Frequently Asked Questions
US Census Bureau Facts About Disability
Celebrating the 15th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act
On July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed into law the Americans with Disabilities Act, guaranteeing equal opportunity for people with disabilities in public accommodations, commercial facilities, employment, transportation, state and local government services and telecommunications.
Population Distribution
37.5 million -- Number of people age 5 and over in the civilian noninstitutionalized population with at least one disability, representing 14 percent. These individuals fit at least one of the following descriptions: they are 5 years old or older and have a sensory, physical, mental or self-care disability; they are 16 years old or older and have difficulty going outside the home; or they are 16 to 64 years old and have an employment disability.
By Age and Sex
8 percent of boys and 4 percent of girls ages 5 to 15 have disabilities.
12 percent of men and 11 percent of women ages 16 to 64 have disabilities. This apparent difference is not statistically significant.
42 percent of women and 38 percent of men 65 or older have disabilities.
42% -- Percentage of working-age men (21 to 64) with disabilities who are employed. For women, the rate is 34 percent. Altogether, 4.0 million men and 3.5 million women with disabilities are employed.
847,000 -- Number of people ages 18 to 34 who have disabilities and are enrolled in school. They comprise 5 percent of all students in this age group. The majority of this group (567,000) attend college or graduate school. For further information on the data appearing in the Population Distribution section, see U.S. Census Bureau - Disability - 2003 American Community Survey (ACS) 
(www.census.gov/hhes/www/disability/2003acs.html).
Specific Disabilities
10.8 million -- The number of people age 5 or older with a sensory disability involving sight or hearing. This group accounts for 4.1 percent of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 5 or older.
23.6 million -- The number of people age 5 or older with a condition limiting basic physical activities, such as walking, climbing stairs, reaching, lifting or carrying. This group accounts for 9.0 percent of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 5 or older.
13.5 million -- The number of people age 5 or older with a physical, mental or emotional condition causing difficulty in learning, remembering or concentrating. This group accounts for 5.1 percent of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 5 or older.
7.0 million -- Number of people age 5 or older who have a physical, mental or emotional condition causing difficulty in dressing, bathing or moving around inside the home. This group accounts for 2.7 percent of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 5 or older.
10.7 million -- Number of people age 16 or older who have a condition that makes it difficult to go outside the home to shop or visit a doctor. This group accounts for 4.9 percent of civilian noninstitutionalized people who are of this age.
11.8 million -- a Number of people ages 16 to 64 who have a condition that affects their ability to work at a job or business. They account for 6.4 percent of civilian noninstitutionalized people in this age group. For further information on the data appearing in the Specific Disabilities section, see U.S. Census Bureau - Disability - 2003 American Community Survey (ACS) (www.census.gov/hhes/www/disability/2003acs.html).
Earnings and Education
$33,109 -- According to the March 2001 supplement to the Current Population Survey, these are the mean earnings in 2000 of year-round, full-time workers 16 to 64 with work disabilities. By comparison, those without work disabilities earned an average of $43,269.
72 percent -- Percentage of people 16 to 64 with work disabilities who had high school diplomas or higher education in 2001.
11 percent -- Percentage of people 16 to 64 with work disabilities who had college degrees or more in 2001.
Serving Our Nation
2.5 million -- Number of veterans who received compensation for service-related disabilities as of 2003. Of these vets, 414,000 served in World War II; 164,000 in Korea; 848,000 in Vietnam; and 476,000 in the Persian Gulf (the data cover service from Aug. 2, 1990 to Sept. 30, 2003). See Table 515 at U.S. Census Bureau - Statistical Abstract of the United States (www.census.gov/prod/www/statistical-abstract-04.html).
