Direct answer
- 55,970,047 Americans were 65 or older in the 2019–2023 American Community Survey, 16.8% of the population.
- 32.9% of older Americans living in the community reported at least one disability: 24.0% at ages 65 to 74 and 46.5% at 75 and older.
- One of the six disabilities the Census asks about is self-care difficulty, which it defines as difficulty bathing or dressing.
- Maine has the oldest population (21.9% aged 65+). Mississippi has the highest disability rate among older adults (41.0%).
- Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates (tables B01001 and B18101).
Disability rises sharply after 65
The Census Bureau asks every household in its American Community Survey whether anyone has serious difficulty hearing, seeing, remembering, walking, bathing or running errands alone. Pooling five years of answers gives the most reliable picture available for every state.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates, table B18101 (civilian noninstitutionalized population).
Show the numbers
| Age group | People counted | With a disability | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 73,563,785 | 3,451,805 | 4.7% |
| 18 to 34 | 74,032,926 | 5,676,539 | 7.7% |
| 35 to 64 | 125,249,118 | 15,593,161 | 12.4% |
| 65 to 74 | 32,889,852 | 7,892,160 | 24.0% |
| 75 and older | 21,689,597 | 10,089,398 | 46.5% |
The jump is not gradual. Through middle age, roughly one person in eight reports a disability. Between 65 and 74 it is about one in four, and from 75 on it is 46.5%, close to half. In raw numbers, about 18.0 million older Americans living at home or in community housing reported at least one disability.
What it means: if a parent is in their late seventies, the odds are roughly even that some everyday task, from climbing stairs to stepping over a tub wall, has already become hard. Many people do not mention it until something goes wrong.
What the Census counts as a disability
The survey does not ask about diagnoses. It asks about function, through six yes-or-no questions. According to the Census Bureau’s description of the questions, a person is counted as having a disability if they report any of these:
| Type | What the survey asks about | How it shows up in the bathroom |
|---|---|---|
| Ambulatory | Serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs | Stepping over the side of a standard tub becomes a climb |
| Self-care | Difficulty bathing or dressing | Bathing alone may already be unsafe or impossible |
| Independent living | Difficulty doing errands alone, such as a doctor visit or shopping | Often goes with needing help on bath days |
| Cognitive | Difficulty remembering, concentrating or making decisions | Water temperature and sequencing become safety issues |
| Vision | Blind or serious difficulty seeing, even with glasses | Wet white surfaces and edges are hard to judge |
| Hearing | Deaf or serious difficulty hearing | Calling for help from the tub may not be heard either way |
The state figures on this page count anyone with one or more of these. A person can report several, so the categories overlap. Bathing appears in the definition itself: the self-care question is specifically about difficulty bathing or dressing.
Where older Americans live
Older residents make up 16.8% of the country as a whole, but the share swings widely from state to state. In Maine and Florida, more than one resident in five is 65 or older. In Utah it is closer to one in nine.
Share and size are different stories. The states with the most older residents by headcount are California (6.0 million), Florida (4.6 million), Texas (3.9 million), New York (3.5 million) and Pennsylvania (2.5 million). Large states have more older adults in total even when their share is near or below average.
Where disability rates are highest
Among adults 65 and older, the share reporting a disability ranges from about 29% in New Hampshire to 41.0% in Mississippi. The highest rates cluster in the South and in Appalachia.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates, table B18101 (civilian noninstitutionalized population).
Show the numbers
| State | Adults 65+ with a disability | Share of adults 65+ |
|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | 196,362 | 41.0% |
| Oklahoma | 252,947 | 40.6% |
| Arkansas | 205,001 | 40.3% |
| West Virginia | 141,882 | 39.5% |
| Kentucky | 291,010 | 39.0% |
| Louisiana | 282,230 | 38.5% |
| Alabama | 329,199 | 38.3% |
| New Mexico | 147,480 | 37.6% |
| Tennessee | 420,234 | 36.7% |
| Alaska | 34,036 | 35.4% |
An older state is not automatically a less able one. Florida has one of the oldest populations in the country, yet its 65+ disability rate (31.4%) is close to the national figure. Income, rural distance from care, and rates of chronic conditions all play a part, and the survey does not separate those causes.
Every state at a glance
The table lists every state and the District of Columbia. “Share 65+” is the share of all residents who are 65 or older. “65+ with a disability” is the share of older residents living in the community, not in nursing homes, who reported at least one of the six disability types.
