What the Census Says About Disability

I created and began writing on this blog over 5 years ago. I saw the need to shine more light on the challenges and discrimination faced by people with disabilities, primarily in America, but in other countries as well. It's given me a lot of purpose, and I LOVE using it when I have other ideas too.

Well, here it is, Labor Day 2012. I think today is an appropriate time for me to share some important information on disability that I found in the US Census of 2010 this morning. Perhaps you'll be able to see (as I have) how much danger lies around the corner for this underserved segment of our population, and at least begin to talk about it! Of course it has direct ties to disability, and I hope the reader (you) will gain some insight into "The Numbers".

Population Distribution...
57 million people with a disability were living in the United States in 2010. They represent 19% of the civilian noninstitutionalized population.

By age...
•8 percent of children under 15 have disabilities.
•21 percent of people 15 and older have disabilities.
•17 percent of people 21 to 64 have disabilities.
•50 percent of adults 65 and older have disabilities.

By gender... 
•Females with a disability, 20%, compared with 17% of males. (When adjusted for the aging of the population, the disability rate was 18 percent for both males and females).

Specific Disabilities...
•8 million... Number of people 15 and older who have a hearing difficulty.
•Among people 65 and older, 4 million have difficulty hearing.
•8 million... Number of people 15 and older with a vision difficulty.
•31 million... Number of people 15 and older who have difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
•4 million... Number of people who used a wheelchair to assist with mobility. This compares with 12 million people who used a cane, crutches or walker.

On the Job...
•41%... Percentage of people 21 to 64 with a disability who were employed.
•28%... Percentage of people 21 to 64 with severe disabilities who were employed. This compares with 71% of individuals with nonsevere disabilities who were employed.

Income and Poverty...
•$1,961... Median monthly earnings for people 21 to 64 with a disability, compared with $2,724 for those with no disability.
•$1,577... Median monthly earnings for people 21 to 64 with severe disabilities, while those with nonsevere disabilities had median monthly earnings of $2,402.
•$2,838... Median monthly earnings for people 21 to 64 with disabilities associated only with communication, including blindness or difficulty seeing, deafness or difficulty hearing, and difficulty having speech understood.
•29%... Percentage of people 15 to 64 with severe disabilities who were in poverty, while 18% with nonsevere disabilities were in poverty.

Program Participation...
•59%... Percentage of people 15 to 64 with severe disabilities who receive public assistance.
•33% receive social security benefits. This compares with 9% of adults 15 to 64 with nonsevere disabilities that receive Social Security benefits.
•28%... Percentage of adults with severe disabilities who receive food stamp benefits, compared with 8 percent for those with no disability.
•11%... Percentage of people 15 to 64 with severe disabilities who receive public housing assistance. This compares with 9 percent of people 65 and older with severe disabilities.

Health Insurance...
•48%... Percentage of adults 15 to 64 with severe disabilities who receive government health coverage.
•40%... Percentage of adults 15 to 64 with severe disabilities who have private health insurance coverage.
•23%... Percentage of people with severe disabilities who receive Medicare coverage.
•35%... Percentage of people 15 to 64 with severe disabilities who receive Medicaid, while 9 percent have dual coverage, receiving Medicare and Medicaid benefits.
•21%... Percentage of people 15 to 64 with severe disabilities who were uninsured, not statistically different from the 21% of those with nonsevere disabilities.