CDC Data Shows 1 in 4 US Adults Live with a Disability
Author: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Published: 19 Aug 2018 - Updated: 30 Jun 2026
Publication Details: Peer-Reviewed | Data & Statistical Analysis
Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Definition - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates - Related Content
Synopsis: This research presents peer-reviewed data and statistical analysis from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, published in the agency's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, showing that one in four U.S. adults - some 61 million Americans - live with a disability that affects major life activities. Drawing on the 2016 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, it is the first CDC report to break down the adult population across six disability types, making it an authoritative reference for public health practitioners, doctors, and caregivers. The findings are useful to people with disabilities, seniors, and those who support them because they document not only how common disability is but also the real gaps in health care access tied to age, income, and disability type.*
At a Glance
- 1 - Mobility is the most common disability type, affecting 1 in 7 adults, while disability overall affects about 2 in 5 adults aged 65 and older.
- 2 - Disability is more common among women, non-Hispanic American Indians and Alaska Natives, adults with lower income, and those living in the South Census region.
- 3 - Among middle-aged adults, mobility disability is nearly five times as common for those living below the poverty level compared with those whose income is twice the poverty level, and adults with vision disability report the least access to health care.
- Topic Definition: Disability Statistics
Disability statistics are the measured figures and data sets that describe how many people live with a disability within a given population, along with the types, distribution, and associated characteristics of those disabilities. Often gathered through national surveys such as the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and reported by public health agencies like the CDC, these statistics typically classify disability into categories such as vision, hearing, mobility, cognition, self-care, and independent living. They serve as an essential tool for researchers, health care providers, and policymakers, helping to identify unmet needs, target services, and understand how factors like age, income, gender, and geography relate to the prevalence of disability.
Introduction
One in 4 U.S. adults - 61 million Americans - have a disability that impacts major life activities, according to a report in CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The most common disability type, mobility, affects 1 in 7 adults.
With age, disability becomes more common, affecting about 2 in 5 adults age 65 and older.
"At some point in their lives, most people will either have a disability or know someone who has a one," said Coleen Boyle, Ph.D., director of CDC's National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. "Learning more about people with disabilities in the United States can help us better understand and meet their health needs."
Main Content
Six Types of Disability Measured
Using data from the 2016 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), this is the first CDC report of the percentage of adults across six disability types:
- Vision - Serious difficulty seeing
- Hearing - Serious difficulty hearing
- Self-care - Difficulty dressing or bathing
- Independent Living - Difficulty doing errands alone
- Mobility - Serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs
- Cognition - Serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
The data shows that disability is more common among women, non-Hispanic American Indians/Alaska Natives, adults with lower income, and adults living in the South Census region of the United States.
Report Also Shows
- After mobility disability, the next most common disability type is cognition, followed by independent living, hearing, vision, and self-care.
- The percentage of adults with disability increased as income decreased. In fact, mobility disability is nearly five times as common among middle-aged (45- to 64-year old) adults living below the poverty level compared to those whose income is twice the poverty level.
- It is more common for adults 65 years and older with disabilities to have health insurance coverage, a primary doctor, and receive a routine health checkup during the previous 12 months, compared to middle-aged and younger adults with disabilities.
- Disability-specific differences in the ability to access health care are common, particularly among adults 18- to 44-years old and middle-aged adults. Generally, adults with vision disability report the least access to health care, while adults with self-care disability report the most access to care.
"People with disabilities will benefit from care coordination and better access to health care and the health services they need, so that they adopt healthy behaviors and have better health," said Georgina Peacock, M.D., M.P.H., Director of CDC's Division of Human Development and Disability.
"Research showing how many people have a disability and differences in their access to health care can guide efforts by health care providers and public health practitioners to improve access to care for people with disabilities."
CDC is committed to protecting the health and well-being of people with disabilities throughout their lives. Through its State Disability and Health Programs and national collaborations, CDC will continue to work to lower health differences faced by people with disabilities. To advance this goal, CDC provides information and resources for public health practitioners, doctors, and those who care for people with disabilities.
Insights, Analysis, and Developments
Editorial Note: The strength of this report lies in its plain accounting of a population that is often underestimated - 61 million adults is not a fringe figure but a quarter of the country, and the data make clear that disability touches nearly every family at some stage of life. By tying prevalence to measurable differences in income, age, and access to care, the CDC gives providers and policymakers a factual basis for closing the health gaps that people with disabilities continue to face.*Attribution/Source(s): This peer reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and published on 19 Aug 2018, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.
* Editorial additions by Ian C. Langtree.