The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was enacted in 1990 to promote, among other goals, economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities. Nevertheless, many people with disabilities do not achieve this goal. In fact, people with disabilities and other underserved groups are disproportionately affected by poverty. Research shows that having a disability results in a higher risk of experiencing poverty. Underlying explanations point to people with disabilities not only having fewer opportunities for well-paying jobs, but also having extra costs associated with their disabilities, including medical treatment, care, housing, and transportation. Despite this well-established link between poverty and disability, the relationship between these factors and other characteristics such as race, ethnicity, and gender, remains understudied.
This brief summarizes findings from our recent research using nationally representative data from the American Community Survey (ACS) and the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) examining the prevalence of poverty among people with disabilities in the eight states served by the Southeast (SE) ADA Center – Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The brief also presents results from disaggregated poverty rates by race, ethnicity, and gender.
Download Research Brief- Exploring Disparities in Poverty Rates Among People with Disabilities
Key Takeaways
- People with disabilities have higher poverty rates than people without disabilities across Southeast states.
- There are disparities in poverty rates among people with disabilities based on race, ethnicity, and gender.
- People with disabilities tend to experience poverty for longer periods than people without disabilities.
Citation: Avila-Acosta, M., Hyseni,F., Pagano, G., Lawson, S., Whaley, B., Williamson, P., & Blanck, P. (2025). Exploring Disparities in Poverty Rates Among People with Disabilities. Burton Blatt Institute Research Brief #1 – January 2025.