Monthly Labor Review • April 2013 3

Visual Essay: People with a Disability

People with a disability in 2012: a visual essay

Terence M. McMenamin

In 2008, six questions were added to the Current Population Survey (CPS) to identify people with a disability. Th e six disability-related questions were developed 

through the eff orts of multiple federal agencies and 

disability experts over the course of several years. Th e 

questions used by the CPS for measuring disability are 

prefaced by the following:

Th is month we want to learn about people who have 

physical, mental, or emotional conditions that cause serious diffi culty with their daily activities. Please answer 

for household members who are 15 years old or over.

Th is introduction is then followed by the six questions:

1. Is anyone deaf or does anyone have serious diffi culty 

hearing?

2. Is anyone blind or does anyone have serious diffi culty 

seeing even when wearing glasses?

3. Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, does anyone have serious diffi culty concentrating, 

remembering, or making decisions?

4. Does anyone have serious diffi culty walking or climbing stairs?

5. Does anyone have diffi culty dressing or bathing? 

6. Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, 

does anyone have diffi culty doing errands alone such as 

visiting a doctor’s offi ce or shopping?

A response of yes to any of the six questions is required 

to classify a person as having a disability. 

Th e CPS, which is conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau for the Bureau of Labor Statistics, is a monthly 

survey of about 60,000 households that provides information on the labor force status, demographics, and 

other characteristics of the nation’s civilian noninstitutional population ages 16 and over. Th e addition of 

the disability-related questions made such data available for the fi rst time specifi cally about people with a 

disability. More information about the CPS disabilityrelated questions is available online at: http://www.bls.

gov/cps/cpsdisability_faq.htm.

Th is visual essay presents information on the employment status and other labor force characteristics 

of people 16 years and over with a disability in 2012. 

All of the charts present annual average data for 2012. 

Th is essay was prepared by Terence M. McMenamin, 

an economist in the Division of Labor Force Statistics, 

Bureau of Labor Statistics. Email: cpsinfo@bls.gov.
Visual Essay: People with a Disability

4 Monthly Labor Review • April 2013

1. People with a disability are more likely to be ages 65 and over than people with no disability

NOTE: Data are 2012 annual averages for the civilian noninstitutional population ages 16 and over.

SOURCE: Current Population Survey, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

 In 2012, 45.7 percent of people with a disability were ages 65 or older; in contrast, only 13.5 percent of 

people with no disability were in that age group. 

 Among people with a disability, the proportion ages 16 to 24 was 5.0 percent; in contrast, among people 

with no disability, the proportion in that age group was 17.4 percent.

People with no disability

25 to 64 

years

49.3

69.1

13.5 17.4

5.0

45.7

25 to 64 

years

16 to 24 

years

16 to 24 

years

65 years 

and older

[In percent]

People with a disability

65 years 

and older
Monthly Labor Review • April 2013 5

 2. Older people are considerably more likely than younger people to have a disability

Percent with 

a disability

Percent with 

a disability

Ages

50

40

30

20

10

0

50

40

30

20

10

0

NOTE: Data are 2012 annual averages for the civilian noninstitutional population ages 16 and over.

SOURCE: Current Population Survey, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

 Th e primary reason such a large proportion of those with a disability were 65 years and over is because the 

likelihood of having a disability increases dramatically with age.

 Th e proportion of people with a disability was around 5 percent or less for those below 45 years of age. Th is 

proportion rose to about 10 percent among people ages 45 to 54 and continued increasing with age, rising 

to 43 percent among those 75 years and over.

16 to 24 25 to 34 35 to 44 45 to 54 55 to 64 65 to 69 70 to 74 75 and over
Visual Essay: People with a Disability

6 Monthly Labor Review • April 2013

 3. Older people with a disability are more likely to be women

NOTE: Data are 2012 annual averages for the civilian noninstitutional population ages 16 and over.

SOURCE: Current Population Survey, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

 In older age groups, women tend to make up an increasingly large share of people with a disability. Th is 

partly refl ects the longer life expectancy of women. 

 Although the overall population of people 16 to 24 years of age was about evenly split between men and 

women, nearly 3 out of every 5 people with a disability in this age group were men.

Portion of persons with a disability who were women 

Portion of persons with a disability who were men 

16 to 24

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

25 to 34

35 to 44

45 to 54

55 to 64

65 to 69

70 to 74

75 and over

Ages

Proportion of people with a disability who were women

Proportion of people with a disability who were men

Percent
Monthly Labor Review • April 2013 7

Bachelor's 

degree and 

higher 

Some 

college or 

associate 

degree High school 

graduates, 

no college 

Less than a high 

school diploma 

4. Educational attainment is lower for people with a disability

NOTE: Data are 2012 annual averages for the civilian noninstitutional population ages 25 and over.

