The American Community Survey (ACS) is an on-going nationwide survey providing communities with current information on demographic, social, economic and housing characteristics. Fully implemented in 2005 as part of the Census Bureau’s reengineered census program, the ACS collects and analyzes data yearly instead of every ten years. 

According to the American Community Survey, in 2008, of the 781,664 individuals ages 18 to 64 years living in the community:

• 20,628 individuals (or 2.6%) reported to have a hearing disability,

• 28,449 individuals (or 3.6%) reported to have a vision disability,

• 44,634 individuals (or 5.7%) reported to have a cognitive disability,

• 46,049 individuals (or 5.9%) reported to have an ambulatory disability,

• 17,632 individuals (or 2.3%) reported to have a self-care disability, and

• 35,090 individuals (or 4.5%) reported to have an independent living disability.

Data are based on a sample and are subject to sampling variability.

Definitions

The ACS identifies people with disabilities by asking respondents questions pertaining to the following areas of functioning:

1. Hearing – deaf or serious difficulty hearing.

2. Vision - blind or serious difficulty seeing even when wearing glasses.

3. Cognitive – serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions due to a physical, mental, or emotional condition.

4. Ambulatory – serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.

5. Self-Care – difficulty dressing or bathing.

6. Independent Living – serious difficulty doing errands alone such as visiting a doctor’s office or shopping, due to a physical, mental, or emotional condition

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2008 American Community Survey
http://www.census.gov/acs/www/SBasics/

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