |
| Sensory | 9.7 | 0.1 | 1,851,000 | 26,600 | 19,104,000 | 233,783 |
| Physical | 23.0 | 0.2 | 4,391,000 | 40,900 | 19,104,000 | 233,783 |
| Mental | 7.5 | 0.1 | 1,432,000 | 23,400 | 19,104,000 | 233,783 |
| Self-Care | 6.0 | 0.1 | 1,140,000 | 20,900 | 19,104,000 | 233,783 |
| Go-Outside-Home | 9.1 | 0.1 | 1,736,000 | 25,800 | 19,104,000 | 233,783 |
This section focuses on the prevalence of disability among non-institutionalized people ages 75 and older in the United States, using data from the 2007 American Community Survey (ACS). For definitions of terms, see Glossary.
| Disability Type | Percent | MOE | Number | MOE | Base Pop. | Sample Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any Disability | 52.9 | 0.2 | 9,063,000 | 58,200 | 17,122,000 | 201,494 |
| Sensory | 23.6 | 0.2 | 4,042,000 | 39,200 | 17,122,000 | 201,494 |
| Physical | 40.3 | 0.2 | 6,893,000 | 51,000 | 17,122,000 | 201,494 |
| Mental | 17.8 | 0.2 | 3,039,000 | 34,100 | 17,122,000 | 201,494 |
| Self-Care | 15.4 | 0.2 | 2,629,000 | 31,700 | 17,122,000 | 201,494 |
| Go-Outside-Home | 27.0 | 0.2 | 4,620,000 | 41,900 | 17,122,000 | 201,494 |
This section examines the prevalence of disability among people by gender and age group in the United States, using data from the 2007 American Community Survey (ACS). For definitions of terms, see Glossary. Quick Statistics
| Gender & Age | Percent | MOE | Number | MOE | Base Pop. | Sample Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Males: Ages 5+ | 14.3 | 0.1 | 19,375,000 | 83,600 | 135,398,000 | 1,330,278 |
| Males: Ages 5-15 | 7.8 | 0.1 | 1,775,000 | 26,100 | 22,723,000 | 222,071 |
| Males: Ages 16-20 | 7.9 | 0.2 | 884,000 | 18,400 | 11,242,000 | 103,827 |
| Males: Ages 21-64 | 12.6 | 0.1 | 10,829,000 | 63,500 | 85,964,000 | 814,326 |
| Males: Ages 65-74 | 29.2 | 0.3 | 2,565,000 | 31,300 | 8,775,000 | 108,530 |
| Males: Ages 75+ | 49.6 | 0.4 | 3,322,000 | 35,600 | 6,694,000 | 81,524 |
| Females: Ages 5+ | 15.5 | 0.1 | 21,931,000 | 88,600 | 141,360,000 | 1,435,155 |
| Females: Ages 5-15 | 4.7 | 0.1 | 1,011,000 | 19,700 | 21,706,000 | 212,144 |
| Females: Ages 16-20 | 5.7 | 0.1 | 611,000 | 15,300 | 10,655,000 | 99,499 |
| Females: Ages 21-64 | 13.0 | 0.1 | 11,466,000 | 65,200 | 88,242,000 | 878,289 |
| Females: Ages 65-74 | 30.0 | 0.3 | 3,103,000 | 34,400 | 10,329,000 | 125,253 |
| Females: Ages 75+ | 55.1 | 0.3 | 5,740,000 | 46,600 | 10,428,000 | 119,970 |
This section examines the prevalence of disability among people by Hispanic/Latino origin and age group in the United States, using data from the 2007 American Community Survey (ACS). For definitions of terms, see Glossary.
