Disability

Living independently disability

15.5 million people in the U.S. (6.0% of those age 18 and over) have a living independently difficulty. It affects 13.4% of people 65 and over.

What the Census asks: Because of a physical, mental or emotional condition, difficulty doing errands alone, such as visiting a doctor’s office or shopping.

People with this difficulty: 15.5 million
Share of people age 18 and over: 6.0%
Age 65 and over: 13.4%

Map by county

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This interactive map needs JavaScript; here are the same figures by state.Living independently by state

State

Number

Share (%)

Puerto Rico

310,262

11.5

West Virginia

120,166

8.7

Kentucky

271,553

7.9

Arkansas

177,951

7.8

Mississippi

169,681

7.7

New Mexico

123,305

7.6

Alabama

287,088

7.4

Oklahoma

209,255

7.0

Louisiana

237,609

6.9

Oregon

232,212

6.9

Hawaii

71,975

6.6

Tennessee

354,350

6.6

Missouri

304,789

6.5

Pennsylvania

657,160

6.5

Michigan

503,663

6.4

Delaware

50,052

6.3

New York

979,401

6.3

Ohio

562,148

6.2

Maine

69,337

6.2

South Carolina

250,701

6.2

Indiana

315,062

6.1

Washington

361,295

6.0

Rhode Island

52,283

6.0

California

1,783,183

5.9

Florida

1,030,618

5.8

Nevada

141,864

5.8

Georgia

474,088

5.8

North Carolina

471,393

5.8

Vermont

30,158

5.7

Massachusetts

320,136

5.7

Idaho

81,877

5.7

Montana

48,856

5.6

Arizona

319,538

5.6

Illinois

547,895

5.6

Kansas

122,698

5.6

Connecticut

158,055

5.5

Virginia

360,842

5.5

New Hampshire

59,924

5.3

Texas

1,178,970

5.3

Wisconsin

239,739

5.2

Minnesota

226,803

5.2

Alaska

27,236

5.2

Iowa

124,309

5.1

Wyoming

22,544

5.1

New Jersey

368,715

5.1

Maryland

241,411

5.1

Nebraska

74,021

5.0

South Dakota

32,315

4.8

District of Columbia

25,595

4.7

Utah

112,076

4.6

North Dakota

26,588

4.6

Colorado

206,996

4.6

By age

Share with a living independently difficulty, by age group (number of people)

18–343.3% 2,455,089
35–644.3% 5,444,533
65–747.4% 2,532,813
75 and over22.2% 5,097,306

Who treats it

Occupational Therapists 160,496
Geriatric Medicine 6,320

Together: 107.4 of these clinicians for every 10,000 people with a living independently difficulty.

Clinicians registered with this primary specialty and a practice address, as on our maps. Many other clinicians, such as family doctors, also care for people with this difficulty.

By state

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Share by state. Highest: Puerto Rico 12%, West Virginia 9%, Kentucky 8%. Lowest: Utah 5%, North Dakota 5%, Colorado 5%.

Show the numbers by state

State	Share	People
Puerto Rico	11.5%	310,262
West Virginia	8.7%	120,166
Kentucky	7.9%	271,553
Arkansas	7.8%	177,951
Mississippi	7.7%	169,681
New Mexico	7.6%	123,305
Alabama	7.4%	287,088
Oklahoma	7.0%	209,255
Louisiana	6.9%	237,609
Oregon	6.9%	232,212
Hawaii	6.6%	71,975
Tennessee	6.6%	354,350
Missouri	6.5%	304,789
Pennsylvania	6.5%	657,160
Michigan	6.4%	503,663
Delaware	6.3%	50,052
New York	6.3%	979,401
Maine	6.2%	69,337
Ohio	6.2%	562,148
South Carolina	6.2%	250,701
Indiana	6.1%	315,062
Rhode Island	6.0%	52,283
Washington	6.0%	361,295
California	5.9%	1,783,183
Florida	5.8%	1,030,618
Georgia	5.8%	474,088
Nevada	5.8%	141,864
North Carolina	5.8%	471,393
Idaho	5.7%	81,877
Massachusetts	5.7%	320,136
Vermont	5.7%	30,158
Arizona	5.6%	319,538
Illinois	5.6%	547,895
Kansas	5.6%	122,698
Montana	5.6%	48,856
Connecticut	5.5%	158,055
Virginia	5.5%	360,842
New Hampshire	5.3%	59,924
Texas	5.3%	1,178,970
Alaska	5.2%	27,236
Minnesota	5.2%	226,803
Wisconsin	5.2%	239,739
Iowa	5.1%	124,309
Maryland	5.1%	241,411
New Jersey	5.1%	368,715
Wyoming	5.1%	22,544
Nebraska	5.0%	74,021
South Dakota	4.8%	32,315
District of Columbia	4.7%	25,595
Colorado	4.6%	206,996
North Dakota	4.6%	26,588
Utah	4.6%	112,076

Specialists per person with this difficulty

Number of Occupational Therapists and Geriatric Medicine per 10,000 people with a living independently difficulty. Lower means each specialist has more people to serve.

