Publications and speakers use a lot of figures to describe the population of people with disabilities, in the world and in the U.S. One statistic is represented in the Access Press “four blocks” logo: over a lifetime, about 25%, or one in four, individuals, will experience life with a disability. We like that one standout, unique, block.

One of the reasons that the “disability numbers” shift is that there are so many ways to define disability and to count the experience of disability. In addition to the regular census figures, the U.S. Census bureau has a special survey that they use to report the number of disabled Americans. It’s worthwhile spending some time with this source and others as discussion of public benefits for disabled people heats up in elections rhetoric and policy decisions. Here’s a guide.

Analyze your own! The U.S. Census Bureau offers a great website, Disability Statistics, with data as recent as 2024, from their American Community Survey, which asks questions about specific hearing, vision, self-care, ambulatory, cognition, and independent living difficulties. The site provides easy-to-use options to customize your own tables and charts.

The Census Bureau also offers more general Disability Data Tables from the 10-year (decentennial) census and the monthly Current Population Survey on working and labor.

Disability Impacts All of Us! The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) maintains a site with several attractive, reusable infographics on disability statistics.

There are several sites in Minnesota that keep track of disability statistics.

• The State of Minnesota Demographer makes it easy to find data about Minnesotans with disabilities.
• Minnesota Compass uses the U.S. Census Bureau data to extract Minnesota disability demographics.
• The Metropolitan Center for Independent Living (MCIL) reports on employment for disabled Minnesotans.
• A Minnesota law firm has created some informative graphics using MnDOT’s recent MinnesotaGO transportation report.