Social Security Disability Data Hub
The Social Security Administration (SSA) publishes extensive data on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), disability applications, awards, beneficiaries, service delivery, and reviews. The data are useful, but they live across several publications with different reporting periods, definitions, and formats.
This Data Hub brings key public SSA sources together so readers can find current indicators, review longer-run trends, understand program definitions, and link back to the official data.
Explore the Guide
Have a specific question? Start with Common Questions.
Questions or suggestions?
New to SSA Disability Programs and Data
Start here if you are new to SSA disability data. This section explains the basic program distinctions, the main benefit amounts and work thresholds, and the source rules that matter when reading the rest of the guide.
Program Basics and Benefit Amounts
SSDI and SSI are separate programs with different eligibility rules and partially overlapping populations.
SSDI pays benefits to insured workers who meet SSA's disability standard. Social Security disability benefits cover three types of beneficiaries. Disabled workers receive benefits on their own earnings record and make up the large majority of the SSDI caseload. Disabled adult children receive benefits based on a parent's earnings record; they must have a disability that began before age 22. Disabled widow(er)s receive benefits based on a deceased spouse's record and qualify through a separate entitlement category. Most of the application, award, and caseload data in this guide focus on disabled workers because SSA reports them separately in its main actuarial and statistical tables.
SSI is means-tested. It serves children and adults with disabilities, as well as aged recipients with limited income and resources.
Some people receive both SSDI and SSI. SSA counts these concurrent beneficiaries once when it reports an unduplicated total. The 11.0 million headline count is SSA's April 2026 unduplicated count of disabled beneficiaries under age 65 receiving Social Security, SSI, or both. This figure excludes Social Security disability beneficiaries ages 65 and older.
Benefit amounts vary by program, work history, living arrangement, income, and state supplementation rules. The cards below give readers a basic sense of benefit scale, not an estimate of what any individual would receive.
The SSI federal maximum payment in 2026 is $994 per month for an eligible individual and $1,491 for an eligible couple. Some states add supplements above the federal amount, but supplement amounts vary by state, eligibility category, living arrangement, income, and administration method. SSA provides the best current starting point for identifying which states supplement SSI and who administers those payments. LawAtlas provides detailed historical state supplement data for children with disabilities through November 1, 2018. Readers should verify current supplement amounts against SSA or state sources.
Other Program Parameters
SSA also publishes annual earnings thresholds that affect SSDI eligibility and work-incentive rules. These amounts help readers understand how earnings interact with disability benefits.
Other work incentives, including impairment-related work expenses, Plan to Achieve Self-Support, and Ticket to Work, can affect how earnings are counted or how beneficiaries access employment services. SSA does not publish regular utilization counts for most work incentives in the same statistical tables used for beneficiary counts, applications, and awards. See SSA SGA thresholds, Trial Work Period amounts, and choosework.ssa.gov for current details.
How to Read SSA Disability Data
SSA disability data are source-specific. A monthly count, an annual table, and an actuarial series may use different reporting periods, populations, or definitions. This guide labels each metric with its source and reporting period so readers can trace the number back to SSA.
SSDI and SSI counts overlap because some people receive both benefits. SSA's unduplicated totals account for concurrent beneficiaries.
Awards in a given year may come from applications filed in prior periods. The same-year ratio of awards to applications is not an allowance rate.
Disabled-worker applications cover people applying for SSDI on their own earnings record. They exclude disabled adult children, disabled widow(er)s, and SSI-only applicants.
Application and appeals data come from different SSA sources covering different stages of the process. They can be read together, but they need clear labels.
Monthly and annual SSA publications may use different reporting periods and populations. Each metric in this guide labels its reporting period and source.
SSI payment data require extra caution. Federal SSI payment amounts are published nationally, but state supplements vary by state, eligibility category, living arrangement, and administration method. SSA provides the best current starting point for identifying which states supplement SSI and who administers those supplements. LawAtlas provides a useful historical legal-policy dataset for children with disabilities through 2018, but current supplement amounts should be verified against SSA or state sources.
Start with These SSA Sources
These are the best starting points for most readers. The full source library below lists the official SSA sources used throughout the guide.
Monthly Statistical Snapshot: current beneficiary counts and average payments.
OACT Table 6c7: SSDI disabled-worker applications and awards over time.
DI Annual Statistical Report: SSDI beneficiaries, award outcomes, denials, and demographics.
SSI Annual Statistical Report: SSI applications, awards, recipients, and characteristics.
SSI Monthly Statistics: current SSI counts by age and eligibility category.
Fast Facts & Figures About Social Security: broad official overview of Social Security and SSI.
SSA Source Library
The quick list above points readers to common starting places. The source library below includes all official SSA publications used throughout this guide. Several sources come from SSA's Office of the Chief Actuary (OACT), which maintains the actuarial and statistical tables for Social Security programs.
April 2026 Disability Snapshot
What do the latest Social Security Administration (SSA) disability data show? This Snapshot summarizes the most recent public indicators for applications, awards, and caseloads across Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). It separates front-door activity from program size, then highlights award outcomes, backlogs, service-delivery indicators, and what to watch next.
The April 2026 update shows three related patterns: SSDI disabled-worker applications remain near recent levels, awards have risen from the COVID-era trough, and the SSDI disabled-worker caseload continues to decline. SSI child and adult awards have also rebounded from recent lows, while overall SSI disability caseloads remain relatively stable.
What do the latest data show?
This section starts with the three indicators that organize the Snapshot: applications, awards, and caseloads. Applications show front-door activity, awards show new entries onto the rolls, and caseloads show the total number receiving benefits after entries and exits. The cards below separate SSDI disabled workers, SSI children, and SSI working-age adults because the programs use different eligibility rules and data sources.
Update cadence: Headline beneficiary counts and current-payment indicators can be refreshed monthly. Interpretive summaries, watch-list items, and quarterly application/award indicators are updated quarterly. Annual trend and demographic sections are updated when SSA releases annual statistical reports.
SSDI (Disabled Workers)
SSI Children (Under 18)
SSI Adults Ages 18-64, Blind or Disabled
What are the latest application, award, and caseload indicators?
SSDI disabled-worker applications and awards come from OACT Table 6c7. The caseload count comes from OACT disabled-worker current-payment statistics. These measures answer different questions: applications show demand for SSDI disabled-worker benefits, awards show new entries, and the caseload shows the number of disabled workers receiving payments at a point in time.
Disabled-worker applications count people applying for SSDI on their own earnings record. They exclude disabled adult children, disabled widow(er)s, and SSI-only applicants. Awards in a given year may come from applications filed in prior periods, so the same-year ratio of awards to applications is not an allowance rate.
| Metric | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2026 Q1 | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSDI disabled-worker applications | 1,790K | 1,905K | 1,937K | 498,499 | Stable |
| SSDI disabled-worker awards | 543K | 562K | 630K | 163,520 | Rising |
| SSDI disabled-worker caseload | 7,538K | 7,369K | 7,231K | 7,070K (Mar) | Declining |
Sources: OACT Table 6c7 (applications, awards); OACT Disabled-Worker Statistics (current-payment status).
What are the latest SSI disability caseload indicators?
The SSI Snapshot focuses on disability-related SSI groups: children under 18 and working-age adults ages 18 to 64 who qualify based on blindness or disability. SSI recipients ages 65 and older are important for understanding the full SSI program, but they primarily reflect age-based eligibility and are not shown here as a disability caseload indicator. For the full SSI population including aged recipients, see the Demographics tab.
Source: SSI Monthly Statistics, April 2026.
SSI Child Disability Awards: 3-Year Trend
What do award outcomes show?
Application and award counts show activity in a given year or quarter. Award outcomes answer a different question: what share of a filing cohort is ultimately awarded benefits after the claim moves through initial decisions, reconsideration, hearings, and Appeals Council review?
