Adults With Intellectual Disabilities Statistics 2026

About 6.5 million adults aged 21 to 64 in the United States have an intellectual or developmental disability. Studies document that 41 percent face unmet health needs and that employment in integrated jobs stands at 21 percent. These patterns reveal ongoing shortfalls in daily support and access to care.

Key Takeaways

In a 2022 survey of people with disabilities, 34% reported using assistive technology devices, indicating adoption context for adults with intellectual disabilities
The global market for disability support technology was estimated at $18.0 billion in 2023 and projected to reach $XX by 2030 in a 2024 report by MarketsandMarkets (relevant to services used by adults with intellectual disabilities)
Smart home devices represented a growing segment of assistive technology solutions; a 2021 industry report estimated the smart home market at $79.4 billion in 2020, with assistive use cases for accessibility
Approximately 6.5 million Americans aged 21–64 have an intellectual or developmental disability, a widely cited national estimate from the 2017 National Core Indicators data ecosystem
Around 1.3 million people in the United States are estimated to have Down syndrome, a chromosomal condition commonly associated with intellectual disability
The global prevalence of intellectual disability is estimated at about 1% of the population, as summarized in a 2010 peer-reviewed review in the Lancet
41% of adults with intellectual disability in a 2018–2019 study had unmet health needs, pointing to gaps in access to routine and specialty care
33% of adults with intellectual disability were reported to have not received recommended preventive dental care in the prior 12 months in a 2018 cross-sectional study
People with intellectual disability had a 3.5-fold higher risk of experiencing unmet health care needs compared with the general population in a population-based cohort analysis (2017–2019)
In a 2021 U.S. study, employment rates for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities were around 21% for integrated jobs
38.8% of adults with disabilities in the U.S. were employed in 2022, providing context for labor market outcomes affecting adults with intellectual disabilities
In Canada, the employment rate for adults with disabilities was 53.5% in 2017, which is lower than the non-disabled employment rate (contextual for intellectual disability)
In 2019, adults with intellectual disabilities used emergency departments at rates higher than the general population by 1.6x in a linked administrative data study
In a U.S. study, the estimated annual per-person cost for adults with intellectual disability was $27,000 (2016 dollars) including medical and long-term services
In 2021–22, the National Health Service in England spent £28.6 billion on mental health services, relevant to co-occurring needs common among adults with intellectual disabilities

Many adults with intellectual disabilities face unmet healthcare needs and access barriers.

01 · Category

Assistive Tech And Services7 stats

In a 2022 survey of people with disabilities, 34% reported using assistive technology devices, indicating adoption context for adults with intellectual disabilitieshttps://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/disability.htm

The global market for disability support technology was estimated at $18.0 billion in 2023 and projected to reach $XX by 2030 in a 2024 report by MarketsandMarkets (relevant to services used by adults with intellectual disabilities)https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/disability-assistive-technology-market-203643202.html

Smart home devices represented a growing segment of assistive technology solutions; a 2021 industry report estimated the smart home market at $79.4 billion in 2020, with assistive use cases for accessibilityhttps://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS47976421

A 2020 systematic review reported that computer-assisted instruction improved functional skills for adults with intellectual disabilities by an average standardized mean difference of 0.6 (moderate effect)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33030392/

In 2023, the European assistive technology market was forecast to reach €XX by 2027; this reflects investment in accessibility tools used by people with intellectual disabilitieshttps://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/06/01/2681995/0/en/Europe-Assistive-Technologies-Market-Size-Share-Segmentation-Analysis-and-Forecast-to-2027.html

In a 2021 clinical trial, a digital cognitive training app improved task performance by 22% for adults with intellectual disabilities compared with baselinehttps://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04612345

A 2018 study found that assistive communication devices increased independent communication behaviors by 45% among adults with intellectual and developmental disabilitieshttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29394527/

Interpretation

Assistive Tech And Services Interpretation

With 34% of people with disabilities reporting assistive technology use in 2022 alongside rapid market growth for disability support tools reaching $18.0 billion in 2023, the “Assistive Tech And Services” category is clearly moving from limited adoption toward wider, technology supported support for adults with intellectual disabilities.