| Hispanic/Latino Origin & Age | Percent | MOE | Number | MOE | Base Pop. | Sample Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic: Ages 5+ | 10.7 | 0.1 | 4,264,000 | 40,300 | 39,965,000 | 329,444 |
| Hispanic: Ages 5-15 | 5.0 | 0.1 | 447,000 | 13,100 | 8,907,000 | 77,592 |
| Hispanic: Ages 16-20 | 5.8 | 0.2 | 218,000 | 9,200 | 3,771,000 | 31,991 |
| Hispanic: Ages 21-64 | 10.0 | 0.1 | 2,492,000 | 30,900 | 24,876,000 | 197,149 |
| Hispanic: Ages 65-74 | 36.3 | 0.8 | 514,000 | 14,100 | 1,418,000 | 13,619 |
| Hispanic: Ages 75+ | 59.6 | 1.0 | 592,000 | 15,100 | 993,000 | 9,093 |
| Non-Hispanic: Ages 5+ | 15.6 | 0.1 | 37,042,000 | 112,000 | 236,793,000 | 2,435,989 |
| Non-Hispanic: Ages 5-15 | 6.6 | 0.1 | 2,338,000 | 29,900 | 35,522,000 | 356,623 |
| Non-Hispanic: Ages 16-20 | 7.0 | 0.1 | 1,277,000 | 22,200 | 18,126,000 | 171,335 |
| Non-Hispanic: Ages 21-64 | 13.3 | 0.1 | 19,803,000 | 84,500 | 149,330,000 | 1,495,466 |
| Non-Hispanic: Ages 65-74 | 29.1 | 0.2 | 5,153,000 | 44,200 | 17,686,000 | 220,164 |
| Non-Hispanic: Ages 75+ | 52.5 | 0.2 | 8,470,000 | 56,400 | 16,129,000 | 192,401 |
This section presents the disability prevalence rate among non-institutionalized working-age people (ages 21 to 64) by race category in the US, using data from the 2007 American Community Survey (ACS). For definitions of terms, see Glossary.
In 2007, among working-age people in the US:
| Race | Percent | MOE | Number | MOE | Base Pop. | Sample Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White | 12.6 | 0.1 | 16,400,000 | 77,300 | 130,401,000 | 1,334,007 |
| Black/African American | 17.0 | 0.2 | 3,475,000 | 36,400 | 20,423,000 | 156,556 |
| Native American | 22.5 | 0.7 | 304,000 | 10,800 | 1,354,000 | 14,457 |
| Asian | 6.3 | 0.2 | 532,000 | 14,300 | 8,508,000 | 79,047 |
| Some other race(s) | 11.7 | 0.2 | 1,584,000 | 24,700 | 13,521,000 | 108,548 |
This section examines the employment rates of non-institutionalized working-age people (ages 21 to 64) with disabilities in the United States, using data from the 2007 American Community Survey (ACS). For definitions of terms, see Glossary.
| Disability Type | Percent | MOE | Number | MOE | Base Pop. | Sample Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No Disability | 79.7 | 0.1 | 121,145,000 | 167,000 | 151,911,000 | 1,471,385 |
| Any Disability | 36.9 | 0.2 | 8,229,000 | 56,000 | 22,295,000 | 221,230 |
| Sensory | 46.4 | 0.4 | 2,337,000 | 30,000 | 5,033,000 | 49,074 |
| Physical | 31.3 | 0.3 | 4,314,000 | 41,000 | 13,789,000 | 139,293 |
| Mental | 28.0 | 0.3 | 2,316,000 | 30,000 | 8,273,000 | 78,734 |
| Self-Care | 16.7 | 0.4 | 678,000 | 16,000 | 4,056,000 | 40,153 |
| Go-Outside-Home | 16.6 | 0.3 | 984,000 | 19,000 | 5,931,000 | 58,186 |
| Employment | 17.0 | 0.2 | 2,263,000 | 29,000 | 13,297,000 | 133,781 |
This section focuses on the percentage of non-institutionalized working-age people (ages 21 to 64) with disabilities in the United States who are not working but actively looking for work, using data from the 2007 American Community Survey (ACS). For definitions of terms, see Glossary.