For mature disabled-worker cohorts filed between 2014 and 2021, about 31% were ultimately awarded benefits. Recent cohorts (2022 and 2023) show lower rates, but those cohorts are still moving through the appeals process. Separately, initial awards as a share of all applications have ranged from 18% to 21% over the past decade. This means most applicants are not awarded benefits at the initial stage, but it should not be read as the medical initial allowance rate.
Source: DI Annual Statistical Report 2024, Table 60 (final award rates by filing cohort) and Chart 11 (initial awards as share of all applications).
Denial reasons and detailed breakdown
Denial reason categories include: impairment not severe, insufficient duration, capacity for past work, capacity for other work, insufficient evidence, and failure to cooperate. Detailed breakdowns are available in DI ASR 2024, Section 4 tables.
What are the backlogs and service-delivery indicators?
Backlogs and service-delivery indicators help explain how quickly SSA and state Disability Determination Services (DDS) agencies process disability work. Initial claims backlogs affect people waiting for a first decision. Continuing disability reviews, or CDRs, affect current beneficiaries whose medical eligibility is being reviewed. These measures are operational indicators, not caseload counts.
Initial Claims Backlog: June 2024 to February 2026
Continuing Disability Reviews
CDRs are different from initial claims. Initial claims determine whether new applicants qualify for benefits. CDRs review whether current beneficiaries continue to meet SSA's disability standard. Published CDR completion counts can vary across SSA sources depending on whether the series includes full medical reviews only or also counts failure-to-cooperate terminations and other administrative closures. The figures below use SSA's reported totals and should be read as approximate rather than exact.
| Metric | FY 2023 | FY 2024 | FY 2025 | FY 2026 (target) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical CDRs completed (approx.) | ~550,000* | ~375,000* | 401,000+ | Planned increase |
| Processing model | State DDSs | State DDSs | Transition announced / implementation period | Federal DCR model planned or underway |
| SSI non-medical redeterminations | n/a | n/a | n/a | Planned increase over FY 2025 |
Sources: CDR Open Data; SSA Press Release, March 12, 2026; SSA Budget Estimates. *FY 2023 and FY 2024 figures are approximate and may not match across SSA sources depending on how completions are categorized. The CDR backlog refers to deferred medical reviews. SSA eliminated the backlog by FY 2018, but deferrals later reemerged as CDR volume fluctuated with funding and operational changes.
CDRs Completed, Historical (thousands)
CDR completions declined sharply 2003 to 2010 due to funding constraints. The resulting backlog of deferred reviews was eliminated by FY 2018 but later reemerged. FY 2024 saw mid-year suspension. Exact historical counts may differ across SSA sources.
What should readers watch next?
Applications
- Are disabled-worker applications rising? Applications have been flat at ~1.9M. A sustained increase would signal new demand, not just backlog processing.
- Are SSI child and adult applications continuing to rebound? Both groups saw post-pandemic increases through 2024. Whether application levels plateau or continue rising is a key indicator.
Awards
- Are awards rising faster than applications? If awards keep climbing while applications stay flat, it may reflect backlog clearance, processing timing, or other adjudication dynamics rather than new inflow alone.
- Are SSI child awards continuing to rise? The 49% increase from 2022 to 2024 is one of the clearest recent trends to watch.
Caseloads
- Is the disabled-worker caseload still declining? The caseload has fallen 20% from its 2014 peak. If awards eventually outpace terminations, the long decline could reverse.
- Are SSI disability caseloads remaining stable despite higher awards? The pattern is consistent with exits keeping pace with entries, but this could shift if the award surge continues.
Service delivery
- Are CDRs increasing under the new in-house model? SSA has indicated a planned increase over FY 2025. Watch whether medical CDR completions increase under the new federal DCR model.
- Are initial claims backlogs continuing to fall? The backlog dropped 33% from June 2024 to February 2026. Whether this pace continues depends on application volume and staffing.
Sources and Notes
Different SSA sources update on different schedules. This guide refreshes monthly headline counts when available, updates the main snapshot quarterly, and updates annual trend and demographic sections when SSA releases new annual reports.
Sources Used in This Edition
Annual SGA and Trial Work Period thresholds are summarized in the Overview under Other Program Parameters.
Key Caveats
Overlapping populations: SSDI and SSI serve partially overlapping populations. About 1.1 million people receive both. The 11.0M headline figure is SSA's unduplicated count of disabled beneficiaries under age 65. It excludes Social Security disability beneficiaries ages 65 and older.
Awards vs. applications: Awards in a given year may come from applications filed in prior periods. The ratio of awards to applications in the same year is not an allowance rate.
Disabled-worker scope: Application and award figures count people applying on their own earnings record. They exclude disabled adult children, disabled widow(er)s, and SSI-only applicants.
Mixed reporting periods: Figures on this page come from different reporting periods. Each metric shows its source date. Monthly data are from April 2026; annual data reflect 2024 or 2025 depending on the source.
Disability Program Trends
How do current disability program levels compare with longer-run patterns? This tab uses public Social Security Administration (SSA) data to show how applications, awards, caseloads, and award outcomes have changed over time. It starts with current program size, then moves to long-run Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) trends. For the latest available monthly indicators, see the Latest Snapshot.
What is the current program size?
These cards use SSA's April 2026 unduplicated count of disabled beneficiaries under age 65. This figure excludes Social Security disability beneficiaries ages 65 and older, who continue to receive disability-converted benefits but are reported separately in SSA publications. SSA's Monthly Statistical Snapshot labels the Social Security category as "Social Security," while this guide uses "SSDI" as plain-language shorthand for disability-related Social Security benefits under age 65. The SSDI and SSI cards overlap because concurrent beneficiaries appear in both program counts. The additive breakdown is Social Security only, SSI only, and both, shown in the Demographics tab.
These current monthly counts provide the starting point. The charts below show how applications, awards, and caseloads have changed over time.
How have SSDI disabled-worker applications and awards changed over time?
Source: OACT Table 6c7, disabled-worker applications and awards, 1990 to 2024
SSDI disabled-worker applications rose sharply during the Great Recession, peaking at 2.94 million in 2010, then declined steadily during the recovery period and as the baby-boom cohort increasingly moved out of the SSDI risk pool. By 2022 applications had fallen to 1.79 million, roughly 39% below the 2010 peak, before edging back up to 1.94 million in 2024.
Awards followed a similar arc, peaking at 1.05 million in 2010 and declining to a low of 543,000 in 2022 before recovering to 630,000 in 2024. The ratio of awards to applications is not an allowance rate; it compares awards decided in a given year to applications filed in that same year, though many awards reflect applications filed in prior years.
Note on 2025 data: OACT Table 6c7 publishes annual disabled-worker applications and awards through 2024 as of this writing. More recent quarterly disabled-worker data may be available from OACT's selected data page. This guide will add 2025 annual figures when OACT updates Table 6c7.
Scope note: These figures cover disabled-worker applications and awards only. They exclude disabled adult children and disabled widow(er)s, who enter through separate adjudication paths. All values are in thousands and come from OACT Table 6c7.
SSDI disabled-worker applications, 1990 to 2024 (thousands). Source: OACT Table 6c7.
SSDI disabled-worker awards, 1990 to 2024 (thousands). Source: OACT Table 6c7.
