CB11-FF.14

May 31, 2011

Anniversary of Americans with 

Disabilities Act: July 26

This day marks the 21st anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which 

guarantees equal opportunity for people with disabilities in public accommodations, commercial 

facilities, employment, transportation, state and local government services and

telecommunications.

Population Distribution

36 million

Number of people who have a disability. They represent 12 percent of the civilian 

noninstitutionalized population.

By age —

• 5 percent of children 5 to 17 have disabilities.

• 10 percent of people 18 to 64 have disabilities.

• 37 percent of adults 65 and older have disabilities.

Source: 2009 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov>

12.3%

Percentage of females with a disability, compared with 11.6 percent of males.

Source: 2009 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov>

18.8%

Percentage of people with a disability in West Virginia, highest of all states. Utah has the lowest 

with 8.9 percent of its residents reporting a disability.

Source: 2009 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov>

Specific Disabilities

10.2 million

Number of people who have a hearing difficulty. Of these, 5.8 million are 65 and older.

Source: 2009 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov>
6.5 million

Number of people with a vision difficulty. 

Source: 2009 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov>

13.5 million

Number of people 5 and older who have difficulty concentrating, remembering or making 

decisions. Of these, 2.1 million are children 5 to 17 years of age.

Source: 2009 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov>

19.4 million

Number of people 5 and older who have difficulty walking or climbing stairs. 

Source: 2009 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov>

On the Job

6%

Percentage of disabled workers 16 and older who use public transportation to commute to work.

In addition, 70 percent of people with a disability drive alone, 13 percent carpool, 4 percent walk

and 3 percent use a taxicab, motorcycle, bicycle or other means. 

Source: 2009 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov>

22%

Percentage of disabled workers 16 and older who work in the educational services and health 

care and social assistance industries, the highest of any industry.

Source: 2009 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov>

Income and Poverty

21%

Percent of the population age 16 and older with a disability that are below the poverty level. 

Eleven percent of the population age 16 and older without a disability are below the poverty 

level.

Source: 2009 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov>

72%

Percentage of disabled people 16 and older who are not in the labor force. Twenty-seven percent 

of people without a disability are not in the labor force.

Source: 2009 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov>

$18,865

Median earnings of the population age 16 and older with a disability, this compares with $28,983 

for the population without a disability.

Source: 2009 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov>
Serving Our Nation

$35.3 billion

Amount of compensation veterans received for service-connected disabilities in fiscal year 2008. 

Source: Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2011, Table 521

<http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/>

Education

28%

Percentage of people 25 and older with a disability who have less than a high school graduate 

education. This compares with 12 percent for those with no disability.

Source: 2009 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov>

13% 

Percentage of people 25 and older with a disability who have a bachelor’s degree or higher. This 

compares with 31 percent for those with no disability. 

Source: 2009 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov>

Following is a list of observances typically covered by the Census Bureau’s Facts for Features

series:

African-American History Month (February) Labor Day 

Super Bowl Grandparents Day 

Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14) Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15)

Women’s History Month (March) Unmarried and Single Americans Week 

Irish-American Heritage Month (March)/ Halloween (Oct. 31)

 St. Patrick’s Day (March 17) American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month

Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month (May) (November) 

Older Americans Month (May) Veterans Day (Nov. 11)

Cinco de Mayo (May 5) Thanksgiving Day 

Mother’s Day The Holiday Season (December) 

Hurricane Season Begins (June 1)

Father’s Day 

The Fourth of July (July 4)

Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act (July 26)

Back to School (August)

Editor’s note: The preceding data were collected from a variety of sources and may be subject to sampling 

variability and other sources of error. Facts for Features are customarily released about two months before an 

observance in order to accommodate magazine production timelines. Questions or comments should be directed to 

the Census Bureau’s Public Information Office: telephone: 301-763-3030; fax: 301-763-3762; or e-mail: 

<pio@census.gov>.