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Disability

Self-care disability

8.2 million people in the U.S. (2.6% of those age 5 and over) have a self-care difficulty. It affects 7.2% of people 65 and over and 1.2% of children.

What the Census asks: Difficulty dressing or bathing.

At a glance

People with this difficulty
8.2 million
Share of people age 5 and over
2.6%
Age 65 and over
7.2%
Children (under 18)
1.2%

Map by county

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By age

Share with a self-care difficulty, by age group (number of people)
  • 5–171.2% 649,604
  • 18–340.9% 663,322
  • 35–642.2% 2,750,377
  • 65–744.1% 1,408,050
  • 75 and over11.8% 2,697,401

Who treats it

Together: 213.6 of these clinicians for every 10,000 people with a self-care 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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Specialists per person with this difficulty

Number of Occupational Therapists and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R) per 10,000 people with a self-care difficulty. Lower means each specialist has more people to serve.

The 10 states with the fewest specialists per person with this difficulty
StatePer 10,000SpecialistsPeople with the difficulty
Puerto Rico46.0773168,036
West Virginia110.571864,995
Alabama113.11,621143,321
Mississippi118.01,08291,667
Oklahoma121.01,248103,117
Louisiana132.61,775133,857
California135.113,7711,019,446
Nevada137.41,09179,404
Hawaii146.349033,503
Texas155.810,291660,734
All states
States from fewest to most specialists per person with this difficulty
StatePer 10,000SpecialistsPeople with the difficulty
Puerto Rico46.0773168,036
West Virginia110.571864,995
Alabama113.11,621143,321
Mississippi118.01,08291,667
Oklahoma121.01,248103,117
Louisiana132.61,775133,857
California135.113,7711,019,446
Nevada137.41,09179,404
Hawaii146.349033,503
Texas155.810,291660,734
Georgia159.93,968248,157
New Mexico160.51,02263,694
Tennessee163.42,920178,713
Oregon169.71,958115,376
Arizona177.42,867161,613
South Carolina182.82,447133,829
Florida185.510,118545,410
Idaho187.181043,299
Kentucky192.62,692139,807
Ohio205.45,791282,003
Arkansas210.62,04597,087
Rhode Island213.060128,213
Iowa219.31,33660,912
Virginia222.64,218189,521
Indiana224.13,525157,273
Missouri226.13,478153,844
North Carolina227.55,758253,131
Washington229.14,183182,619
Montana239.956523,551
Vermont240.132513,538
Delaware242.259524,564
Kansas258.21,50858,394
Utah261.61,31750,336
Pennsylvania268.68,872330,254
Illinois269.67,553280,160
Michigan270.16,794251,524
Massachusetts280.34,641165,586
Connecticut285.12,24578,736
Maryland294.23,707125,990
Alaska303.044014,522
New Jersey314.86,313200,542
New York327.417,402531,534
Wyoming331.535910,829
South Dakota351.760517,201
Wisconsin370.44,585123,772
Minnesota371.34,267114,911
Colorado380.13,77599,308
District of Columbia391.254914,034
Nebraska433.61,53235,332
Maine517.81,59430,786
New Hampshire554.41,51327,289
North Dakota631.385113,480

Counties with the highest share

  1. Juana Díaz Municipio, Puerto Rico 12.9%
  2. Socorro County, New Mexico 11.3%
  3. Luquillo Municipio, Puerto Rico 9.1%
  4. Ponce Municipio, Puerto Rico 9.0%
  5. Mingo County, West Virginia 8.8%
  6. Toa Baja Municipio, Puerto Rico 8.7%
  7. Lee County, Virginia 8.6%
  8. Pushmataha County, Oklahoma 8.2%
  9. San Sebastián Municipio, Puerto Rico 8.0%
  10. Lajas Municipio, Puerto Rico 8.0%

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.