View data table: Applications and Awards, 1990 to 2024
| Year | Applications (thousands) | Awards (thousands) |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1,067.7 | 472.1 |
| 1991 | 1,208.7 | 540.8 |
| 1992 | 1,335.1 | 642.1 |
| 1993 | 1,425.8 | 637.4 |
| 1994 | 1,443.8 | 631.9 |
| 1995 | 1,338.1 | 645.6 |
| 1996 | 1,279.2 | 624.3 |
| 1997 | 1,180.2 | 587.7 |
| 1998 | 1,169.3 | 608.4 |
| 1999 | 1,200.1 | 620.6 |
| 2000 | 1,330.6 | 621.3 |
| 2001 | 1,498.6 | 690.5 |
| 2002 | 1,682.5 | 750.0 |
| 2003 | 1,895.5 | 777.5 |
| 2004 | 2,137.5 | 795.8 |
| 2005 | 2,122.1 | 829.7 |
| 2006 | 2,134.1 | 803.8 |
| 2007 | 2,190.2 | 818.5 |
| 2008 | 2,320.4 | 890.4 |
| 2009 | 2,816.2 | 987.6 |
| 2010 | 2,935.8 | 1,049.3 |
| 2011 | 2,878.9 | 1,019.1 |
| 2012 | 2,824.0 | 983.6 |
| 2013 | 2,653.9 | 888.1 |
| 2014 | 2,536.2 | 811.0 |
| 2015 | 2,427.4 | 775.7 |
| 2016 | 2,321.6 | 744.3 |
| 2017 | 2,179.9 | 762.1 |
| 2018 | 2,073.3 | 733.9 |
| 2019 | 2,015.2 | 723.9 |
| 2020 | 1,838.9 | 648.1 |
| 2021 | 1,800.4 | 572.0 |
| 2022 | 1,789.6 | 543.4 |
| 2023 | 1,904.6 | 561.6 |
| 2024 | 1,937.0 | 629.9 |
Source: OACT Table 6c7. Disabled workers only.
How has the SSDI disabled-worker caseload changed over time?
Source: OACT Disabled-Worker Statistics, disabled workers in current-payment status, December of each year, 1997 to 2025
The SSDI disabled-worker caseload nearly doubled from 4.5 million in December 1997 to a peak of 8.95 million in December 2014. Since then the caseload has declined steadily, falling 20% to 7.13 million by December 2025. The post-2014 decline is consistent with several factors, including the baby-boom cohort aging from SSDI into retirement benefits, fewer new awards, and continued medical and work-related exits.
The decline steepened in 2020 and 2021, a period that also saw sharp declines in applications and awards during the COVID-era disruption to SSA field office operations. Existing beneficiaries also continued to age off the rolls. Applications and awards have since partially recovered (see Section 1 above), but the caseload continues to edge downward.
Scope note: This series covers disabled workers in current-payment status only. It excludes disabled adult children and disabled widow(er)s. Values are December end-of-month counts from the OACT Disabled-Worker Statistics page, which begins in January 1997. For pre-1997 caseload history, see the DI Annual Statistical Report.
SSDI disabled workers in current-payment status, December of each year, 1997 to 2025 (millions). Source: OACT Disabled-Worker Statistics.
View data table: Disabled Workers in Current-Payment Status, 1997 to 2025
| Year (December) | Disabled workers | Year-over-year change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 4,508,134 | -- |
| 1998 | 4,698,319 | +4.2% |
| 1999 | 4,879,455 | +3.9% |
| 2000 | 5,042,334 | +3.3% |
| 2001 | 5,274,183 | +4.6% |
| 2002 | 5,543,981 | +5.1% |
| 2003 | 5,873,673 | +5.9% |
| 2004 | 6,201,362 | +5.6% |
| 2005 | 6,524,582 | +5.2% |
| 2006 | 6,811,679 | +4.4% |
| 2007 | 7,101,355 | +4.3% |
| 2008 | 7,427,203 | +4.6% |
| 2009 | 7,789,113 | +4.9% |
| 2010 | 8,204,710 | +5.3% |
| 2011 | 8,576,067 | +4.5% |
| 2012 | 8,827,795 | +2.9% |
| 2013 | 8,942,584 | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 8,954,518 | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 8,909,430 | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 8,808,736 | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 8,695,475 | -1.3% |
| 2018 | 8,537,332 | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 8,378,374 | -1.9% |
| 2020 | 8,151,016 | -2.7% |
| 2021 | 7,877,129 | -3.4% |
| 2022 | 7,604,098 | -3.5% |
| 2023 | 7,365,987 | -3.1% |
| 2024 | 7,231,147 | -1.8% |
| 2025 | 7,125,880 | -1.5% |
Source: OACT Disabled-Worker Statistics. December end-of-month counts, disabled workers in current-payment status only.
How have SSI applications and awards changed for children and working-age adults?
Source: SSI Annual Statistical Report, 2024, Tables 58-59 (applications) and Tables 64-65 (awards), 2016 to 2024
SSI disability applications for children under 18 dropped sharply during the pandemic, from 364,000 in 2019 to 273,000 in 2021, then rebounded to 387,000 in 2024, slightly above the pre-pandemic level. Child awards followed a similar pattern, falling to 110,000 in 2022 before recovering to 163,000 in 2024.
Adult SSI applications (ages 18 to 64) declined from 1.49 million in 2016 to 994,000 in 2022 and have since partially recovered to 1.12 million in 2024. Adult awards fell even more steeply, from 490,000 in 2016 to 286,000 in 2022, recovering to 359,000 in 2024. The adult recovery has been slower than the child recovery, which may reflect longer processing times and continued backlogs at adult disability determination levels.
Scope note: These figures cover SSI applications and awards for disability-related categories only (children under 18 and adults aged 18 to 64). They exclude aged (65+) SSI applications, which are based on age and income rather than disability. All values come from the SSI Annual Statistical Report, 2024.
SSI applications and awards for children under 18, 2016 to 2024 (thousands). Source: SSI ASR 2024, Tables 58 and 64.
SSI applications and awards for adults aged 18 to 64, 2016 to 2024 (thousands). Source: SSI ASR 2024, Tables 59 and 65.
View data table: SSI Children (Under 18), Applications and Awards, 2016 to 2024
| Year | Applications | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 410,578 | 164,681 |
| 2017 | 391,879 | 163,613 |
| 2018 | 374,552 | 156,755 |
| 2019 | 363,807 | 160,328 |
| 2020 | 302,222 | 129,167 |
| 2021 | 272,666 | 110,328 |
| 2022 | 319,506 | 109,872 |
| 2023 | 381,957 | 138,667 |
| 2024 | 386,758 | 163,466 |
Source: SSI ASR 2024, Tables 58 (applications) and 64 (awards).
View data table: SSI Adults (18 to 64), Applications and Awards, 2016 to 2024
| Year | Applications | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 1,488,121 | 490,120 |
| 2017 | 1,405,664 | 491,703 |
| 2018 | 1,297,173 | 460,289 |
| 2019 | 1,304,381 | 461,553 |
| 2020 | 1,136,805 | 388,825 |
| 2021 | 1,019,125 | 320,468 |
| 2022 | 993,734 | 285,697 |
| 2023 | 1,083,276 | 300,075 |
| 2024 | 1,121,617 | 359,360 |
Source: SSI ASR 2024, Tables 59 (applications) and 65 (awards).
How have SSI disability caseloads changed for children and working-age adults?
Source: SSI Annual Statistical Report, 2024, Table 4, recipients by age, December of each year, 2000 to 2024
The SSI child caseload (under 18) grew steadily from 847,000 in December 2000 to a peak of 1.32 million in December 2013, then declined for a decade to 983,000 in December 2023. The 2024 count of 1.00 million marks the first year-over-year increase since 2013, consistent with the rebound in child applications and awards shown in the preceding section.
The adult caseload (ages 18 to 64) followed a similar arc, rising from 3.74 million in 2000 to a peak of 4.93 million in 2013 and declining continuously to 3.95 million in 2024. Unlike the child caseload, the adult series has not yet shown a year-over-year increase, which may reflect the slower recovery in adult awards and the ongoing aging of beneficiaries into retirement-age SSI status.