Older adults and disability in every state (ACS 2019–2023). Select a column heading to sort. On a phone, swipe the table sideways to see every column.
| Alabama | 884,210 | 17.5% | 352,075 | 38.3% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 97,815 | 13.3% | 31,859 | 35.4% |
| Arizona | 1,349,934 | 18.6% | 570,933 | 32.2% |
| Arkansas | 525,644 | 17.3% | 215,973 | 40.3% |
| California | 5,994,486 | 15.3% | 2,459,873 | 33.3% |
| Colorado | 882,557 | 15.2% | 331,411 | 29.5% |
| Connecticut | 650,772 | 18.1% | 274,749 | 29.2% |
| Delaware | 201,255 | 20.0% | 78,465 | 30.1% |
| District of Columbia | 85,501 | 12.7% | 35,495 | 32.3% |
| Florida | 4,630,733 | 21.1% | 2,063,754 | 31.4% |
| Georgia | 1,581,263 | 14.6% | 606,188 | 34.4% |
| Hawaii | 287,642 | 19.9% | 124,597 | 32.4% |
| Idaho | 314,391 | 16.6% | 121,439 | 34.2% |
| Illinois | 2,101,833 | 16.6% | 855,605 | 31.5% |
| Indiana | 1,116,303 | 16.4% | 444,747 | 33.2% |
| Iowa | 569,081 | 17.8% | 237,218 | 30.3% |
| Kansas | 486,659 | 16.6% | 197,757 | 32.8% |
| Kentucky | 767,995 | 17.0% | 298,801 | 39.0% |
| Louisiana | 753,854 | 16.3% | 291,142 | 38.5% |
| Maine | 301,161 | 21.9% | 119,366 | 31.0% |
| Maryland | 1,003,219 | 16.3% | 405,415 | 29.6% |
| Massachusetts | 1,221,349 | 17.5% | 499,911 | 30.2% |
| Michigan | 1,824,907 | 18.2% | 719,425 | 32.2% |
| Minnesota | 962,143 | 16.8% | 390,184 | 28.7% |
| Mississippi | 495,115 | 16.8% | 194,827 | 41.0% |
| Missouri | 1,079,129 | 17.5% | 438,931 | 34.4% |
| Montana | 217,665 | 19.7% | 83,175 | 32.7% |
| Nebraska | 322,165 | 16.4% | 130,826 | 31.7% |
| Nevada | 522,417 | 16.6% | 201,549 | 34.1% |
| New Hampshire | 270,525 | 19.5% | 105,029 | 28.6% |
| New Jersey | 1,559,816 | 16.8% | 650,833 | 29.5% |
| New Mexico | 397,156 | 18.8% | 157,969 | 37.6% |
| New York | 3,461,186 | 17.4% | 1,450,400 | 31.6% |
| North Carolina | 1,787,027 | 16.9% | 705,592 | 33.2% |
| North Dakota | 126,120 | 16.2% | 53,110 | 31.3% |
| Ohio | 2,103,043 | 17.9% | 839,768 | 32.9% |
| Oklahoma | 642,174 | 16.1% | 259,486 | 40.6% |
| Oregon | 789,610 | 18.6% | 307,878 | 34.4% |
| Pennsylvania | 2,476,241 | 19.1% | 1,026,302 | 31.8% |
| Rhode Island | 199,921 | 18.3% | 82,855 | 30.9% |
| South Carolina | 963,569 | 18.5% | 373,609 | 33.6% |
| South Dakota | 158,103 | 17.6% | 61,826 | 31.4% |
| Tennessee | 1,172,740 | 16.8% | 459,241 | 36.7% |
| Texas | 3,905,545 | 13.2% | 1,505,891 | 35.4% |
| Utah | 387,028 | 11.6% | 149,216 | 30.4% |
| Vermont | 134,141 | 20.8% | 52,206 | 29.2% |
| Virginia | 1,410,160 | 16.3% | 567,568 | 31.3% |
| Washington | 1,259,313 | 16.3% | 487,249 | 33.7% |
| West Virginia | 368,989 | 20.7% | 146,322 | 39.5% |
| Wisconsin | 1,062,121 | 18.0% | 419,886 | 28.6% |
| Wyoming | 104,321 | 18.0% | 38,994 | 34.6% |
| United States | 55,970,047 | 16.8% | 22,676,920 | 32.9% |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates, tables B01001 (age) and B18101 (disability status). Figures are estimates with margins of error; small differences between states may not be meaningful.