SOURCE: Current Population Survey, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

 About 3 out of 5 people ages 25 and over with a disability had a high school education or less, whereas 3 

out of 5 people in the same age group but with no disability either had a college degree or had attended 

at least some college.

 Th e proportion of people with a disability who did not graduate from high school—about 23 percent—

was more than twice as high as for people without a disability.

With a disability No disability

Percent Percent

100

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

100

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Bachelor’s degree 

and higher

Some college or 

associate’s degree

High school 

graduates, no 

college

Less than a high 

school diploma

15.8

24.8

36.7

29.2

26.8

33.4

22.8

10.6
Visual Essay: People with a Disability

8 Monthly Labor Review • April 2013

55. At each level of educational attainment, people ages 25 and over with a disability have a lower labor force 

participation rate than people with no disability

Less than a high 

school diploma

High school 

graduates,

no college

Some college, 

no degree

Associate’s 

degree

Bachelor’s 

degree

Advanced 

degree

NOTE: Data are 2012 annual averages for the civilian noninstitutional population ages 25 and over.

SOURCE: Current Population Survey, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

 Labor force participation rates are higher among people with greater educational attainment regardless of 

disability status. However, people with a disability had lower labor force participation rates at all levels of 

educational attainment than did people with no disability.

 In 2012, the labor force participation rate of people with a disability was highest for those who held an 

advanced college degree—32.7 percent. Th is compares with a participation rate of 79.7 percent for those 

with no disability who held an advanced degree.

With a disability No disability 

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Labor force 

participation rate

Labor force 

participation rate

With a disability No disability
Monthly Labor Review • April 2013 9

.6. Within each age group, people with a disability have a lower labor force participation rate than people

 with no disability

NOTE: Data are 2012 annual averages for the civilian noninstitutional population ages 16 and over.

SOURCE: Current Population Survey, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

 Labor force participation for people with no disability was highest for those ages 25 to 54, with a large 

decline among older age groups. In contrast, labor force participation for those with a disability was highest for 25- to 34-year-olds but declined steadily starting at age 35.

 Th e labor force participation rates for people ages 65 and over were much lower than for people in younger 

age groups, both for those with and for those without a disability; however, even among people ages 65 

and over, there was a large diff erence between the labor force participation rates of those with a disability 

and of those without.

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Labor force 

participation rate

Labor force 

participation rate

With a disability No disability 

Column1 Column2 

With a disability No disability

Total 16 to 24

Ages

25 to 34 35 to 44 45 to 54 55 to 64 65 to 69 70 to 74 75 and over
Visual Essay: People with a Disability

10 Monthly Labor Review • April 2013

 7. Within each major race and ethnicity group, people ages 16 to 64 with a disability are less likely to participate in 

the labor force than people with no disability

Total White Black or African 

American

Asian Hispanic or Latino 

ethnicity

NOTE: People of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity may be of any race. Data are 2012 annual averages for the civilian noninstitutional 

population ages 16 to 64.

SOURCE: Current Population Survey, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

 Regardless of race or ethnicity, people ages 16 to 64 with a disability were much less likely to participate 

in the labor force than people with no disability; their labor force participation rates in 2012 were 31.6 

percent and 76.5 percent, respectively. 

 Th e labor force participation rate for people with a disability who were White (33.6 percent) or Asian 

(33.7 percent) was higher than for people with a disability who were Black (23.0 percent) or Hispanic 

(28.0 percent).

With a disability No disability 

Column1 Column2 

Labor force 

participation rate

Labor force 

participation rate

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

With a disability No disability
Monthly Labor Review • April 2013 11

8. The unemployment rate for people with a disability is higher than for people with no disability

Total, 16 years 

and over

Men, 16 to 64 

years

Women, 16 to 64 

years

Total, 65 years 

and over

NOTE: Data are 2012 annual averages for the civilian noninstitutional population ages 16 and over.

SOURCE: Current Population Survey, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

 Since 2008 when data on the labor force status of people with a disability fi rst were collected, the unemployment rate for people with a disability has remained considerably higher than that for people with no 

disability. In 2012, the unemployment rate for people with a disability was 13.4 percent, compared with 

7.9 percent for those with no disability.

 Similarly, among people ages 16 to 64, the unemployment rate in 2012 was much higher for those with a 

disability. Men ages 16 to 64 with a disability had an unemployment rate of 14.5 percent, compared with 

8.1 percent among those with no disability. Among women in this age group, those with a disability had 

an unemployment rate about twice as high as those without a disability; their rates were 14.7 percent and 

7.7 percent, respectively.

