US State Data on Disability Income, Housing Costs and People with Mental Illness

Election 2010: The 60 to 140 Percent Bite, State-by-State Data on Disability Income, Housing Costs and People with Mental Illness.

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Housing costs for people living with disabilities who depend on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) can consume 60 and 140 percent of that income, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). State-by-state data is featured below.

In the past two weeks, the U.S. Census Bureau has reported that the nation today is experiencing its greatest level of poverty in 15 years while the gap between rich and poor is bigger ever. But poverty is nothing new for many Americans living with serious mental illness. Mental health, and hope for recovery, must be part of the equation in addressing the nation's economic crisis. A key factor is the level of disability income relative to basic needs--such as a place to live.

Depending on the state, the rent for a one-person efficiency apartment may be between 60% - 140% of federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI), one of the main sources of support for people with disabilities. (Hawaii is a dramatic outlier at 170%.)

SSI support is between 15 and 25 percent of the median income in each state.

Approximately 35 percent of persons receiving SSI benefits are those with mental illnesses.

About four million people receive some form of disability income for mental illness. They represent about 18 percent of all people living with mental illness, who compose slightly less than two percent of the nation's total population.

Data Below Reveals

1 - States Supplemental Security Income recipients (SSI) with a serious mental illness, rounded to nearest 1,000.

2 - Supplemental Security Income as a percentage of one person median income in 2008 (SSI Income).

3 - Percent of Supplemental Security Income needed to rent an efficiency [studio] apartment (SSI Rent).

• Alabama: 59,000 SSI : 21% SSI Income : 75% SSI Rent
• Alaska: 4,000 SSI : 23% SSI Income : 69% SSI Rent
• Arizona: 37,000 SSI : 19% SSI Income : 93% Rent
• Arkansas: 36,000 SSI : 23% SSI Income : 70% rent
• California: 438,000 SSI : 22% SSI Income : 103% Rent
• Colorado: 22,000 SSI : 17% SSI Income : 90% Rent
• Connecticut: 20,000 SSI : 17% SSI Income : 96% Rent
• Delaware: 5,000 SSI : 17% SSI Income : 109% Rent
• DC, Washington: 8,000 SSI : 17% SSI Income : 157% Rent
• Florida: 162,000 SSI : 19% SSI Income : 119% Rent
• Georgia: 77,000 SSI : 19% SSI Income 97% Rent
• Hawaii: 8,000 SSI : 15% SSI Income : 170% Rent
• Idaho: 9,000 SSI : 21% SSI Income : 72% Rent
• Illinois: 94,000 SSI : 17% SSI Income : 105% Rent
• Indiana: 39,000 SSI : 19% SSI Income : 79% Rent
• Iowa: 16,000 SSI : 19% SSI Income : 68% Rent
• Kansas: 15,000 SSI : 18% SSI Income : 73% Rent
• Kentucky: 66,000 SSI : 21% SSI Income : 70% Rent
• Louisiana: 59,000 SSI : 22% SSI Income : 92% Rent
• Maine: 12,000 SSI : 20% SSI Income : 84% Rent
• Maryland: 36,000 SSI : 13% SSI Income : 131% Rent
• Massachusetts: 65,000 SSI : 17% SSI Income : 119% Rent
• Michigan: 85,000 SSI : 18% SSI Income : 84% Rent
• Minnesota: 29,000 SSI : 18% SSI Income : 75% Rent
• Mississippi: 43,000 SSI : 24% SSI Income : 77% Rent
• Missouri: 45,000 SSI : 20% SSI Income : 76% Rent
• Montana: 6,000 SSI : 20% SSI Income : 69% Rent
• Nebraska: 9,000 SSI : 19% SSI Income : 73% Rent
• Nevada: 14,000 SSI : 17% SSI Income : 109% Rent
• New Hampshire: 6,000 SSI : 16% SSI Income : 100% Rent
• New Jersey: 57,000 SSI : 14% SSI Income : 136% Rent
• New Mexico: 21,000 SSI : 22% SSI Income : 75% Rent
• New York: 234,000 SSI : 19% SSI Income : 129% Rent
• North Carolina: 75,000 SSI : 20% SSI Income : 84% Rent
• North Dakota: 3,000 SSI : 19% SSI Income : 62% Rent
• Ohio: 96,000 SSI : 19% SSI Income : 74% Rent
• Oklahoma: 32,000 SSI : 23% SSI Income : 70% Rent
• Oregon: 25,000 SSI : 19% SSI Income : 84% Rent
• Pennsylvania: 121,000 SSI : 19% SSI Income : 87% Rent
• Rhode Island: 11,000 SSI : 18% SSI Income : 108% Rent
• South Carolina: 38,000 SSI : 21% SSI Income : 83% Rent
• South Dakota: 5,000 SSI : 20% SSI Income : 64% Rent
• Tennessee: 59,000 SSI : 21% SSI Income : 79% Rent
• Texas: 206,000 SSI : 20% SSI Income : 92% Rent
• Utah: 9,000 SSI : 18% SSI Income : 86% Rent
• Vermont: 5,000 SSI : 19% SSI Income : 94% Rent
• Virginia: 50,000 SSI : 16% SSI Income : 115% Rent
• Washington: 46,000 SSI : 18% SSI Income : 90% Rent
• West Virginia: 28,000 SSI : 24% SSI Income : 69% Rent
• Wisconsin: 36,000 SSI : 19% SSI Income : 71% Rent
• Wyoming: 2,000 SSI : 19% SSI Income : 75% Rent

Source: Social Security Administration Supplemental Security Record (Characteristic Extract Record format), 100 percent data (Table 10).

Additional Sources: Jans, L., Stoddard, S. & Kraus, L. (2004). Chartbook on Mental Health and Disability in the United States. An InfoUse Report. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. O'Hara, A., Cooper, E., Zovistoski, A., and Buttrick, J., Priced Out in 2006: The Housing Crisis for People with Disabilities, Technical Assistance Collaborative, Inc., Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities, Housing Task Force, (Technical Assistance Collaborative, Inc.: 2009)

Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by NAMI and published on 2010/10/07, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.