The 10 states with the fewest specialists per person with this difficulty
State	Per 10,000	Specialists	People with the difficulty
Puerto Rico	21.0	653	310,262
Alabama	53.7	1,543	287,088
Oklahoma	57.3	1,199	209,255
West Virginia	59.0	709	120,166
Mississippi	63.1	1,070	169,681
Louisiana	70.2	1,667	237,609
Nevada	71.4	1,013	141,864
Hawaii	72.0	518	71,975
California	73.9	13,175	1,783,183
Tennessee	78.8	2,794	354,350

All states

States from fewest to most specialists per person with this difficulty
State	Per 10,000	Specialists	People with the difficulty
Puerto Rico	21.0	653	310,262
Alabama	53.7	1,543	287,088
Oklahoma	57.3	1,199	209,255
West Virginia	59.0	709	120,166
Mississippi	63.1	1,070	169,681
Louisiana	70.2	1,667	237,609
Nevada	71.4	1,013	141,864
Hawaii	72.0	518	71,975
California	73.9	13,175	1,783,183
Tennessee	78.8	2,794	354,350
Georgia	79.7	3,778	474,088
New Mexico	81.5	1,005	123,305
Oregon	81.9	1,901	232,212
Texas	82.2	9,686	1,178,970
Arizona	86.2	2,755	319,538
South Carolina	93.6	2,346	250,701
Idaho	93.7	767	81,877
Florida	93.7	9,662	1,030,618
Kentucky	95.4	2,590	271,553
Ohio	97.6	5,487	562,148
Iowa	101.0	1,256	124,309
Utah	105.9	1,187	112,076
Washington	107.7	3,890	361,295
Indiana	107.9	3,400	315,062
Missouri	108.6	3,310	304,789
Vermont	109.8	331	30,158
Virginia	111.7	4,031	360,842
Montana	112.2	548	48,856
Delaware	113.1	566	50,052
Arkansas	114.5	2,038	177,951
Kansas	116.5	1,429	122,698
Rhode Island	116.5	609	52,283
North Carolina	118.5	5,586	471,393
Michigan	126.4	6,364	503,663
Pennsylvania	128.4	8,437	657,160
Illinois	130.2	7,132	547,895
Connecticut	137.8	2,178	158,055
Massachusetts	142.7	4,567	320,136
Maryland	148.7	3,589	241,411
Wyoming	157.5	355	22,544
Alaska	159.0	433	27,236
New Jersey	162.2	5,981	368,715
New York	171.1	16,753	979,401
Colorado	173.0	3,581	206,996
Minnesota	178.5	4,049	226,803
South Dakota	182.6	590	32,315
Wisconsin	183.8	4,406	239,739
District of Columbia	196.1	502	25,595
Nebraska	200.1	1,481	74,021
Maine	228.4	1,584	69,337
New Hampshire	249.6	1,496	59,924
North Dakota	315.6	839	26,588

Counties with the highest share

Rincón Municipio, Puerto Rico 21.3%
Buchanan County, Virginia 20.1%
Camuy Municipio, Puerto Rico 19.0%
Quebradillas Municipio, Puerto Rico 18.6%
Luquillo Municipio, Puerto Rico 18.5%
Lincoln County, West Virginia 18.3%
Mingo County, West Virginia 18.2%
Aguada Municipio, Puerto Rico 17.3%
Socorro County, New Mexico 17.1%
Juana Díaz Municipio, Puerto Rico 16.8%

Counties where at least 10,000 people were counted; survey estimates for smaller counties have wide margins of error.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 (tables B18101–B18107), civilian population living in the community (not in nursing homes or other institutions). People report their own difficulties, or a household member reports for them. Totals are the 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico, as on the map. Specialists: NPPES NPI Registry, the same counts as our specialty pages.

At a glance