US Mobility Device Statistics: Wheelchair and Scooter Use

Author: The University of California - Disability Statistics Center
Published: 22 Apr 2013 - Updated: 7 Aug 2026
Publication Details: Peer-Reviewed | Data & Statistical Analysis

Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Definition - Overview - FAQs - Insights, Updates - Related Content

Synopsis

This report profiles the roughly 6.8 million community resident Americans who rely on mobility devices, a group that includes 1.7 million wheelchair or scooter riders and 6.1 million people who use canes, crutches, or walkers. It affects older adults above all, since the majority of users are elderly, though a substantial working age minority exists, and these users are far more likely to live in poverty, hold low income and education levels, and identify as disabled. The findings matter because they document steep everyday barriers: about half of wheelchair users must climb steps to enter or leave home, four fifths find local public transit hard to reach or use, and users are more than 40 times as likely as non users to need help with self care. Drawing on national health survey data and prepared for the U.S. Department of Education's National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, the report is useful because it links demographics, health conditions such as stroke and osteoarthritis, insurance coverage, and home accessibility into a single picture that seniors, caregivers, clinicians, and policymakers can act on.*

At a Glance

• 1 - Osteoarthritis is the leading primary cause, affecting 1.2 million device users.
• 2 - More than three quarters of wheelchair users cannot walk a quarter of a mile.
• 3 - Crutch, walker, and cane use climbed sharply during the 1980s, with cane use alone rising 53 percent between 1980 and 1990.
• 4 - Nearly six in ten children who use wheelchairs are covered by Medicaid, while working age wheelchair users lean more on Medicare and Medicaid combined.

Topic Definition

Mobility Device

A mobility device is any piece of equipment designed to assist walking or otherwise improve movement for a person with a mobility impairment, ranging from simple walking aids to seated wheeled equipment. Walking aids such as canes, crutches, and walkers support people whose ability to walk is reduced, while wheelchairs and mobility scooters substitute for walking altogether by providing a wheeled seat the user rides. Wheelchairs can be either manually propelled or electrically powered, and mobility scooters, like motorized wheelchairs, run on electric power, making them suited to more severe impairments or to longer distances that would otherwise be covered on foot. Taken together, these devices help restore ambulation and independence for millions of people whose daily lives would otherwise be sharply limited.

Overview

Assistive devices - such as wheelchairs, scooters, canes, crutches, and walkers - are effective ways to alleviate the impact of mobility limitations for many people, allowing improved ambulation and independence. Because the U.S. population is aging, using assistive devices by people with mobility impairments is increasingly essential. Assistive technology may be responsible for the observed reduction in the level of activity limitation at older ages (Manton, Corder, and Stallard, 1993).

The use of mobility devices has grown in recent years (LaPlante, Hendershot, and Moss, 1992), with the population using wheelchairs and walkers doubling from 1980 to 1990. Crutch and cane use increased by 14 percent and 53 percent, respectively, over this period.

Growth in the usage of these devices continued from 1990 to 1994 (Russell, Hendershot, LeClere, Howie, and Adler, 1997), far exceeding what could be attributed to the aging of the population. Likely, improved survival of trauma patients has also contributed to the growth in mobility device use. However, significant improvements in the design of mobility devices, both in function and image, have also fueled this growth.

While financing may have become more available, it remains that about half of people or their families pay for devices solely on their own. The unmet need for devices is substantial, with the primary barrier being that people cannot afford to purchase them.

Although mobility device users represent only a small minority of the population with disabilities, their importance transcends their numbers. Mobility devices, especially wheelchairs, are obvious signs of disability; they have even become symbols of the concept of disability. Therefore, understanding the population's magnitude and characteristics using these assistive technologies is particularly important.

For mobility devices to be used effectively, the environments in which they are used must be accessible. Yet, there is little data on the accessibility barriers people face using these devices.

This report focuses on the population using devices, providing a detailed profile of their demographic characteristics; health and disability status, including diagnoses and impairments; physical functioning and activities of daily living; and health insurance status. More significantly, the report addresses the accessibility of mobility device users' homes and larger environments, demonstrating that improvements in physical accessibility remain a priority for millions of mobility device users who still experience accessibility barriers.

Quick Facts

• Just over 6.8 million community-resident Americans use assistive devices to help them with mobility. This group comprises 1.7 million wheelchair or scooter riders and 6.1 million users of other mobility devices, such as canes, crutches, and walkers.
• More than four-tenths of mobility device users are unable to perform their major activity.
• Four-fifths of wheelchair users report that their local public transportation system is difficult to use or to get to.
• Stroke and osteoarthritis are the two most prevalent primary conditions among wheelchair and scooter users.
• Two-thirds of mobility device users have limitations in one or more of the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL).
• Nearly all wheelchair users report trouble walking, and more than 3/4 cannot walk a quarter of a mile.
• Less than one-fifth of working-age wheelchair and walker users are employed; the employment rate for crutch users is more than twice as high.
• About half of the wheelchair users must use steps to enter or exit their homes. A similar fraction report having difficulty entering or leaving home.
• Osteoarthritis is the most prevalent condition associated with mobility device use, affecting 1.2 million mobility device users as the primary cause of disability.
• High levels of mobility device use are observed among African Americans and Native Americans. Asians and Pacific Islanders are the racial groups with the lowest device use.
• Almost one-third of mobility device users need assistance from another person in one or more of the Activities of Daily Living (ADL), compared to less than 1 percent of non-users.
• Among children who use wheelchairs, almost six-tenths are covered under Medicaid. Among working-age wheelchair users, four-tenths are covered under Medicare and three-tenths under Medicaid.