Scope note: All SSI recipients under age 65 qualify on the basis of blindness or disability. The "aged" eligibility category applies only to persons 65 and older. These counts are December point-in-time figures from the Supplemental Security Record, 100% administrative data.
SSI recipients under 18, December of each year, 2000 to 2024 (thousands). Source: SSI ASR 2024, Table 4.
SSI recipients aged 18 to 64, December of each year, 2000 to 2024 (millions). Source: SSI ASR 2024, Table 4.
View data table: SSI Children (Under 18), Recipients, December 2000 to 2024
| Year (December) | Recipients | Year-over-year change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 846,784 | -- |
| 2001 | 881,836 | +4.1% |
| 2002 | 914,821 | +3.7% |
| 2003 | 959,379 | +4.9% |
| 2004 | 993,127 | +3.5% |
| 2005 | 1,036,498 | +4.4% |
| 2006 | 1,078,977 | +4.1% |
| 2007 | 1,121,017 | +3.9% |
| 2008 | 1,153,844 | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 1,199,788 | +4.0% |
| 2010 | 1,239,269 | +3.3% |
| 2011 | 1,277,122 | +3.1% |
| 2012 | 1,311,861 | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 1,321,681 | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 1,299,761 | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 1,267,160 | -2.5% |
| 2016 | 1,213,079 | -4.3% |
| 2017 | 1,182,593 | -2.5% |
| 2018 | 1,148,038 | -2.9% |
| 2019 | 1,132,080 | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 1,108,612 | -2.1% |
| 2021 | 1,038,149 | -6.4% |
| 2022 | 997,109 | -3.9% |
| 2023 | 983,169 | -1.4% |
| 2024 | 1,002,887 | +2.0% |
Source: SSI ASR 2024, Table 4. December end-of-month counts. All SSI recipients under 18 qualify on blindness or disability.
View data table: SSI Adults (18 to 64), Recipients, December 2000 to 2024
| Year (December) | Recipients | Year-over-year change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 3,744,022 | -- |
| 2001 | 3,811,494 | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 3,877,752 | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 3,953,248 | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 4,017,108 | +1.6% |
| 2005 | 4,082,870 | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 4,152,130 | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 4,221,920 | +1.7% |
| 2008 | 4,333,096 | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 4,451,288 | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 4,631,507 | +4.0% |
| 2011 | 4,777,010 | +3.1% |
| 2012 | 4,869,484 | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 4,934,272 | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 4,913,072 | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 4,888,555 | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 4,845,735 | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 4,805,112 | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 4,714,234 | -1.9% |
| 2019 | 4,646,559 | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 4,556,131 | -1.9% |
| 2021 | 4,363,898 | -4.2% |
| 2022 | 4,195,789 | -3.8% |
| 2023 | 4,039,319 | -3.7% |
| 2024 | 3,951,866 | -2.2% |
Source: SSI ASR 2024, Table 4. December end-of-month counts. All SSI recipients aged 18 to 64 qualify on blindness or disability.
What do SSI award outcomes show?
Source: SSI Annual Statistical Report, 2024, Table 69, outcomes at all adjudicative levels, by age and year of application, 2014 to 2023
The SSI Annual Statistical Report tracks disability application outcomes through all adjudicative levels, including initial decisions, reconsideration, hearings, and Appeals Council review. For children under 18, the award rate rose from 38.6% for the 2014 filing cohort to 45.3% for the 2023 cohort, though the 2023 cohort remains incomplete. Child allowance rates also rose over the period, from 45.0% to 59.6%.
For adults ages 18 to 64, award rates were more stable for mature cohorts filed between 2014 and 2019, generally ranging from about 31% to 33%. The 2022 and 2023 cohorts show lower apparent rates, but those cohorts still have many applications pending at later decision stages. Recent filing cohorts will change as pending cases are resolved.
Scope note: These tables include SSI-only applications and concurrent Social Security/SSI applications. They exclude Social Security-only applications. Award rates and allowance rates are filing-cohort outcomes, not same-year awards divided by same-year applications. Do not compare directly with SSDI disabled-worker award outcomes because the populations and source tables differ.
SSI award rate for children under 18, by filing cohort, 2014 to 2023. Recent cohorts remain incomplete. Source: SSI ASR 2024, Table 69.
SSI award rate for adults ages 18 to 64, by filing cohort, 2014 to 2023. Recent cohorts remain incomplete. Source: SSI ASR 2024, Table 69.
View data table: SSI Children (Under 18), Application Outcomes, 2014 to 2023
| Filing Year | Applications | Award Rate (%) | Allowance Rate (%) | Pending (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 431,643 | 38.6 | 45.0 | 0.0 |
| 2015 | 433,855 | 38.9 | 45.8 | 0.0 |
| 2016 | 408,257 | 40.6 | 48.1 | 0.0 |
| 2017 | 388,406 | 41.7 | 49.5 | 0.0 |
| 2018 | 372,096 | 42.9 | 51.1 | 0.0 |
| 2019 | 362,617 | 44.0 | 52.7 | 0.0 |
| 2020 | 294,299 | 42.9 | 53.5 | 0.1 |
| 2021 | 277,466 | 43.1 | 55.4 | 0.5 |
| 2022 | 337,815 | 44.7 | 57.2 | 2.5 |
| 2023 | 294,129 | 45.3 | 59.6 | 3.4 |
Award rate = awards at all decision levels divided by applications minus pending claims. Allowance rate = medical allowances divided by total medical decisions. Pending claims are shown separately because recent cohorts still have cases moving through initial and appellate levels. Source: SSI ASR 2024, Table 69, children under 18.
View data table: SSI Adults (18 to 64), Application Outcomes, 2014 to 2023
| Filing Year | Applications | Award Rate (%) | Allowance Rate (%) | Pending (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 1,683,485 | 32.3 | 44.3 | 0.0 |
| 2015 | 1,575,596 | 31.7 | 43.4 | 0.0 |
| 2016 | 1,469,946 | 32.1 | 43.8 | 0.0 |
| 2017 | 1,379,120 | 32.3 | 44.2 | 0.1 |
| 2018 | 1,291,521 | 33.0 | 45.4 | 0.2 |
| 2019 | 1,295,675 | 32.9 | 45.2 | 0.3 |
| 2020 | 1,109,199 | 31.4 | 44.2 | 0.8 |
| 2021 | 1,028,093 | 31.0 | 45.3 | 3.3 |
| 2022 | 1,011,037 | 30.8 | 45.3 | 13.3 |
| 2023 | 822,733 | 27.6 | 41.9 | 16.6 |
Award rate = awards at all decision levels divided by applications minus pending claims. Allowance rate = medical allowances divided by total medical decisions. Pending claims are shown separately because recent cohorts still have cases moving through initial and appellate levels. Source: SSI ASR 2024, Table 69, adults 18-64.
Reading these tables: SSI ASR cohort tables track filing cohorts through the disability determination process, similar to the SSDI cohort tables in the DI ASR. The award rate is higher than the initial allowance share because some applicants are awarded after reconsideration, hearing, or Appeals Council review. Recent filing cohorts (2022, 2023) may understate final outcomes because a substantial share of adult claims remain pending at later decision stages. Child cohorts resolve faster and have smaller pending shares.
What do SSDI award outcomes show?
Among SSDI disabled-worker applicants whose claims have moved through the determination process, what share are ultimately awarded benefits? DI ASR Table 60 tracks filing cohorts through all levels of decision: initial, reconsideration, hearing, and Appeals Council. For cohorts filed between 2014 and 2021, the final award rate ranged from about 31% to 32%. More recent cohorts (2022 and 2023) show lower rates, but those cohorts still have a substantial share of claims pending at later decision stages.
