Disability Statistics in the U.S.: What the Numbers Tell Us About Accessibility

Disability is not a niche concern in the United States. It is a demographic reality. According to the CDC, 28.7% of U.S. adults, or roughly 61 million people(opens in a new tab), live with a disability. That means nearly one in four Americans experiences a functional limitation that affects how they navigate work, healthcare, public spaces, and the web. Globally, the World Health Organization estimates that 1.3 billion people(opens in a new tab), about 16% of the world's population, live with a disability.

Understanding disability statistics in the U.S. matters not just as a matter of social awareness, but as a business imperative. The most common disabilities range from cognitive and mobility impairments to sensory and chronic health conditions — and each carries specific implications for how people access digital products and services. 

Below, we break down the key disability statistics and what they mean for organizations committed to building a more accessible and equitable digital world.

1. Nearly 30% of U.S. Adults Have a Disability

28.7% of U.S. adults, roughly 61 million people, live with a disability, according to the CDC's Disability and Health data(opens in a new tab). That figure spans six functional disability types: mobility, cognition, hearing, vision, and physical. Disability affects people of every age, race, income level, and geography, making it one of the most broadly distributed characteristics in the American population.

The scale of disability prevalence in the U.S., nearly one in four adults, underscores why accessibility cannot be treated as a niche concern. When more than a quarter of your potential customers or users live with a disability, designing for inclusion is not optional; it is foundational.

2. Disability Rates Vary by Age, Race, and Gender

Disability is not evenly distributed across the population. According to 2024 CDC data(opens in a new tab), prevalence increases significantly with age: 16% of adults aged 18–44 have a disability, rising to 29% among adults aged 45–64, and reaching nearly 50% for adults over 65. As the U.S. population ages, disability will affect a growing share of the workforce, consumer base, and digital audience.

Disability rates also differ by race and ethnicity. Black adults have a disability rate of 31% and Hispanic adults 30%, compared to 24% among white adults, reflecting broader systemic health and economic disparities. 

Women are also slightly more likely than men to report a disability, driven in part by higher rates of certain chronic conditions and mental health challenges. Designing inclusive digital products requires acknowledging these demographic realities, not assuming a single user profile.

3. Cognitive Disabilities Are the Most Common Disability Type in the U.S.

The most common type of disability in the U.S. is cognitive disability. Approximately 13.9% of Americans (about 1 in 7 adults) live with a cognitive disability, defined as serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions. Cognitive disability is an umbrella category that encompasses conditions such as dyslexia, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, traumatic brain injury, and various forms of memory impairment.

Beyond cognitive disability, here is the breakdown of the other major disability types in the U.S.:

These issues disproportionately affect users with cognitive and vision disabilities, the two most prevalent disability categories in the U.S. Inaccessible checkout flows, unlabeled form fields, and image-heavy product pages without alt text create purchase barriers for millions of potential customers. For retailers, WCAG compliance is both a legal consideration and a revenue one.

7. People with Disabilities Earn 66 Cents for Every Dollar Earned Without a Disability

The economic impact of disability extends well beyond healthcare. According to the Center for American Progress(opens in a new tab), people with disabilities earn a median wage of 66 cents for every dollar earned by people without a disability. The wage gap reflects a combination of factors: limited job opportunities, underemployment in roles below their qualifications, and wage discrimination that persists despite legal protections.

Employment disparities compound the picture. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports(opens in a new tab) that the unemployment rate for people with disabilities is 7.2%, compared to 3.5% for people without disabilities — more than double. The labor force participation rate for people with disabilities is also significantly lower, meaning many have stopped looking for work altogether.

8. 1 in 4 Adults with Disabilities Face Healthcare Barriers Due to Cost

Access to healthcare is a persistent challenge for many Americans with disabilities. The American Community Survey(opens in a new tab) found that approximately 2.3 million Americans with disabilities (about 5.6% of the disability community) are uninsured. The consequences are measurable: CDC data(opens in a new tab) shows that 1 in 4 adults with disabilities between the ages of 18 and 44 were unable to get needed medical attention due to cost concerns.

This healthcare access gap is particularly significant because many disabilities require ongoing medical management, adaptive equipment, and specialist care. When cost prevents access, conditions worsen, making employment harder and healthcare even less affordable.

9. Thousands of ADA Lawsuits Are Filed Every Year

Legal enforcement of accessibility standards remains active. Seyfarth Shaw's ADA litigation(opens in a new tab) found that more than 8,600 ADA lawsuits were filed in 2025, the majority targeting a lack of accessibility in public spaces and online environments. While total filings have modestly declined from their 2021 peak, the volume is still historically high. And website accessibility claims continue to make up a growing share of cases.

For businesses, the sustained volume of ADA lawsuits emphasizes the legal risk of inaccessible digital products. Beyond being a compliance risk, these cases highlight a more fundamental point: when millions of people with disabilities cannot access a website or physical location, the law offers a path to remedy. The better strategy? Eliminate barriers before litigation happens. 

For detailed data on lawsuit settlements, see AudioEye's guide to ADA lawsuit settlement amounts.

Web and Digital Accessibility Statistics

The disability statistics above describe who is affected. The digital accessibility statistics below describe what happens when those users encounter the web. Together, they tell a story about opportunity and obligation.

97% of homepages fail WCAG. As noted in Statistic #5, WebAIM's research consistently finds that virtually all major websites contain detectable WCAG accessibility failures. These are not obscure technical errors; they are foundational issues such as missing alt text, insufficient color contrast, and unlabeled form fields that block users with disabilities from accessing content.

Accessibility issues compound across the web. WebAIM's analysis of the top one million websites found an average of over 50 detectable errors per homepage. For a user relying on a screen reader or keyboard navigation, a single unlabeled button or missing form label can make an entire page unusable. When those errors number in the dozens, the cumulative barrier is severe.

Inaccessibility has a measurable cost. Users with disabilities are significantly more likely to abandon inaccessible websites entirely, meaning businesses that fail to address digital accessibility are losing customers, not just compliance points. The 61 million Americans with disabilities represent a combined annual disposable income estimated in the hundreds of billions of dollars — spending power that inaccessible experiences actively exclude.

Assistive technology use is widespread. Screen readers, voice control software, alternative keyboards, and other assistive technologies are used daily by millions of Americans with visual, motor, and cognitive disabilities. A website that is not compatible with these tools is, effectively, inaccessible to a significant portion of its potential audience.

Build a More Accessible Digital Experience

These disability statistics make one thing clear: the 61 million Americans with disabilities, and the 1.3 billion people worldwide, represent not just a legal compliance obligation, but a massive, underserved audience. When nearly one in four U.S. adults has a disability, and 96% of major websites fail basic accessibility standards, the gap between need and reality is striking.

That’s where AudioEye comes in. At AudioEye, we've helped over 122,000 brands find and fix the accessibility issues that prevent users with disabilities from fully engaging with their digital products. Our powerful combination of automated accessibility testing and human-assisted AI technology helps organizations move from data to action.

Want to see where your website stands? Check your website's accessibility instantly using our free Web Accessibility Scanner. Or schedule a demo to see how AudioEye can help your organization make accessibility a competitive advantage rather than a compliance checkbox.