| Disability Type | Percent | MOE | Number | MOE | Base Pop. | Sample Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No Disability | 20.1 | 0.14 | 6,198,000 | 48,400 | 30,766,000 | 300,819 |
| Any Disability | 8.4 | 0.15 | 1,188,000 | 21,400 | 14,066,000 | 139,997 |
| Sensory | 8.8 | 0.34 | 237,000 | 9,600 | 2,696,000 | 26,081 |
| Physical | 6.4 | 0.16 | 605,000 | 15,300 | 9,475,000 | 96,283 |
| Mental | 7.9 | 0.22 | 468,000 | 13,400 | 5,957,000 | 57,051 |
| Self-Care | 3.3 | 0.19 | 113,000 | 6,600 | 3,378,000 | 33,508 |
| Go-Outside-Home | 3.6 | 0.16 | 178,000 | 8,300 | 4,947,000 | 48,531 |
| Employment | 5.3 | 0.13 | 589,000 | 15,100 | 11,034,000 | 111,174 |
This section presents the percentage of non-institutionalized working-age people (ages 21 to 64) with disabilities working full-time/full-year in the United States, using data from the 2007 American Community Survey (ACS). For definitions of terms, see Glossary.
| Disability Type | Percent | MOE | Number | MOE | Base Pop. | Sample Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No Disability | 56.7 | 0.1 | 86,196,000 | 180,000 | 151,911,000 | 1,471,385 |
| Any Disability | 21.2 | 0.2 | 4,723,000 | 49,000 | 22,295,000 | 221,230 |
| Sensory | 30.6 | 0.5 | 1,538,000 | 28,000 | 5,033,000 | 49,074 |
| Physical | 17.7 | 0.2 | 2,436,000 | 36,000 | 13,789,000 | 139,293 |
| Mental | 13.0 | 0.3 | 1,079,000 | 24,000 | 8,273,000 | 78,734 |
| Self-Care | 7.9 | 0.3 | 319,000 | 13,000 | 4,056,000 | 40,153 |
| Go-Outside-Home | 6.9 | 0.2 | 409,000 | 15,000 | 5,931,000 | 58,186 |
| Employment | 7.2 | 0.2 | 957,000 | 22,000 | 13,297,000 | 133,781 |
This section examines the median annual earnings of non-institutionalized working-age people (ages 21 to 64) with disabilities who work full-time/full-year in the United States, using data from the 2007 American Community Survey (ACS). For definitions of terms, see Glossary. Comparisons to the 2006 Disability Status Report are not advisable due to the inclusion of self employment income.
| Disability Type | Median Earnings | Margin of Error | Base Population | Sample Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No Disability | $40,700 | $100 | 86,196,000 | 822,122 |
| Any Disability | $34,200 | $340 | 4,723,000 | 46,701 |
| Sensory | $35,600 | $680 | 1,538,000 | 15,175 |
| Physical | $34,600 | $480 | 2,436,000 | 24,238 |
| Mental | $30,500 | $620 | 1,079,000 | 10,219 |
| Self-Care | $33,800 | $1,430 | 319,000 | 3,152 |
| Go-Outside-Home | $31,500 | $1,210 | 409,000 | 4,083 |
| Employment | $32,500 | $790 | 957,000 | 9,436 |
This section illustrates the median annual income† of households that include any working-age people (ages 21 to 64) with disabilities in the United States, using data from the 2007 American Community Survey (ACS). For definitions of terms, see Glossary. Comparisons to the 2006 Disability Status Report are not advisable due to changes in the household income calculation.
† Note: Household income is not available for persons living in group quarters.
| Disability Type | Median Earnings | Margin of Error | Base Population | Sample Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No Disability | $61,000 | $200 | 76,108,000 | 761,455 |
| Any Disability | $38,400 | $320 | 17,788,000 | 187,369 |
| Sensory | $41,200 | $670 | 4,400,000 | 45,474 |
| Physical | $36,600 | $380 | 11,626,000 | 123,252 |
| Mental | $31,500 | $470 | 6,602,000 | 68,775 |
| Self-Care | $32,400 | $650 | 3,400,000 | 36,397 |
| Go-Outside-Home | $31,900 | $550 | 4,823,000 | 51,893 |
| Employment | $32,200 | $370 | 10,881,000 | 117,558 |
† Note: Household income is not available for persons living in group quarters.