SSDI disabled-worker award rate by filing cohort, 2014 to 2023. Recent cohorts remain incomplete. Source: DI Annual Statistical Report, 2024, Table 60.
View data table: Final award rate by filing cohort
| Filing Year | Applications | Award Rate (%) | Denied/Disallowed (%) | Pending (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 2,536,185 | 32.4 | 66.5 | 1.1 |
| 2015 | 2,427,380 | 31.4 | 67.4 | 1.2 |
| 2016 | 2,321,582 | 31.1 | 67.4 | 1.5 |
| 2017 | 2,179,946 | 30.9 | 67.5 | 1.6 |
| 2018 | 2,073,279 | 30.9 | 67.0 | 2.1 |
| 2019 | 2,015,212 | 31.7 | 65.5 | 2.7 |
| 2020 | 1,838,853 | 31.4 | 62.5 | 6.1 |
| 2021 | 1,800,416 | 31.0 | 56.4 | 12.6 |
| 2022 | 1,789,569 | 27.9 | 46.5 | 25.6 |
| 2023 | 1,904,600 | 21.5 | 29.1 | 49.5 |
Award rate = awards at all decision levels divided by applications minus pending claims. Pending claims are shown separately because recent cohorts are still moving through the determination and appeals process. Denied/disallowed shares use the published SSA outcome categories and should not be treated as a simple denominator check against the award rate. Source: DI ASR 2024, Table 60, disabled workers.
Reading this table: DI ASR cohort tables track filing cohorts through the disability determination process. The final award rate is higher than the initial-stage award share because some applicants are awarded after reconsideration, hearing, or Appeals Council review. These are cohort outcomes, not same-year awards divided by same-year applications. Recent filing cohorts (2022, 2023) may understate final outcomes because a large share of claims remain pending at later decision stages.
Beneficiary Characteristics
Who receives disability benefits? This tab summarizes beneficiary characteristics for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). It keeps the programs separate because they have different eligibility rules, benefit pathways, and reporting categories.
How do SSDI and SSI disability populations overlap?
SSA's April 2026 Monthly Statistical Snapshot reports 11.016 million disabled beneficiaries under age 65 receiving SSDI, SSI, or both. This unduplicated count excludes Social Security disability beneficiaries ages 65 and older. The three mutually exclusive groups under 65 are: SSDI only, SSI only, and both programs.
SSDI Beneficiaries
December 2024, DI Annual Statistical Report
| Category | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Disabled workers | 7,231,147 | 83.9% |
| Disabled adult children | 1,187,404 | 13.8% |
| Disabled widow(er)s | 196,108 | 2.3% |
| Total | 8,614,659 | 100% |
SSI Recipients by Age
April 2026, SSI Monthly Statistics
| Category | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 1,019,000 | 13.9% |
| Ages 18-64 | 3,819,000 | 52.0% |
| Ages 65+ | 2,500,000 | 34.1% |
| Total | 7,338,000 | 100% |
SSDI and SSI are separate programs with different eligibility rules and partially overlapping populations. About 1.1 million people receive both. The SSI 65+ group is included here to show the full SSI population. It primarily reflects age-based eligibility for people with limited income and resources, so it is separate from the under-65 disability-focused counts used in the Snapshot and Trends tabs. Dependents of disabled workers (spouses: 85,960; children: 896,059) receive SSDI benefits based on a parent or spouse's disability and are not direct disability applicants.
Who receives SSDI and SSI benefits?
SSDI and SSI serve different populations. SSDI covers insured workers who become disabled. SSI provides income to children and adults with disabilities who have limited income and resources. The demographic and diagnostic profiles differ substantially between the two programs.
Who receives SSDI disabled-worker benefits?
7.2 million workers in current-payment status, December 2024
Age Distribution
Average age: 56. Nearly half of all disabled workers are 60 or older.
Gender
SSDI disabled workers are split evenly by gender.
Primary Diagnostic Group
Two categories, musculoskeletal and mental disorders, account for nearly two-thirds of all SSDI disabled workers.
Source: DI Annual Statistical Report, 2024, Tables 19 and 21. Figures are for disabled workers in current-payment status, December 2024.
Who receives SSI disability benefits?
5.0 million blind and disabled recipients, December 2024
Age Distribution
One in five SSI recipients under 65 is a child. An additional 2.5 million recipients are aged 65 or older (primarily receiving aged benefits, not shown).
Gender
SSI skews male, largely because boys account for two-thirds of child SSI recipients.
Primary Diagnostic Group
Mental disorders account for nearly two-thirds of SSI recipients under 65, including intellectual disorders (17.2%), autism spectrum disorders (10.5%), schizophrenia spectrum (6.8%), and depressive/bipolar disorders (10.6%).
Source: SSI Annual Statistical Report, 2024, Table 36 and Section 2, Tables 4 and 5. Figures are for blind and disabled recipients under age 65, December 2024. "All other" combines endocrine/metabolic, infectious, neoplasms, blood, digestive, genitourinary, respiratory, skin, other, and unknown categories.
Geographic Variation in Disability Receipt
How does disability benefit receipt vary across places? This tab shows county and state variation in Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) receipt using Social Security Administration (SSA) administrative counts and American Community Survey (ACS) population denominators. The maps show benefit receipt rates, not a complete measure of underlying disability need.
How do SSI receipt rates vary across counties?
Select an age group to view how county-level SSI receipt rates vary across the country. Hover over any county for detail.
Scale: 0% to 5% · Darker shades indicate higher receipt rates.
How do SSI receipt rates vary across states?
Click column headers to sort. Each table shows SSI recipients, population, and receipt rate by state. These are county-mappable totals summed from county-level records. County sums may differ slightly from SSA's official state totals because SSA suppresses some county cells to avoid disclosure.
| State | Child SSI Recipients | Child Population | Child Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | 22,099 | 705,010 | 3.13% |
| District of Columbia | 3,333 | 127,314 | 2.62% |
| Louisiana | 27,376 | 1,082,850 | 2.53% |
| Mississippi | 16,263 | 686,805 | 2.37% |
| Kentucky | 22,256 | 1,024,976 | 2.17% |
| Pennsylvania | 53,133 | 2,661,340 | 2.00% |
| Florida | 80,827 | 4,374,830 | 1.85% |
| New York | 69,716 | 4,065,312 | 1.72% |
| West Virginia | 6,091 | 355,999 | 1.71% |
| Rhode Island | 3,452 | 207,425 | 1.66% |
| Georgia | 42,065 | 2,541,498 | 1.66% |
| Ohio | 42,510 | 2,600,150 | 1.64% |
| Alabama | 18,261 | 1,130,725 | 1.61% |
| Michigan | 32,912 | 2,140,484 | 1.54% |
| New Mexico | 6,846 | 461,141 | 1.49% |
| Tennessee | 23,267 | 1,566,969 | 1.49% |
| Wisconsin | 18,522 | 1,264,546 | 1.47% |
| North Carolina | 34,148 | 2,334,920 | 1.46% |
| Delaware | 3,093 | 211,672 | 1.46% |
| Oklahoma | 13,873 | 964,881 | 1.44% |
| South Carolina | 15,428 | 1,135,421 | 1.36% |
| Missouri | 18,742 | 1,382,679 | 1.35% |
| Texas | 100,972 | 7,544,648 | 1.34% |
| Massachusetts | 17,976 | 1,364,181 | 1.32% |
| Maryland | 17,253 | 1,376,500 | 1.25% |
| Indiana | 19,502 | 1,594,421 | 1.22% |
| Connecticut | 8,875 | 731,586 | 1.21% |
| Maine | 3,033 | 250,540 | 1.21% |
| Illinois | 32,618 | 2,773,339 | 1.18% |
| Nevada | 8,088 | 692,459 | 1.17% |
| New Jersey | 23,570 | 2,037,645 | 1.16% |
| Virginia | 21,092 | 1,890,833 | 1.11% |
| Iowa | 7,815 | 735,015 | 1.06% |
| Kansas | 7,227 | 700,229 | 1.03% |
| Vermont | 1,138 | 115,986 | 0.98% |
| California | 84,065 | 8,632,796 | 0.97% |
| Arizona | 15,255 | 1,594,376 | 0.96% |
| Oregon | 8,028 | 847,022 | 0.95% |
| South Dakota | 1,889 | 219,743 | 0.86% |
| Nebraska | 3,890 | 484,749 | 0.80% |
| Minnesota | 10,210 | 1,312,190 | 0.78% |
| Washington | 12,964 | 1,671,227 | 0.78% |
| Idaho | 3,589 | 466,183 | 0.77% |
| Montana | 1,534 | 234,707 | 0.65% |
| New Hampshire | 1,646 | 254,480 | 0.65% |
| Colorado | 6,954 | 1,231,527 | 0.56% |
| North Dakota | 1,040 | 184,461 | 0.56% |
| Wyoming | 684 | 131,267 | 0.52% |
| Alaska | 722 | 177,179 | 0.41% |
| Utah | 3,762 | 942,989 | 0.40% |
| Hawaii | 1,093 | 298,609 | 0.37% |
Top 25 Counties: Child SSI Rate
Minimum 500 children in ACS estimate for rate stability.
