Skip to main content

American Community Survey

Outcomes for People With and Without Disabilities From the American Community Survey: 2024

Data Note No. 107, 2026

This Data Note summarizes employment and poverty rates across the US in 2024. These outcomes are compared for people with no disability, people with any disability, and people with a cognitive disability, which indicate that people with disabilities continue to have less success in the labor market, and a greater likelihood of being unemployed or underemployed, compared to individuals without a disability. 

State Data: The National Report on Employment Services and Outcomes through 2023

Data Note No. 105, 2026

Data Note 105 summarizes the findings from the National Report on Employment Services and Outcomes Through 2023. Overall, the findings suggest that across data sources, people with IDD experience greater levels of unemployment, underemployment, low wages, and poverty compared to those without disabilities and those with non-IDD disabilities. 

National Data Show Rising Employment & Opportunity for People with IDD

Data Note No. 101, 2025

Data Note 101 summarizes national data that show progress toward inclusive employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Facility-based work and subminimum wage use have declined, while poverty rates and unemployment have dropped. While data suggest progress, there is a need to continue strengthening policies, practices, and initiatives that prioritize employment.

Vulnerability to Poverty During Global & Financial Crises Varies for People with and without Disabilities

Data Note No. 98, 2025

This Data Note examines poverty rates over time for selected disability populations from the 2023 American Community Survey (ACS). The data note specifically examines two populations: 1) people with cognitive disabilities receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) who are employed, and 2) people without disabilities who are employed.

Outcomes for People With and Without Disabilities from the American Community Survey: 2023

Data Note No. 96, 2025

This Data Note summarizes employment and poverty rates across the US in 2023. These data are compared for people with no disability, people with any disability, and people with a cognitive disability, which indicate that people with disabilities continue to have less success in the labor market, and a greater likelihood of being underemployed, compared to individuals without a disability.

State Data: The National Report on Employment Services and Outcomes through 2022

Data Note No. 94, 2025

Data Note 94 summarizes the findings from the National Report on Employment Services and Outcomes Through 2022. Overall, the findings suggest that across data sources, people with IDD experience greater levels of unemployment, underemployment, low wages, and poverty compared to those without disabilities and those with non-IDD disabilities. 

Outcomes for People With and Without Disabilities from the American Community Survey: 2022

Data Note No. 90, 2024

This Data Note summarizes employment and poverty rates across the US in 2022. These data are compared for people with no disability, people with any disability, and people with a cognitive disability, which indicate that people with disabilities continue to have less success in the labor market, and a greater likelihood of being underemployed, compared to individuals without a disability.

Indicators of Labor Market Success for People with Intellectual Disabilities

DataNote No. 22, 2009

Reporting meaningful indicators of labor market success for individuals with disabilities, particularly Intellectual Disabilities (ID), is challenging for a number of reasons. Measures that allow people to indicate specific disabilities like ID are uncommon in large national data sets. Additionally, the use of the “traditional” unemployment rate reported by the Department of Labor as an indicator of labor market success for people with disabilities leaves people who are not in the labor force, a significant group when it comes to subpopulations of people with disabilities, out of the calculation. In this data note, we discuss the implications of using the 2007 American Community Survey (ACS) from the U.S. Census Bureau for indicators of labor market success, including for people with ID.

Disability and Occupation

DataNote No. 13, 2007

It is well-documented that people with disabilities have a significantly lower rate of employment than people without disabilities (36% versus 74% according to the 2006 American Community Survey (ACS). Less is known about the types of work they do. Using the occupational classification system within the ACS, researchers explored the prevalence of people with disabilities within occupational groupings and discuss its relationship to occupational growth1. Future analysis will address variation across disability groups.