U.S. Census data indicates over 11 percent of Iowans have some sort of disability.
Nearly six percent of Iowans above the age of five have some sort of disability that makes it difficult for them to walk or move around. About five percent of Iowans have some sort of cognitive disability ranging from Alzheimer’s to a mental illness, like severe depression.
Just over 3.5 percent of Iowans are either deaf or cannot hear well. Over 106,000 Iowans admit they have trouble hearing conversations and have suffered serious hearing loss.
About half of Iowans who have some sort of disability have a job. According to the Census data, about 5.5 percent of the people in Iowa’s workforce have some sort of disability.
About a third of Iowans over the age of 65 have some sort of disability. That includes an inability to live independently, mobility problems or hearing and vision loss.