| # | County | Child Rate | Child SSI | Child Pop | Adult Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wolfe, Kentucky | 9.00% | 130 | 1,444 | 15.81% |
| 2 | Lee, Arkansas | 8.29% | 131 | 1,581 | 5.80% |
| 3 | St. Francis, Arkansas | 7.11% | 338 | 4,753 | 6.38% |
| 4 | Chicot, Arkansas | 6.94% | 147 | 2,117 | 7.74% |
| 5 | Phillips, Arkansas | 6.51% | 264 | 4,054 | 8.87% |
| 6 | Mississippi, Arkansas | 6.50% | 658 | 10,126 | 5.84% |
| 7 | Breathitt, Kentucky | 6.47% | 182 | 2,812 | 11.85% |
| 8 | Humphreys, Mississippi | 6.39% | 119 | 1,862 | 12.38% |
| 9 | Jefferson, Arkansas | 6.24% | 867 | 13,906 | 5.21% |
| 10 | Lexington, Virginia | 6.20% | 34 | 548 | 2.33% |
| 11 | Crittenden, Arkansas | 6.11% | 780 | 12,759 | 5.15% |
| 12 | Lafayette, Arkansas | 5.98% | 67 | 1,120 | 6.12% |
| 13 | East Carroll, Louisiana | 5.93% | 79 | 1,332 | 6.02% |
| 14 | Owsley, Kentucky | 5.88% | 45 | 766 | 16.24% |
| 15 | Dallas, Arkansas | 5.73% | 72 | 1,256 | 5.54% |
| 16 | Sunflower, Mississippi | 5.70% | 296 | 5,196 | 6.23% |
| 17 | Covington, Virginia | 5.65% | 74 | 1,309 | 9.34% |
| 18 | Pulaski, Arkansas | 5.51% | 5,137 | 93,178 | 3.29% |
| 19 | Morehouse, Louisiana | 5.44% | 308 | 5,661 | 6.66% |
| 20 | Clay, Kentucky | 5.35% | 219 | 4,096 | 12.60% |
| 21 | Craighead, Arkansas | 5.26% | 1,501 | 28,553 | 3.23% |
| 22 | Desha, Arkansas | 5.17% | 139 | 2,690 | 5.60% |
| 23 | Bell, Kentucky | 5.16% | 265 | 5,138 | 10.88% |
| 24 | Floyd, Kentucky | 4.99% | 386 | 7,729 | 10.54% |
| 25 | Bolivar, Mississippi | 4.96% | 361 | 7,273 | 8.40% |
Top 25 Counties: Adult SSI Rate
Minimum 1,000 adults 18-64 in ACS estimate.
| # | County | Adult Rate | Adult SSI | Adult Pop | Child Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Owsley, Kentucky | 16.24% | 388 | 2,389 | 5.88% |
| 2 | Wolfe, Kentucky | 15.81% | 593 | 3,750 | 9.00% |
| 3 | McDowell, West Virginia | 13.39% | 1,440 | 10,756 | 3.31% |
| 4 | Clay, Kentucky | 12.60% | 1,593 | 12,645 | 5.35% |
| 5 | Humphreys, Mississippi | 12.38% | 512 | 4,135 | 6.39% |
| 6 | Emporia, Virginia | 12.28% | 369 | 3,006 | 4.50% |
| 7 | Norton, Virginia | 12.22% | 256 | 2,094 | 2.91% |
| 8 | Magoffin, Kentucky | 11.99% | 797 | 6,646 | 4.68% |
| 9 | Breathitt, Kentucky | 11.85% | 946 | 7,983 | 6.47% |
| 10 | Wilcox, Alabama | 11.44% | 653 | 5,710 | 4.48% |
| 11 | Mingo, West Virginia | 11.38% | 1,422 | 12,491 | 2.95% |
| 12 | Perry, Alabama | 11.32% | 519 | 4,586 | 3.63% |
| 13 | Bell, Kentucky | 10.88% | 1,514 | 13,918 | 5.16% |
| 14 | Galax, Virginia | 10.72% | 390 | 3,639 | 3.12% |
| 15 | Floyd, Kentucky | 10.54% | 2,171 | 20,588 | 4.99% |
| 16 | Dallas, Alabama | 9.99% | 2,061 | 20,638 | 3.56% |
| 17 | Harlan, Kentucky | 9.94% | 1,454 | 14,632 | 4.41% |
| 18 | Whitley, Kentucky | 9.93% | 2,133 | 21,479 | 4.02% |
| 19 | Perry, Kentucky | 9.69% | 1,562 | 16,116 | 3.96% |
| 20 | Washington, Mississippi | 9.37% | 2,266 | 24,183 | 4.84% |
| 21 | Covington, Virginia | 9.34% | 303 | 3,246 | 5.65% |
| 22 | Martin, Kentucky | 9.32% | 641 | 6,876 | 4.45% |
| 23 | Petersburg, Virginia | 9.27% | 1,845 | 19,901 | 4.34% |
| 24 | Knott, Kentucky | 9.04% | 744 | 8,227 | 4.34% |
| 25 | Knox, Kentucky | 9.04% | 1,592 | 17,609 | 3.30% |
Why might county rates vary?
County differences may reflect health, labor markets, demographics, school referral patterns, Medicaid rules, local service systems, SSA operations, and other factors. The maps above show geographic concentration, particularly in Appalachia and the Deep South, but the drivers behind these patterns are not fully understood.
Recent research by Wittenburg Consulting and collaborators points to several factors that may help explain variation in child SSI participation. School systems appear to play a role in connecting families to the program: children's SSI applications follow the school calendar and differ across districts with varying referral capacity (Levere, Hemmeter, & Wittenburg, Journal of Public Economics, 2024). Large-scale disruptions can also shift local participation patterns: COVID-related school closures and service interruptions led to measurable declines in child SSI applications and awards in affected communities (Levere, Hemmeter, & Wittenburg, Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 2025). SSA administrative procedures may matter as well: medical continuing disability reviews may affect county caseloads in ways that do not necessarily track changes in underlying need (Hemmeter, Levere, & Wittenburg, AEA Papers and Proceedings, 2025).