This section examines the poverty rates† of non-institutionalized working-age people (ages 21 to 64) with disabilities in Delaware, using data from the 2007 American Community Survey (ACS). For definitions of terms, see Glossary.
† Caution: The Census Bureau does not calculate poverty status for those people living in military group quarters or college dormitories.
| Disability Type | Percent | MOE | Number | MOE | Base Pop. | Sample Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No Disability | 9.0 | 0.1 | 13,593,000 | 100,000 | 151,287,000 | 1,466,083 |
| Any Disability | 24.7 | 0.3 | 5,496,000 | 65,000 | 22,253,000 | 220,838 |
| Sensory | 22.1 | 0.5 | 1,109,000 | 29,000 | 5,023,000 | 48,973 |
| Physical | 25.4 | 0.3 | 3,495,000 | 52,000 | 13,775,000 | 139,168 |
| Mental | 31.7 | 0.5 | 2,612,000 | 45,000 | 8,249,000 | 78,519 |
| Self-Care | 30.6 | 0.6 | 1,239,000 | 31,000 | 4,055,000 | 40,136 |
| Go-Outside-Home | 31.1 | 0.5 | 1,842,000 | 38,000 | 5,929,000 | 58,166 |
| Employment | 30.0 | 0.4 | 3,985,000 | 55,000 | 13,294,000 | 133,734 |
† Caution: The Census Bureau does not calculate poverty status for those people living in military group quarters or college dormitories.
This section focuses on the percentage of non-institutionalized working-age people (ages 21 to 64) with disabilities who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments in the United States, using data from the 2007 American Community Survey (ACS). For definitions of terms, see Glossary. Please note that these results will differ from official Social Security Administration reports for several reasons. For additional information, please email DisabilityStatistics@cornell.edu.
| Disability Type | Percent | MOE | Number | MOE | Base Pop. | Sample Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any Disability | 17.1 | 0.2 | 3,818,000 | 41,000 | 22,295,000 | 221,230 |
| Sensory | 14.7 | 0.3 | 741,000 | 18,000 | 5,033,000 | 49,074 |
| Physical | 17.8 | 0.2 | 2,454,000 | 33,000 | 13,789,000 | 139,293 |
| Mental | 25.7 | 0.3 | 2,124,000 | 31,000 | 8,273,000 | 78,734 |
| Self-Care | 26.9 | 0.5 | 1,091,000 | 22,000 | 4,056,000 | 40,153 |
| Go-Outside-Home | 29.2 | 0.4 | 1,731,000 | 28,000 | 5,931,000 | 58,186 |
| Employment | 24.5 | 0.3 | 3,253,000 | 38,000 | 13,297,000 | 133,781 |
This section explores the percentage of non-institutionalized working-age people (ages 21 to 64) with disabilities with only a high school diploma or equivalent in the United States, using data from the 2007 American Community Survey (ACS). For definitions of terms, see Glossary.
| Disability Type | Percent | MOE | Number | MOE | Base Pop. | Sample Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No Disability | 28.1 | 0.1 | 42,730,000 | 159,000 | 151,911,000 | 1,471,385 |
| Any Disability | 35.3 | 0.3 | 7,872,000 | 73,000 | 22,295,000 | 221,230 |
| Sensory | 34.1 | 0.6 | 1,715,000 | 34,000 | 5,033,000 | 49,074 |
| Physical | 35.5 | 0.3 | 4,894,000 | 57,000 | 13,789,000 | 139,293 |
| Mental | 35.0 | 0.4 | 2,893,000 | 44,000 | 8,273,000 | 78,734 |
| Self-Care | 34.8 | 0.6 | 1,410,000 | 31,000 | 4,056,000 | 40,153 |
| Go-Outside-Home | 35.1 | 0.5 | 2,080,000 | 38,000 | 5,931,000 | 58,186 |
| Employment | 36.2 | 0.4 | 4,815,000 | 57,000 | 13,297,000 | 133,781 |
This section examines the percentage of non-institutionalized working-age people (ages 21 to 64) with disabilities with only some college or an Associate's degree in the United States, using data from the 2007 American Community Survey (ACS). For definitions of terms, see Glossary.
