State of Colorado Disability Information and Statistics

Information facts and disability statistics for the state of Colorado from the 2008 American Community Survey (ACS).

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These statistics indicate the social and economic status of non-institutionalized people with disabilities in Colorado, United States, using data from the 2008 American Community Survey (ACS). Comparisons to the 2007 Disability Status Report should not be made due to changes in the questions.

In 2008, the prevalence of disability in Colorado was:

9.4 percent for persons of all ages
- 0.7 percent for persons ages 4 and under
- 2.8 percent for persons ages 5 to 15
- 4.8 percent for persons ages 16 to 20
- 8.3 percent for persons ages 21 to 64
- 22.4 percent for persons ages 65 to 74
- 50.8 percent for persons ages 75+

458,800 of the 4,880,400 individuals of all ages in CO reported one or more disabilities. Among the six types of disabilities identified in the ACS, the highest prevalence rate was for "Ambulatory Disability," 5.0 percent. The lowest prevalence rate was for "Visual Disability," 1.7 percent.

Gender:

In CO in 2008, the overall percentage (prevalence rate) of males with a disability of all ages was 9.1 percent. In other words, in 2008, 221,600 of the 2,446,000 males of all ages in CO reported one or more disabilities.

In CO in 2008, the overall percentage (prevalence rate) of females with a disability of all ages was 9.7 percent. In other words, in 2008, 237,100 of the 2,434,400 females of all ages in CO reported one or more disabilities.

Race:

In CO in 2008, the prevalence of disability for working-age people (ages 21 to 64) was:

7.9 percent among Whites
- 13.6 percent among Black / African Americans
- 3.3 percent among Asians
- 20.6 percent among Native Americans
- 11.7 percent among persons of some other race(s)

In CO in 2008, the overall percentage (prevalence rate) of disability among people of Hispanic/Latino origin of all ages was 7.8 percent. In other words, in 2008, 76,700 of the 979,500 people of Hispanic/Latino origin of all ages in CO reported one or more disabilities.

In CO in 2008, the overall percentage (prevalence rate) of disability among people of non-Hispanic/Latino origin of all ages was 9.8 percent. In other words, in 2008, 382,100 of the 3,900,900 people of non-Hispanic/Latino origin of all ages in CO reported one or more disabilities.

Employment:

In 2008, the employment rate of working-age people (ages 21 to 64) with disabilities in Colorado was 48.3 percent.

Looking for Work: In Colorado in 2008, the percentage actively looking for work among people with disabilities who were not working was 11.0 percent.

Full-Time/Full-Year Employment: In CO in 2008, the percentage of working-age people with disabilities working full-time/ full-year was 29.8 percent.

Annual Earnings: In 2008, the median annual earnings of working-age people with disabilities working full-time/full-year in Colorado was $35,600.

Annual Household Income: In CO in 2008, the median annual income of households with working-age people with disabilities was $43,600.

In 2008, the employment rate of working-age people without disabilities in CO was 82.5 percent. The gap between the employment rates of working-age people with and without disabilities was 34.2 percentage points. Among the six types of disabilities identified in the ACS, the highest employment rate was for people with a "Hearing Disability," 66.9 percent. The lowest employment rate was for people with a "Independent Living Disability," 25.8 percent.

Not Working but Actively Looking for Work

In 2008 in Colorado, the percentage of working-age people with disabilities who were not working but actively looking for work was 11.0 percent.
- In 2008 in CO, the percentage of working-age people without disabilities who were not working but actively looking for work was 17.9 percent.

The difference in the percentage not working but actively looking for work between working-age people with and without disabilities was 6.9 percentage points. Among the six types of disabilities identified in the ACS, the highest percentage of not working but actively looking for work was for people with a "Visual Disability," 14.9 percent. The lowest percentage was for people with a "Self-Care Disability," 4.8 percent.

Veterans Service-Connected Disability Rating

In 2008, there were 268,300 working-age civilian veterans in Colorado, of whom 50,600 had a VA service-connected disability.
- In 2008, the percentage of working-age civilian veterans in CO with a VA service-connected disability was 18.9 percent.
- In 2008, 7,000 working-age civilian veterans in Colorado had the most severe service-connected disability rating (70 percent or above).
- In 2008, 13.8 percent of the working-age civilian veterans in CO who had a service connected disability had a service-connected disability rating of 70 percent or above.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

In 2008, the percentage of working-age people with disabilities receiving Supplemental Security Income payments in CO was 13.8 percent.
- In 2008, the number of working-age people with disabilities receiving Supplemental Security Income payments in Colorado was 34,300.
- Among the six types of disabilities identified in the ACS, the highest percentage that received SSI was people with "Independent Living Disability," 28.0 percent. The lowest percentage that received SSI was people with "Hearing Disability," 8.7 percent.

Erickson, W. Lee, C., & von Schrader, S. (2009). 2008 Disability Status Report: Colorado. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Demographics and Statistics.

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