State Medicaid policies, local economic conditions, state supplementation rules, and local service capacity likely contribute as well, but isolating their individual effects remains an open research question. For more related work, see the Wittenburg Consulting publications page.
How do SSDI disabled-worker receipt rates vary across counties?
This section shows how SSDI disabled-worker receipt rates vary across counties. Unlike SSI, which is means-tested and includes children, SSDI disabled-worker benefits require sufficient work history and are limited to adults. The two program populations overlap for concurrent beneficiaries but serve different eligibility criteria, so direct rate comparisons between SSI and SSDI require caution.
National SSDI disabled-worker receipt rate: 3.48% of the population ages 18-64 (7.1 million disabled workers / 203.3 million). County rates range from under 1% in parts of the Mountain West and Plains to above 10% in parts of central Appalachia and the Virginia independent cities.
Scale: 0-10% · Darker shades indicate higher receipt rates.
How do SSDI disabled-worker receipt rates vary across states?
Click column headers to sort. Shows SSDI disabled workers in current-payment status, population ages 18-64, and receipt rate by state. These are county-mappable totals summed from county-level records. County sums may differ slightly from SSA's official state totals because SSA uses controlled rounding for county-level SSDI counts.
| State | SSDI Disabled Workers | Population (18-64) | SSDI Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | 70,920 | 1,048,282 | 6.77% |
| Arkansas | 118,045 | 1,808,404 | 6.53% |
| Kentucky | 166,840 | 2,725,172 | 6.12% |
| Alabama | 185,045 | 3,051,784 | 6.06% |
| Mississippi | 103,670 | 1,754,135 | 5.91% |
| Maine | 46,770 | 826,857 | 5.66% |
| Missouri | 181,295 | 3,701,392 | 4.90% |
| Tennessee | 206,115 | 4,293,467 | 4.80% |
| Vermont | 18,750 | 392,441 | 4.78% |
| Oklahoma | 113,900 | 2,406,007 | 4.73% |
| South Carolina | 149,110 | 3,161,403 | 4.72% |
| Louisiana | 129,915 | 2,756,707 | 4.71% |
| Michigan | 285,305 | 6,061,011 | 4.71% |
| New Hampshire | 40,420 | 859,455 | 4.70% |
| Rhode Island | 31,105 | 688,145 | 4.52% |
| Pennsylvania | 342,790 | 7,821,796 | 4.38% |
| Indiana | 177,320 | 4,109,025 | 4.32% |
| Ohio | 302,625 | 7,054,566 | 4.29% |
| New Mexico | 53,585 | 1,250,841 | 4.28% |
| North Carolina | 278,280 | 6,549,921 | 4.25% |
| Delaware | 23,705 | 599,418 | 3.95% |
| Wisconsin | 138,355 | 3,554,283 | 3.89% |
| Iowa | 71,405 | 1,893,336 | 3.77% |
| Florida | 465,720 | 13,259,269 | 3.51% |
| Kansas | 61,265 | 1,747,134 | 3.51% |
| Georgia | 235,620 | 6,762,100 | 3.48% |
| Massachusetts | 153,965 | 4,421,602 | 3.48% |
| Wyoming | 11,940 | 343,268 | 3.48% |
| Montana | 22,725 | 657,495 | 3.46% |
| Idaho | 39,085 | 1,139,443 | 3.43% |
| New York | 417,130 | 12,233,026 | 3.41% |
| Oregon | 88,210 | 2,596,419 | 3.40% |
| Virginia | 180,370 | 5,360,594 | 3.36% |
| South Dakota | 17,160 | 524,374 | 3.27% |
| Minnesota | 110,055 | 3,434,870 | 3.20% |
| Nebraska | 37,085 | 1,163,153 | 3.19% |
| Connecticut | 70,380 | 2,222,365 | 3.17% |
| Arizona | 128,880 | 4,386,911 | 2.94% |
| Illinois | 228,335 | 7,765,245 | 2.94% |
| North Dakota | 13,475 | 470,526 | 2.86% |
| Nevada | 55,385 | 1,951,367 | 2.84% |
| New Jersey | 160,400 | 5,700,406 | 2.81% |
| Washington | 135,155 | 4,845,704 | 2.79% |
| Maryland | 103,985 | 3,795,770 | 2.74% |
| Texas | 463,530 | 18,587,524 | 2.49% |
| District of Columbia | 10,906 | 466,821 | 2.34% |
| Alaska | 9,900 | 456,833 | 2.17% |
| Hawaii | 18,300 | 851,074 | 2.15% |
| Colorado | 77,910 | 3,716,660 | 2.10% |
| California | 498,875 | 24,496,210 | 2.04% |
| Utah | 41,325 | 2,047,026 | 2.02% |
Top 25 Counties: SSDI Disabled-Worker Rate
Minimum 1,000 adults 18-64 in ACS estimate for rate stability.
| # | County | SSDI Rate | SSDI Workers | Pop 18-64 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dickenson, Virginia | 17.21% | 1,330 | 7,729 |
| 2 | Buchanan, Virginia | 17.00% | 1,960 | 11,530 |
| 3 | Norton, Virginia | 14.80% | 310 | 2,094 |
| 4 | Mingo, West Virginia | 14.33% | 1,790 | 12,491 |
| 5 | Magoffin, Kentucky | 13.84% | 920 | 6,646 |
| 6 | Floyd, Kentucky | 13.70% | 2,820 | 20,588 |
| 7 | Wayne, Missouri | 13.67% | 820 | 5,999 |
| 8 | Letcher, Kentucky | 13.46% | 1,605 | 11,926 |
| 9 | Pike, Kentucky | 13.21% | 4,470 | 33,832 |
| 10 | Wolfe, Kentucky | 13.20% | 495 | 3,750 |
| 11 | Perry, Alabama | 13.19% | 605 | 4,586 |
| 12 | Russell, Virginia | 13.07% | 1,920 | 14,688 |
| 13 | Wilcox, Alabama | 13.05% | 745 | 5,710 |
| 14 | Conecuh, Alabama | 12.89% | 800 | 6,205 |
| 15 | Wise, Virginia | 12.85% | 2,780 | 21,636 |
| 16 | Harlan, Kentucky | 12.81% | 1,875 | 14,632 |
| 17 | Oscoda, Michigan | 12.80% | 550 | 4,297 |
| 18 | Sharp, Arkansas | 12.68% | 1,220 | 9,620 |
| 19 | Montmorency, Michigan | 12.64% | 625 | 4,945 |
| 20 | Greene, Alabama | 12.63% | 500 | 3,958 |
| 21 | Wirt, West Virginia | 12.61% | 355 | 2,816 |
| 22 | Leslie, Kentucky | 12.59% | 765 | 6,076 |
| 23 | Hale, Alabama | 12.50% | 1,035 | 8,280 |
| 24 | Clay, West Virginia | 12.47% | 545 | 4,369 |
| 25 | Lee, Virginia | 12.42% | 1,595 | 12,840 |
Caveats for SSDI County Rates
1. The numerator (disabled workers in current-payment status, December 2024) excludes SSDI beneficiaries whose payments are suspended, for example because of work above Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) or incarceration. The number of people with an SSDI entitlement is higher than the current-payment count.
2. Virginia independent cities are separate FIPS areas with small populations, which can produce high rates that reflect jurisdictional boundaries rather than underlying disability prevalence.
3. SSA publishes county-level SSDI data rounded to the nearest 5 for counties with fewer than 1,000 beneficiaries, so small-county counts carry rounding imprecision.
4. The denominator (ACS 2020-2024 population ages 18-64) includes people who would not be insured for SSDI. A more precise denominator would use SSDI-insured workers, but that figure is not available at the county level.
5. County of residence in SSA data may differ from where a person worked or became disabled. Migration after disability onset can shift county-level rates.