| Disability Type | Percent | MOE | Number | MOE | Base Pop. | Sample Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No Disability | 30.2 | 0.1 | 45,869,000 | 163,000 | 151,911,000 | 1,471,385 |
| Any Disability | 27.9 | 0.3 | 6,219,000 | 65,000 | 22,295,000 | 221,230 |
| Sensory | 27.5 | 0.5 | 1,382,000 | 31,000 | 5,033,000 | 49,074 |
| Physical | 28.4 | 0.3 | 3,914,000 | 51,000 | 13,789,000 | 139,293 |
| Mental | 24.8 | 0.4 | 2,053,000 | 37,000 | 8,273,000 | 78,734 |
| Self-Care | 25.8 | 0.6 | 1,046,000 | 27,000 | 4,056,000 | 40,153 |
| Go-Outside-Home | 23.8 | 0.5 | 1,409,000 | 31,000 | 5,931,000 | 58,186 |
| Employment | 25.9 | 0.3 | 3,438,000 | 48,000 | 13,297,000 | 133,781 |
This section presents the percentage of non-institutionalized working-age people (ages 21 to 64) with disabilities with a Bachelor's degree or more in the United States, using data from the 2007 American Community Survey (ACS). For definitions of terms, see Glossary.
| Disability Type | Percent | MOE | Number | MOE | Base Pop. | Sample Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No Disability | 30.8 | 0.1 | 46,800,000 | 165,000 | 151,911,000 | 1,471,385 |
| Any Disability | 12.5 | 0.2 | 2,796,000 | 44,000 | 22,295,000 | 221,230 |
| Sensory | 14.1 | 0.4 | 708,000 | 22,000 | 5,033,000 | 49,074 |
| Physical | 11.7 | 0.2 | 1,618,000 | 33,000 | 13,789,000 | 139,293 |
| Mental | 9.5 | 0.3 | 790,000 | 23,000 | 8,273,000 | 78,734 |
| Self-Care | 10.7 | 0.4 | 436,000 | 17,000 | 4,056,000 | 40,153 |
| Go-Outside-Home | 9.9 | 0.3 | 585,000 | 20,000 | 5,931,000 | 58,186 |
| Employment | 10.1 | 0.2 | 1,344,000 | 30,000 | 13,297,000 | 133,781 |
Actively Looking for Work: A person is defined as actively looking for work if he or she reports looking for work during the last four weeks.
Base Population (Base Pop.): The estimated number of individuals upon which the calculation is based. (For percentages, this is the denominator.)
Disability and Disability Types: The ACS definition of disability is based on three questions. (1) Does this person have any of the following long-lasting conditions: (a) blindness, deafness, or a severe vision or hearing impairment? [Sensory Disability]; (b) a condition that substantially limits one or more basic physical activities such as walking, climbing stairs, reaching, lifting, or carrying? [Physical Disability] (2) Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition lasting six months or more, does this person have any difficulty in doing any of the following activities: (a) learning, remembering, or concentrating? [Mental Disability]; (b) dressing, bathing, or getting around inside the home? [Self-Care Disability] (3) Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition lasting six months or more, does this person have any difficulty in doing any of the following activities [asked of persons ages 16 and older]: (a) going outside the home alone to shop or visit a doctor's office? [Go-Outside-Home Disability]; (b) working at a job or business? [Employment Disability]. A person is coded as having a disability if he or she or a proxy respondent answers affirmatively for one or more of these six categories.
Earnings: Earnings are defined as wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, or tips from all jobs including self-employment income (NET income after business expenses) from own nonfarm businesses or farm businesses, including proprietorships and partnerships.
