CB01-FF.10
July 11, 2001
11thAnniversary of Americans With Disabilities Act (July 26)
Note: The estimates in this fact sheet should not be confused with Census 2000 results on disability status, scheduled for release in 2002.
Work Disability
5.1 million -- The number who were employed among people ages 16 to 74 with a work disability in 2000. About 1 out of 4 people with a work disability were employed. Work disability includes any condition that limits the kind or amount of work a person can do or that prevents them from working1.
$33,877 -- Mean earnings in 1999 of year-round, full-time workers ages 16 to 74 with a work disability, compared with the mean of $40,991 earned by those who had no work disability.
69% -- Percent of people ages 16 to 74 with a work disability who had high school diplomas or more in 2000.
11% -- Percent of people ages 16 to 74 with work disabilities who had college degrees or more in 2000.
Population Distribution
52.6 million -- Number of people with some level of disability in 1997; this translates into a ratio of nearly 1 in 5 U.S. residents2.
33.0 million -- Number of people who had a severe disability in 1997, accounting for 1 in every 8 U.S. residents.
Among those 15 and over in 1997:
- 25 million had difficulty walking a quarter of a mile or climbing a flight of 10 stairs, or used an ambulatory aid, such as a wheelchair (2.2 million) or a cane, crutches or a walker (6.4 million).
- About 18 million had difficulty lifting and carrying a 10-pound bag of groceries or grasping small objects.
- About 14.3 million had a mental disability, including 1.9 million with Alzheimer's disease, senility or dementia; and 3.5 million with a learning disability.
- About 8.0 million had difficulty hearing what was said in a normal conversation with another person (even when wearing a hearing aid); of these, 800,000 were unable to hear what was said in a normal conversation.
- About 7.7 million had difficulty seeing the words and letters in ordinary newspaper print (even with glasses); of these, 1.8 milllion were completely unable to see words and letters in ordinary newspaper print.
74% -- Percentage of people 80 and over with a disability in 1997. The corresponding proportions for people ages 65 to 69 and 45 to 54 were 45 percent and 23 percent, respectively.
11% -- Proportion of children ages 6 to 14 with a disability in 1997.
For additional data on this topic, go to http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2001/cb01-46.html.
1The estimates in this section refer exclusively to work disability as defined in the Current Population Survey. Several criteria are used to identify people with a work disability, including whether the person identified himself as any of the following: being out of the labor force due to a disability, having been unable to work the entire previous year due to illness or disability, having ever retired or left a job for health reasons, or having a health problem or disability that prevents or limits the kind or amount of work.
2The Census Bureau defines a person with a disability as someone who has difficulty in performing functional tasks or daily living activities, or meets other criteria, such as a learning or developmental disability. People are considered to have a severe disability if they are completely unable to perform one or more of these tasks or activities, need personal assistance, use an ambulatory aid, have a mental or emotional condition that seriously interferes with everyday activities or receive federal benefits because of a disability that prevents them from working.
The preceding facts come from the Current Population Survey and Survey of Income and Program Participation. The data are subject to sampling variability and other sources of error. Previous 2001 Census Bureau Facts for Features: African American History Month (February), Valentine's Day (Feb. 14), Women's History Month (March), Census Day, 2000: One Year Later (April 1), Mother's Day (May 13), Asian Pacific American Month (May), Older Americans Month (May), Father's Day (June 17) and the Fourth of July. Questions or comments should be directed to the Census Bureau's Public Information Office (Tel: 301-457-3030; fax: 301-457-3670; e-mail: pio@census.gov).
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