6. Connecticut is shaded at the statewide rate because the state reorganized its counties into planning regions in 2022. County-level variation within Connecticut is not shown.
Data Sources and Methodology
SSI Numerator: SSA, SSI Recipients by State and County, 2024 (released August 2025). Table 3 (Alternative Excel File for Researchers). Data reflect SSI recipients as of December 2024.
ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/ssi_sc ·
Direct link: table03alt.xlsx
SSDI Numerator: SSA, OASDI Beneficiaries by State and County, 2024. Table 4 (Alternative Tables 4 and 5 Excel file). Disabled workers in current-payment status, December 2024.
ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/oasdi_sc ·
Direct link: tables4-5alt.xlsx
Denominator: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024).
Table B09001 (Population Under 18), Table B01001 (Sex by Age), Table S0101 (Age and Sex, used for DC).
Population 18-64 derived as total minus under-18 minus 65+.
data.census.gov
Metric: Receipt Rate (%) = (Beneficiaries in Age Group / ACS Population in Age Group) x 100. Applied separately to SSI (children, adults, 65+) and SSDI (disabled workers, adults 18-64).
Join Key: County FIPS code (ANSI code in SSA data matched to state+county FIPS in ACS).
Downloadable file: The downloadable CSV combines SSA SSI county data, SSA OASDI county data, and ACS 2020-2024 population denominators into a single integrated analytic file. Rates are calculated by Wittenburg Consulting from these public sources. The file is intended as a reader's guide to public SSA data, not an official SSA product.
Caveats:
1. ACS denominators are estimates with margins of error, particularly for small counties.
2. SSA suppresses county-level age cells to avoid disclosing information about individuals. 413 counties have suppressed child SSI counts.
3. The numerator (December 2024 point-in-time) and denominator (2020-2024 five-year average) refer to different time periods.
4. SSA county data reflect residence for federal SSI payments and federally administered state supplementation only.
5. Rates in small counties (under ~1,000 children) should be interpreted with caution due to denominator instability.
6. The District of Columbia is treated as a single county-equivalent (FIPS 11001). SSA reports DC under its state-level FIPS code (11000), which does not match the county-level code used by Census and the map boundaries. Population denominators are from the ACS 5-year estimates for DC. Northern Mariana Islands are excluded because SSA does not report county-level data for that territory.
7. Connecticut is shaded at the statewide rate because the state replaced its 8 legacy counties with 9 planning regions in 2022. SSA now reports data by planning region, so county-level variation within Connecticut is not shown. Connecticut totals appear in the state summary tables.
This tab uses December 2024 SSA county data and ACS 2020 to 2024 population estimates. SSA county publications update annually, typically in August.
Different SSA sources update on different schedules. This guide refreshes monthly headline counts when available, updates the main snapshot quarterly, and updates annual trend and demographic sections when SSA releases new annual reports.
State & County page generated May 2026. SSI numerator: SSA SSI Recipients by State and County, December 2024. SSDI numerator: SSA OASDI Beneficiaries by State and County, December 2024. Denominator: ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates. Analysis by Wittenburg Consulting.
Find the Right SSA Disability Data
Start here if you have a specific question about SSA disability data. This tab points readers to the sections that answer common questions about program size, applications, awards, caseloads, beneficiary characteristics, and geographic variation.
Program Size
How many people receive SSDI, SSI, or both?
Use the Trends tab's current program size section. It shows SSA's April 2025 unduplicated count of disabled beneficiaries under age 65 and the overlapping Social Security, SSI, and concurrent groups.
Go to current program size →What is the difference between SSDI and SSI?
Use the Overview tab's program basics section. SSDI and SSI have different eligibility rules, benefit pathways, and reporting categories, and some people receive both.
Go to program basics →Applications and Awards
Are disability applications going up?
Use the Snapshot for the latest indicators and the Trends tab for longer-run patterns. SSDI disabled-worker applications are available through OACT Table 6c7, while comparable SSI application detail comes from the SSI Annual Statistical Report.
Go to latest applications →What share of SSDI applicants ultimately receive benefits?
Use the Trends tab's award outcomes section. It uses DI Annual Statistical Report filing-cohort data, which track applicants through multiple decision levels and should not be compared with same-year awards divided by applications.
Go to SSDI award outcomes →What share of SSI disability applicants ultimately receive benefits?
Use the Trends tab's SSI award outcomes section. It uses SSI ASR filing-cohort data (Table 69) and shows children and adults separately. These tables include SSI-only and concurrent applications but exclude Social Security-only applications. Do not compare directly with SSDI disabled-worker award outcomes.
Go to SSI award outcomes →Caseloads and Beneficiaries
Is the SSDI caseload rising or falling?
Use the Trends tab's SSDI disabled-worker caseload section. It shows current-payment disabled workers over time and helps separate new awards from the total number receiving benefits.
Go to SSDI caseload →How have SSI disability caseloads changed for children and adults?
Use the Trends tab's SSI caseload section. Both child and adult SSI caseloads peaked in 2013 and have declined since. The child caseload ticked up slightly in 2024 for the first time in a decade.
Go to SSI caseload →Who receives disability benefits?
Use the Demographics tab. It separates SSDI disabled workers, disabled adult children, disabled widow(er)s, SSI children, SSI working-age adults, and SSI aged recipients.
Go to Demographics →Geography
How do disability receipt rates vary across counties?
Use the State & County tab. The maps show SSI and SSDI receipt rates using SSA county counts and ACS denominators. These are benefit receipt rates, not direct measures of disability prevalence.
Go to State & County →Why might county rates vary?
Use the State & County research section. County differences may reflect health, labor markets, demographics, school referral patterns, Medicaid rules, local service systems, SSA operations, and other factors.
Go to research notes →Sources and Methods
Where do the numbers come from?
Use the Overview source library and the source notes below each chart or table. The guide links each headline number to the SSA publication or table used to build it.
Go to source library →Why do some sources use different reporting periods?
SSA publications update on different schedules. Monthly beneficiary counts, quarterly SSDI indicators, annual SSI application data, and annual demographic tables may not all refer to the same period, so each metric labels its source and reporting period.
Go to how to read SSA data →Can I suggest a topic for a future update?
Yes. We welcome suggestions for future snapshots, briefs, source guides, or plain-language explainers using public SSA disability data.
Send a suggestion →Suggestions may inform future updates or products, but we may not be able to respond to every request or provide individualized analysis.
Acronyms / Archive
This tab includes an acronym glossary for common SSA terms used in this guide, plus archived monthly snapshots as future editions are published.
Acronyms Used in This Guide
SSA disability data use several recurring acronyms across publications. This glossary spells out the most common terms so readers can move between SSA sources more easily.
Acronym glossary
| Acronym | Full Name |
|---|---|
| ACS | American Community Survey (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| ASR | Annual Statistical Report (SSA) |
| CDR | Continuing Disability Review |
| COLA | Cost-of-Living Adjustment |
| CSV | Comma-separated values |
| DCR | Disability Case Review, SSA's federal organization handling medical continuing disability reviews |
| DDS | Disability Determination Services |
| DI | Disability Insurance, SSA's internal term often used in publications for the SSDI program or disability-related OASDI benefits, depending on context |
| FIPS | Federal Information Processing Standards (geographic codes) |
| FY | Fiscal Year (October through September for SSA) |
| LAE | Limitation on Administrative Expenses |
| OACT | Office of the Chief Actuary (SSA) |
| OASDI | Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance |
| PASS | Plan to Achieve Self-Support |
| SGA | Substantial Gainful Activity |
| SSA | Social Security Administration |
| SSDI | Social Security Disability Insurance |
| SSI | Supplemental Security Income |
| TWP | Trial Work Period |
Archived editions
Archived monthly snapshots will appear here after future editions are published.