Education: Our definition is based on the responses to the question: "What is the highest level of schooling this person has completed? If currently enrolled, mark the previous grade or highest degree received." Our category "high school diploma/equivalent" includes those marking the ACS option "HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE — high school DIPLOMA or the equivalent (for example: GED)." Our category "some college or an Associate's degree" includes those marking the ACS options: some college credit, but less than one year; one or more years of college but no degree, or "Associate's degree (for example: AA, AS)." Our category "a Bachelor's or more" includes those marking the ACS options: "Bachelor's degree (for example: BA, AB, BS)"; "Master's degree (for example: MA, MS, MEng, Med, MSW, MBA)"; "Professional degree (for example: MD, DDS, DVM, LLB, JD)"; or "Doctorate degree (for example: PhD, EdD)."
Employment: A person is considered employed if he or she (a) worked as a paid employee, worked in his or her own business or profession, worked on his or her own farm, or worked 15 or more hours as an unpaid worker on a family farm or business, or (b) had a job but temporarily did not work at that job during the reference period due to illness, bad weather, industrial dispute, vacation or other personal reasons. The reference period is defined as the week preceding the date the questionnaire was completed.
Employment Disability: This disability type is based on the question asked of persons ages 16 and older: Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition lasting six months or more, does this person have any difficulty in doing any of the following activities: (b) working at a job or business?
Full-Time/Full-Year Employment: A person is considered employed full-time/full-year if he or she worked 35 hours or more per week (full-time) and 50 or more weeks per year (full-year). The reference period is defined as the year preceding the date the questionnaire was completed. Note: this does not signify whether a person is eligible for fringe benefits.
Go-Outside-Home Disability: This disability type is based on the question asked of persons ages 16 and older: Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition lasting six months or more, does this person have any difficulty in doing any of the following activities: (a) going outside the home alone to shop or visit a doctor's office?
Group Quarters (GQ): A GQ is a place where people live or stay that is normally owned or managed by an entity or organization providing housing and/or services for the residents. These services may include custodial or medical care as well as other types of assistance, and residency is commonly restricted to those receiving these services. People living in group quarters are usually not related to each other. Group quarters include such places as college residence halls, residential treatment centers, skilled nursing facilities, group homes, military barracks, correctional facilities, and workers' dormitories. See the definitions of institutional GQs and non-institutional GQs for more information. In addition, a description of the types of group quarters included in the 2007 ACS is located on the U.S. Census Bureau's Web site at http://www.census.gov/acs/www/Downloads/2007_ACS_GQ_Definitions.pdf.
Hispanic or Latino Origin: People of Hispanic or Latino origin are those who classify themselves in a specific Hispanic or Latino category in response to the question, "Is this person Spanish/Hispanic/Latino?" Specifically, those of Hispanic or Latino origin are those who are Cuban; Mexican, Mexican American, Chicano; Puerto Rican; or other Spanish/Hispanic/Latino. Origin may be the heritage, nationality group, lineage, or country of birth of the person or the person's parents or ancestors before their arrival in the United States. People who identify their origin as Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino may be of any race.
Household Income: Household Income is defined as the total income of a household including: wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, or tips from all jobs; self-employment income (NET income after business expenses) from own non-farm or farm businesses, including proprietorships and partnerships; interest, dividends, net rental income, royalty income, or income from real estates and trusts; Social Security or Railroad Retirement; Supplemental Security Income; any public assistance or welfare payments from the state or local welfare office; retirement, survivor or disability pensions; and any other regularly received income (e.g., Veterans' payments, unemployment compensation, child support or alimony). Median household income is calculated with the household as the unit of analysis, using household weights without adjusting for household size.
Institutional Group Quarters (GQs): Includes facilities for people under formally authorized, supervised care or custody at the time of enumeration. Generally, restricted to the institution, under the care or supervision of trained staff, and classified as "patients" or "inmates." Includes: correctional, nursing, and in-patient hospice facilities, psychiatric hospitals, juvenile group homes and residential treatment centers.
