1. Exceptional Lives
  2. Massachusetts Guides
  3. Employers Guide: Creating a Disability-Friendly Workforce
  4. About disabilities in the workplace

The statistics

People with disabilities are a large pool of candidates!

  • It's estimated that between 12% and 19% of the U.S. population have a disability. That's up to 56 million people. (1, 2)

  • Just over half of the population of people with disabilities are of working age: 18-64. That's as high as 28 million people. (1)

  • Unemployment rates are over twice as high for PWD compared with people without disabilities. (3)

  • People ages 18-64 living in the community who are employed:with disabilities 35%, without 76% (1)

 

Sources: Disability Compendium, Workplace Initiative Guide to Success, U.S. DOL Office of Disability Employment Policy