9 Important Disability Statistics in the U.S.

Back to blog

9 Important Disability Statistics in the U.S.

Posted August 24, 2024

AudioEye

Posted August 24, 2024

Man in wheelchair pointing to a stylized web browser with various graphs and charts on it. The accessibility icon is in the bottom left-hand corner.
Man in wheelchair pointing to a stylized web browser with various graphs and charts on it. The accessibility icon is in the bottom left-hand corner.

Ready to see AudioEye in action?

Watch Demo

In the U.S., nearly 30% of the population lives with a disability, highlighting the critical need for organizations to provide accessible physical and digital environments. Below, we’ll examine additional disability statistics in the U.S. that emphasize the need for accessibility.

Imagine walking around your city, where every fourth person you meet has a unique challenge that impacts their daily life—from mobility limitations to sensory impairments. Rather than being a fictional scenario, the above is an accurate reflection of reality in the United States, where disability impacts millions of lives. 

According to recent statistics from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 4 individuals in America has a disability. That’s 28.7% of the population — or roughly 61 million people.

Understanding the impact disability has on more than a quarter of the U.S. population highlights the necessity of ensuring both physical and digital spaces are accessible to individuals with disabilities. 


Below, we’ll look at some of the top disability statistics and datasets in the U.S., why they matter, and what you can do to build a more accessible and equitable digital world.

9 Important Disability Statistics in the U.S. 

1. Nearly 30% of the U.S. Population has a Disability

As mentioned above, 61 million people in the U.S. have a disability (according to the CDC’s most current population survey) — from visual or auditory impairments to cognitive or physical disabilities. The huge proportion highlights the importance of addressing disability in both national legal policies as well as in public and digital spaces.

2. Disability Prevalence Varies Across Demographics

Disability prevalence varies significantly across different demographics and ethnicities. For example, the chances of having a disability increases in older age groups, with disabilities affecting 16% of adults aged 18-44, 29% of people aged 45-64, and half of individuals over the age of 65. Additionally, disability rates are higher among Black and Hispanic populations, with 31% of Black adults and 30% of Hispanic adults having disabilities compared to 24% of white adults.

3. Cognitive Disabilities Affect 13.9% of the U.S. Population

The most common type of disability in the U.S. is cognitive disabilities, which affect an individual's ability to concentrate, remember, or make decisions. This includes learning disabilities or those with intellectual disabilities such as dyslexia, autism, ADHD, short-term or long-term memory loss, and more. 

Other forms of disability are equally as present in the U.S., with 12.2% having a physical disability, 6.2% having difficulty hearing, and 5.5% having a vision disability.

4. Some Physical Spaces are Still Inaccessible to Individuals with Disabilities

Despite numerous accessibility laws created by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), many public buildings remain inaccessible to individuals with disabilities. One survey found that 60.4% of respondents had serious difficulty or were completely unable to enter the building due to a lack of wheelchair ramps, automatic doors, or elevators.

5. 97% of Website Homepages are Inaccessible

Considering how digital the world is today, it’s shocking that just 3% is accessible to individuals with a disability status, according to WebAIM. Accessibility issues such as lack of compatibility with assistive technologies like screen readers and missing alt text or descriptive links prevent individuals with various disabilities from easily accessing the web.

6. eCommerce Sites Contain More than 80 Accessibility Issues

One of the least accessible industries in today’s landscape is the eCommerce/retail industry. According to the 2024 WebAIM Accessibility Report, retail or shopping websites have, on average, 83.3 accessibility issues. The report dug further into eCommerce platforms, including Shopify, Woocommerce, and Magento, and found each contained the following number of accessibility issues:

  • Shopify: 60.4
  • Woocommerce: 74.9
  • Magento: 86.6

7. People with Disabilities Earn 66 cents for Every $1 by People Without a Disability

According to the Center for American Progress, people with disabilities earn a median wage of 66 cents for every $1 made by people without a disability. Despite recent progress, the continuing wage gap among working-age Americans highlights the broader barriers individuals with disabilities encounter in the workforce. This includes limited job opportunities and lower wages for comparable work. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate is also higher among individuals with disabilities at 7.2% compared to 3.5% among individuals with no disabilities

8. 1 in 4 Adults with Disabilities have an Unmet Healthcare Need Because of Cost

Many individuals with disabilities don’t have health insurance. In fact, the American Community Survey found that 2.3 million Americans with disabilities are uninsured — that’s roughly 5.6 of the disability community. Furthermore, health data from the CDC reported that 1 in 4 adults between the population age of 18-44 were unable to get medical attention due to concerns about cost.

9. The Number of ADA Lawsuits Filed in 2024 is Projected to be Around 8,500

Despite the slight decrease in ADA lawsuits in 2022, the number of ADA lawsuits remains high. Seyfarth Shaw predicts the average number of ADA lawsuits filed in 2024 will be around 8,500. With most lawsuits citing a lack of accessibility in public spaces and online spaces, the high number of legal cases highlights the ongoing challenges businesses face in providing accessible environments.

Elevate the Online Experience for Individuals with Disabilities

As the global population continues to grow, so does the number of people with disabilities who need accessible physical and online spaces.

Unfortunately, many businesses are failing to make a sizable dent in the number of accessibility issues on their website — even as new laws and standards clarify their obligation to deliver accessible, inclusive digital experiences.

For businesses of all sizes, the time is right to make digital accessibility a strategic priority. Not only can it reduce their risk of legal consequences, but it can also help them drive business growth by tapping into a large, historically underserved audience.


At AudioEye, we’ve helped over 122,000 brands address their website’s accessibility. Our combination of automated accessibility technology and expert human support enables businesses to find and fix more of the accessibility barriers that can make it difficult for people with disabilities to enjoy equal access to all goods and services.

Want to see how AudioEye can help make your content accessible and compliant? Schedule a demo today. Or, check your website’s accessibility using our free Web Accessibility Scanner below.

Ready to see AudioEye in action?

Watch Demo

Ready to test your website for accessibility?

Scan your website now.

Share post

Topics:

Keep Reading