Disability Identity and Culture Month Resources: Data and Statistics
Census Data for
Census Data for People with Disabilities
The Census occurs every 10 years, in years ending in zero, to count the population and housing units for the entire United States. Its primary purpose is to provide the population counts that determine how seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are apportioned.
Data about disabilities are available for the U.S., 50 states and the District of Columbia, counties, and subcounty statistical areas (such as zip codes and block groups) from 1990 to the present.
All Census Bureau data about disabilities comes from the American Community Survey and the Current Population Survey. There is also some data available from the Decennial survey.
Timelines
- Temple University Disability Rights TimelineTimeline of historical milestones in the disability rights movement. This timeline uses language that is historically correct, but no longer considered acceptable.
- Disability & Employment: A TimelineCommemorating 30 Years of the American with Disabilities Act.
- National Consortium on Leadership & Disability for YouthThis disability history timeline is designed to help you learn about the rich history of people with disabilities.
Infographics & Statistics
Childhood Disability Prevalence by Household Income Quintile: 2019 (In percent)
- Bottom 20%:: 7.0
- Lower-middle 20%:: 5.3
- Middle 20%:: 4.4
- Upper-middle 20%:: 3.5
- Top 20%:: 2.8
Living with Disabilities
Number of Americans with a Disability by age, sex, and disability type
- Hearing Difficulty
- Age 5-17
- Age 18-64
- Age 65+
- Ambulatory Difficulty
- Age 5-17
- Age 18-64
- Age 65+
- Vision Difficulty
- Age 5-17
- Age 18-64
- Age 65+
- Self-care Difficulty
- Age 5-17
- Age 18-64
- Age 65+
- Cognitive Difficulty
- Age 5-17
- Age 18-64
- Age 65+
- Independent Living Difficulty
- Age 5-17
- Age 18-64
- Age 65+
Male: 171K; Female: 138K
Male: 2.4M; Female: 1.5M
Male: 4.1M; Female: 3.1M
Male: 183K; Female: 145K
Male: 4.2M; Female: 5.2M
Male: 4.2M; Female: 6.8M
Male: 243K; Female: 237K
Male: 1.8M; Female: 2.1M
Male: 1.3M; Female: 1.8M
Male: 325K; Female: 202K
Male: 1.7M; Female: 1.8M
Male: 1.5M; Female: 2.5M
6.8Male: 1.5MK; Female: 758KK
Male: 4.5M; Female: 4.3M
Male: 1.7M; Female: 2.5M
*Data not collected for this age group
Male: 3.5M; Female: 3.8M
Male: 2.5M; Female: 4.7M
Millions of people are affected by mental illness each year. Across the country, many people just like you work, perform, create, compete, laugh, love and inspire every day.
- 21% of U.S. adults experienced mental illness in 2020 (52.9 million people). This represents 1 in 5 adults.
- 5.6% of U.S. adults experienced serious mental illness in 2020 (14.2 million people). This represents 1 in 20 adults.
- 16.5% of U.S. youth aged 6-17 experienced a mental health disorder in 2016 (7.7 million people)
- 6.7% of U.S. adults experienced a co-occurring substance use disorder and mental illness in 2020 (17 million people)
- Annual prevalence of mental illness among U.S. adults, by demographic group:
- Non-Hispanic Asian: 13.9%
- Non-Hispanic white: 22.6%
- Non-Hispanic black or African-American: 17.3%
- Non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native: 18.7%
- Non-Hispanic mixed/multiracial: 35.8%
- Non-Hispanic Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander: 16.6%
- Hispanic or Latino: 18.4%
- Lesbian, Gay or Bisexual: 47.4%
- Annual prevalence among U.S. adults, by condition:
- Major Depressive Episode: 8.4% (21 million people)
- Schizophrenia: <1% (estimated 1.5 million people)
- Bipolar Disorder: 2.8% (estimated 7 million people)
- Anxiety Disorders: 19.1% (estimated 48 million people)
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: 3.6% (estimated 9 million people)
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: 1.2% (estimated 3 million people)
- Borderline Personality Disorder: 1.4% (estimated 3.5 million people)