What the numbers mean for bath time
Bathing is one of the first daily tasks to become difficult, and the bathroom is where many injuries happen. The CDC reports that more than one in four older adults falls each year, and that older adult falls lead to about 4.5 million emergency department visits a year. Our bathroom fall statistics guide shows that bathroom injury rates climb steeply after 75, the same age at which the Census disability rate reaches nearly half.
The National Institute on Aging points out that conditions causing a rushed trip to the bathroom, such as incontinence, raise the chance of falling, and that people with mild cognitive impairment or some types of dementia are at higher risk. Those are exactly the people counted under the cognitive and self-care questions above.
A few practical takeaways for families:
- Plan around the next five years, not today. Someone in their early seventies has about a one-in-four chance of a disability now and close to a coin flip after 75. A bathroom change made early is calmer and cheaper than one made after a hospital stay.
- Match the fix to the difficulty. Trouble with balance or stairs points to a low step-in and a seat. Wheelchair use points to a transfer tub or a roll-in shower. Memory loss points to simple controls and anti-scald protection; our dementia bathing guide covers routines.
- Check what funding exists for the disability, not the product. Medicaid waivers and VA grants pay for medically necessary home modifications. Our Medicare and grants guide walks through each program.
- Start with the cheap fixes. Grab bars, a non-slip surface and a handheld shower help almost everyone and cost little. See our bathroom safety upgrades list.
If a walk-in tub is on the table, our overview of senior walk in bathtubs compares the main types and safety features, and our specialists can tell you honestly whether a tub or a shower suits the person better.
Questions to ask before you change the bathroom
- Which part of bathing is hardest? Getting in, standing, getting out, washing hair, or being alone if something happens.
- Has there been a fall or near miss? Mention it to the doctor; the CDC notes that fewer than half of older adults who fall tell their doctor.
- Is a walker or wheelchair likely in the next few years? If so, plan the door width and transfer space now.
- Who helps on bath days, if anyone? A caregiver needs room to stand and a handheld shower they can reach.
- Will the water heater keep up? A deep soaking tub needs more hot water than a shower. Our water heater guide has a calculator.
About this data
All population and disability figures on this page come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Age counts come from table B01001 (sex by age), covering the whole population. Disability figures come from table B18101 (sex by age by disability status), which covers the civilian noninstitutionalized population; people living in nursing homes and other institutions are not included, so the true share of older adults with a disability is somewhat higher.
Five-year estimates are averages across 2019 to 2023, which makes them more reliable for smaller states but slightly behind the latest single-year counts. That is why the 65+ total here, about 56 million, is lower than the 61 million-plus figure for 2024 cited on our fall statistics page. Every figure is a survey estimate with a margin of error. We calculated shares directly from the published counts and rounded to one decimal place.
You are welcome to cite this page. Please cite the Census Bureau as the original source, with the table numbers above.
Frequently asked questions
How many Americans are 65 or older?
The Census Bureau’s American Community Survey counted an average of 55,970,047 Americans aged 65 and older across 2019 to 2023, or 16.8% of the population. Single-year Census estimates for 2024 put the number above 61 million, because the group grows every year.
What share of seniors have a disability?
About one in three. In the 2019 to 2023 American Community Survey, 32.9% of Americans 65 and older living in the community reported at least one disability: 24.0% of those aged 65 to 74 and 46.5% of those 75 and older.
Which state has the highest share of older residents?
Maine, where 21.9% of residents are 65 or older, followed by Florida (21.1%) and Vermont (20.8%). Utah has the lowest share at 11.6%.
Which states have the highest disability rates among older adults?
Mississippi (41.0%), Oklahoma (40.6%) and Arkansas (40.3%) have the highest shares of adults 65 and older reporting a disability. The lowest rates are in New Hampshire, Wisconsin and Minnesota, at about 29%.
Does the Census count difficulty bathing?
Yes. One of the six disability questions in the American Community Survey asks about self-care difficulty, defined as difficulty bathing or dressing. The state figures on this page count anyone who reported any of the six disability types.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates, table B18101: Sex by Age by Disability Status
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates, table B01001: Sex by Age
- U.S. Census Bureau, How Disability Data are Collected from the American Community Survey
- CDC, Facts About Older Adult Falls
- CDC, STEADI: Older Adult Fall Prevention
- National Institute on Aging, Falls and Fractures in Older Adults: Causes and Prevention