 People ages 65 and over had lower unemployment rates than younger people, regardless of disability 

status. Th e diff erence in the unemployment rates between those with and without a disability was less 

pronounced than among younger people.

Unemployment 

rate

Unemployment 

rate

16

14

12

10

8

6

4

2

0

16

14

12

10

8

6

4

2

0

With a disability No disability 

Column1 Column2 

With a disability No disability
Visual Essay: People with a Disability

12 Monthly Labor Review • April 2013

9. Employed people with a disability are less likely than those with no disability to have managerial and 

professional jobs and more likely to have production jobs

Percent distribution of employed 

people by occupation

0 10 20 30 40 50

NOTE: Data are 2012 annual averages for the civilian noninstitutional population ages 16 and over.

SOURCE: Current Population Survey, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

 Employed people 16 years and over with a disability were more likely in 2012 to work in production, transportation, and material moving occupations than were those with no disability (15.5 percent versus 11.8 

percent). Th is pattern also held for service occupations (20.0 percent versus 17.8 percent).

 Employed people with a disability were less likely than those with no disability to be in management, 

professional, and related occupations—32.2 percent compared with 38.1 percent.

With a disability 

No disability 

Management, professional, 

and related occupations

Natural resources, construction, 

and maintenance occupations

Production, transportation, and 

material moving occupations

Sales and offi ce occupations

Service occupations

With a disability

No disability
Monthly Labor Review • April 2013 13

10. Employed people ages 16 to 64 with a disability are more likely to work part time than people with no disability

NOTE: Data are 2012 annual averages for the civilian noninstitutional population ages 16 to 64.

SOURCE: Current Population Survey, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

 In 2012, nearly 1 in 3 workers ages 16 to 64 with a disability usually worked part time—that is, less than 

35 hours per week—compared with about 1 in 5 workers with no disability.

 Employed people ages 65 and over with a disability were also more likely to usually work part time than 

those with no disability.

Part time 

Full time 

Column1 

Percent of 

employed

Percent of 

employed

Part time

Full time

100

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

100

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

With a disability No disability
Visual Essay: People with a Disability

14 Monthly Labor Review • April 2013

11. Employed people with a disability are more likely than those with no disability to work part time for 

 economic reasons

NOTE: Data are 2012 annual averages for the civilian noninstitutional population ages 16 and over.

SOURCE: Current Population Survey, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

 People with a disability were more likely to work part time because of economic reasons than were people 

with no disability—7.2 percent compared with 5.6 percent. Th ose who worked part time because their 

hours had been cut back or because they were unable to fi nd a full-time job are classifi ed as working part 

time for economic reasons (also referred to as involuntary part time workers). 

 Th e diff erence was most pronounced among workers ages 16 to 64. Among workers ages 65 and over, the 

incidence of involuntary part time work was about the same regardless of disability status.

Total, 16 years 

and over

Men, 16 to 64 

years

Women, 16 to 64 

years

Total, 65 years 

and over

Percent of 

employed

Percent of 

employed

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

With No 

Column1 Column2 

With a disability No disability
Monthly Labor Review • April 2013 15

12. Regardless of disability status, relatively few people not in the labor force are marginally attached to the labor

 force

Percent of those not 

in the labor force

Percent of those not 

in the labor force

NOTE: Data are 2012 annual averages for the civilian noninstitutional population ages 16 and over.

SOURCE: Current Population Survey, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

 Relatively few people not in the labor force—that is, people neither working nor actively looking for 

work—showed some attachment to the labor market. Of those not in the labor force, only 1.0 percent of 

people with a disability were classifi ed as marginally attached to the labor force, compared with 3.5 percent 

of people with no disability. People marginally attached to the labor force wanted to work, were available 

for work, and had looked for a job at some point in the prior 12 months but not in the past 4 weeks.

 People ages 65 and over who were marginally attached to the labor force accounted for less than 1 percent 

of those not in the labor force regardless of disability status.

 Some people who were marginally attached to the labor force were classifi ed as discouraged workers. Th ese 

people suspended their job search for at least one of the following reasons: they think no work is available, 

they could not fi nd work, they lack schooling or training, employers think they are too young or old, or 

other types of discrimination. Only a very small proportion of those not in the labor force were discouraged workers, whether they had a disability or not (0.3 percent and 1.3 percent, respectively).

Total, 16 years and over Men, 16 to 64 years Women, 16 to 64 years Total, 65 years and over

Other 

Disc 

Column3 

Column2 

With a 

disability

No 

disability

With a 

disability

No 

disability

With a 

disability

No 

disability

With a 

disability

No 

disability

Other marginally attached workers

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

Discouraged workers