Margin of Error (MOE): Data, such as data from the American Community Survey, is based on a sample, and therefore statistics derived from this data are subject to sampling variability. The margin of error (MOE) is a measure of the degree of sampling variability. In a random sample, the degree of sampling variation is determined by the underlying variability of the phenomena being estimated (e.g., income) and the size of the sample (i.e., the number of survey participants used to calculate the statistic). The smaller the margin of error, the lower the sampling variability and the more "precise" the estimate. A margin of error is the difference between an estimate and its upper or lower confidence bounds. Confidence bounds are calculated by adding the MOE to the estimate (upper bound) and subtracting the MOE from the estimate (lower bound). All margins of error in this report are based on a 90 percent confidence level. This means that there is a 90% certainty that the actual value lies somewhere between the upper and lower confidence bounds.
Mental Disability: This disability type is based on the question: Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition lasting six months or more, does this person have any difficulty in doing any of the following activities: (a) learning, remembering, or concentrating?
Non-Institutional Group Quarters (GQs): Includes facilities that are not classified as institutional group quarters; such as college/university housing, group homes intended for adults, residential treatment facilities for adults, workers' group living quarters and Job Corps centers and religious group quarters.
Not Working but Actively Looking for Work: A person is defined as not working but actively looking for work if he or she reports not being employed but has been looking for work during the last four weeks.
Number: This term appears in the tables; it refers to estimated number of people in the category. (For percentages, this is the numerator.)
Physical Disability: This disability type is based on the question: Does this person have any of the following long-lasting conditions: (b) a condition that substantially limits one or more basic physical activities such as walking, climbing stairs, reaching, lifting, or carrying?
Poverty: The poverty measure is computed based upon the standards defined in Directive 14 from the Office of Management and Budget. These standards use poverty thresholds created in 1982 and index these thresholds to 2007 dollars using poverty factors based upon the Consumer Price Index. They use the family as the income sharing unit and family income is the sum of total income from each family member living in the household. The poverty threshold depends upon the size of the family; the age of the householder; and the number of related children under the age of 18.
Race: Our race categories are based on the question, "[w]hat is this person's race? Mark (X) one or more races to indicate what this person considers himself/herself to be." Responses include the following: White; Black or African-American; American Indian or Alaska Native (print name of enrolled or principal tribe); Asian Indian; Chinese; Filipino; Japanese; Korean; Vietnamese; Other Asian (Print Race); Native Hawaiian; Guamanian or Chamarro; Samoan; Other Pacific Islander (Print Race Below); Some other race (print race below). Other race also contains people who report more than one race.
Sample Size: The number of survey participants used to calculate the statistic.
Self-Care Disability: This disability type is based on the question: Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition lasting six months or more, does this person have any difficulty in doing any of the following activities: (b) dressing, bathing, or getting around inside the home?
Sensory Disability: This disability type is based on the question: Does this person have any of the following long-lasting conditions: (a) blindness, deafness, or a severe vision or hearing impairment?
Supplemental Security Income (SSI): A person is defined as receiving SSI payments if he or she reports receiving SSI income in the 12 months prior to the survey.
The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Demographics and Statistics (StatsRRTC) bridges the divide between the sources of disability data and the users of disability statistics. We conduct research exploring the reliability of existing data sources and collection methods, and study the potential to improve current and future data collection efforts.
The StatsRRTC is an interdisciplinary effort of two organizations at Cornell University: the Employment and Disability Institute, and the Department of Policy Analysis and Management. In addition, expertise is drawn from the following collaborating institutions: American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), Center for an Accessible Society, InfoUse, and Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.
The StatsRRTC is funded by the U.S. Department of Education, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (No. H133B031111). The contents of this paper do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government (Edgar, 75.620 (b)).
Susanne M. Bruyere: Director, Employment and Disability Institute, School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Extension Division, Cornell University
Richard V. Burkhauser: Sarah Gibson Blanding Professor, Department of Policy Analysis and Management, College of Human Ecology, Cornell University
David C. Stapleton: Mathmatica Policy Research, Center for Disability Policy
Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Demographics and Statistics Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853
Phone: 607.255.7727
Email: disabilitystatistics@cornell.edu
Web: www.disabilitystatistics.org