The 6.8 million community-resident Americans who use mobility devices differ significantly from the population. They experience severe functional and activity limitations in much greater proportions. They are more than 40 times as likely to need assistance with self-care activities as their counterparts who do not use mobility devices. Most are in poor or indifferent health, and many have experienced a recent hospitalization. Many are affected by debilitating health conditions, such as arthritis, stroke, or serious back problems; others have long-term conditions and impairments, such as multiple sclerosis or some form of paralysis.

A majority of the population using mobility devices is elderly, but there is a substantial minority who are of working age. Members of this group are doubtful to have jobs and, partly as a consequence, are substantially more likely than the remainder of the population to live in poverty. At all ages, income levels for mobility device users tend to be low, as do levels of educational attainment.

Women are more likely to use mobile devices than men, and African Americans are more likely than whites, who are more likely than Asians and Pacific Islanders to be device users. Latinos are less likely to use mobility devices than people not of Hispanic origin.

Most mobility device users, especially those using wheelchairs and scooters, perceive themselves as having disabilities. Given the extent of functional and activity limitations they experience, this fact comes as no surprise. But to the extent that disability is seen as a result of environmental factors, the high rate of self-identification as disabled is even more easily understood. This report provides ample evidence that mobility device users face access barriers daily. A majority of device users, for example, cannot leave their homes without using steps; half of the wheelchair users face the same obstacle. Few have home accessibility features that facilitate basic household tasks and move about inside. And the vast majority report difficulty with public transit; for many, the difficulty is insurmountable.

Despite recent societal changes that have led to greater attention to environmental accessibility and opportunities for employment and independent living for people with disabilities, it remains clear that the population using mobility devices continues to face substantial challenges in achieving these goals.

Full report with graphs and charts (PDF)

References

LaPlante, M. & Carlson, D. (1996). Disability in the United States: Prevalence and Causes, 1992. Disability Statistics Report (7).Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research.

LaPlante, M.P., Hendershot, G.E., & Moss, A.J. (1992). Assistive Technology Devices and Home Accessibility Features: Prevalence, Payment, Need and Trends. Advance Data from Vital and Health Statistics, 217. Hyattsville, Maryland: National Center for Health Statistics.

Manton, K.G., Corder, L.S., & Stallard, E. (1993). Changes in Personal Assistance and Special Equipment Use from 1982 to 1989: Results from the 1982 and 1989 NLTCS. Gerontologist 33 (2), 168-176.

National Center for Health Statistics (1998). National Health Interview Survey on Disability, Phase 1 and Phase 2, 1994 (machine-readable data file and documentation, CD-ROM Series 10, No. 8A). Hyattsville, Maryland: National Center for Health Statistics.

Russell, J.N., Hendershot, G.E., LeClere, F., Howie, L.J., & Adler, M. (1997). Trends and Differential Use of Assistive Technology Devices: the United States, 1994. Advance Data from Vital and Health Statistics, 292. Hyattsville, Maryland: National Center for Health Statistics.

Acknowledgments

This report was supported by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), under ED Grant #H133B980045. The views expressed herein are those of the participants. No official endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education is intended or should be inferred.

Published by the U.S. Department of Education, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research.

Kaye, H. S., Kang, T. and LaPlante, M.P. (2000). Mobility Device Use in the United States. Disability Statistics Report, (14). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research.

Credits: For their participation in preparing this report, the authors are grateful to the staff of the Disability Statistics Center, David Keer, project officer, and the staff of NIDRR; and Will Leber, graphic designer.

Frequently Asked Questions

NOTE: Researched FAQs by Disabled World (DW)

What is the difference between a mobility scooter and a powered wheelchair

Both run on electric power, but a scooter is steered with handlebars called a tiller and suits users who can sit upright and walk short distances, while a powered wheelchair is controlled by a joystick and offers more support for people with greater impairment.

Does Medicare help pay for a mobility device

Medicare may cover part of the cost of a wheelchair or scooter when a doctor documents it as medically necessary for use in the home, though coverage rules, prior authorization, and out of pocket shares vary by plan.

How do I know which mobility device is right for me

The best choice depends on your strength, balance, endurance, home layout, and the distances you travel, so an assessment by a physical or occupational therapist is the most reliable way to match a device to your needs.

What home modifications help wheelchair and scooter users

Common changes include entry ramps, wider doorways, lever door handles, roll under sinks, grab bars, and level or threshold free floors that let a wheeled device move safely between rooms.

Are mobility devices allowed on public transportation

Public transit systems are generally required to accommodate mobility devices with lifts, ramps, and securement areas, though users often report that reaching stops and boarding remains difficult in practice.

How much does a mobility device typically cost

Prices range widely, from modest amounts for a cane or basic walker to several thousand dollars for a powered wheelchair, and financing or insurance does not always close the gap for lower income users.

How should a mobility device be maintained

Regular care includes checking tire pressure and wheels, keeping battery terminals clean and charged on powered models, tightening loose bolts, and scheduling professional servicing to keep the device safe and reliable.

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

Editorial Note: What gives this dataset lasting weight is its source and scope, since it was compiled by the University of California Disability Statistics Center and backed by federal grant funding rather than any commercial interest, which is why clinicians, transit planners, and disability advocates continue to cite it. The numbers also carry a human message that reaches beyond statistics: fewer than one in five working age wheelchair and walker users hold jobs, cost remains the single biggest reason unmet need persists, and roughly half of all devices are still paid for entirely by users or their families. Perhaps the most telling thread running through the data is that so many limitations stem from the built environment rather than the individual, a point that reframes stairs, inaccessible homes, and unreliable public transit as design failures society can choose to fix. For families weighing a first device or communities auditing their own accessibility, the report supplies the demographic and functional detail needed to make the case for change.*

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 The University of California - Disability Statistics Center and published on 22 Apr 2013, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.

* Editorial additions by Ian C. Langtree.