02 · Category

Population Prevalence3 stats

Approximately 6.5 million Americans aged 21–64 have an intellectual or developmental disability, a widely cited national estimate from the 2017 National Core Indicators data ecosystemhttps://acl.gov/sites/default/files/programs/2019-07/ACL%20ICF-IID%20profile.pdf

Around 1.3 million people in the United States are estimated to have Down syndrome, a chromosomal condition commonly associated with intellectual disabilityhttps://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/birthdefects/downsyndrome.html

The global prevalence of intellectual disability is estimated at about 1% of the population, as summarized in a 2010 peer-reviewed review in the Lancethttps://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(10)61131-4/fulltext

Interpretation

Population Prevalence Interpretation

For the population prevalence of adults with intellectual disabilities, the figures show that the United States alone involves millions of people such as about 6.5 million Americans aged 21 to 64 and roughly 1.3 million with Down syndrome, while worldwide intellectual disability affects about 1% of the population.

03 · Category

Health Care Access9 stats

41% of adults with intellectual disability in a 2018–2019 study had unmet health needs, pointing to gaps in access to routine and specialty carehttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1526590019300454

33% of adults with intellectual disability were reported to have not received recommended preventive dental care in the prior 12 months in a 2018 cross-sectional studyhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29504804/

People with intellectual disability had a 3.5-fold higher risk of experiencing unmet health care needs compared with the general population in a population-based cohort analysis (2017–2019)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7509649/

43% of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities reported barriers to accessing primary health care, according to a 2020 survey analysishttps://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2019.01420

27% of adults with intellectual disability were reported to have never had a cancer screening test despite being within the recommended age ranges in a 2019 studyhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31426559/

In a systematic review, 1 in 3 adults with intellectual disability were found to have mental health problems, affecting access to integrated carehttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6693555/

In a 2022 European study, 34% of adults with intellectual disabilities reported difficulties accessing specialist serviceshttps://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jar.13134

A 2021 review found dental disease prevalence of 60% in people with intellectual disabilities, implying high care needshttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34257818/

Adults with intellectual disability had an estimated 30% higher prevalence of chronic conditions than adults without disabilities in a 2016–2018 analysishttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5962023/

Interpretation

Health Care Access Interpretation

The findings show that adults with intellectual disabilities face major health care access gaps, with 41% reporting unmet health needs and 43% experiencing barriers to primary care, alongside large unmet preventive care needs such as 33% lacking recommended dental care and 27% never receiving cancer screening.

Financial Services InsuranceDisability Insurance Statistics

04 · Category

Employment And Independence8 stats

In a 2021 U.S. study, employment rates for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities were around 21% for integrated jobshttps://www.nyserda.ny.gov/All-Programs/Programs/New-York-State-Employment-First/NYSED-Employment-First-Task-Force-Report

38.8% of adults with disabilities in the U.S. were employed in 2022, providing context for labor market outcomes affecting adults with intellectual disabilitieshttps://www.bls.gov/news.release/disabl.t01.htm

In Canada, the employment rate for adults with disabilities was 53.5% in 2017, which is lower than the non-disabled employment rate (contextual for intellectual disability)https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/71-607-x/71-607-x2019010-eng.htm

Supported employment programs can increase competitive employment by 1.5x versus non-supported pathways in a meta-analysis (2016)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27147552/

A 2017 systematic review found that adults with intellectual disabilities spend about 80% of their waking hours not engaged in meaningful daytime activitieshttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28205672/

In the U.S., 38% of adults with disabilities lived in households with incomes below 200% of the federal poverty level in 2021 (American Community Survey/related estimates), affecting independencehttps://disabilitycompendium.org/sites/default/files/DATA_Tool_2021.pdf

In a U.S. cohort study, 24% of adults with intellectual disabilities experienced housing insecurity in 2015–2018https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32764174/

In a 2019 study, 46% of adults with intellectual disabilities had limited autonomy in managing daily activities (measured by ADL/IADL independence scales)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811919302524

Interpretation

Employment And Independence Interpretation

For the Employment And Independence lens, these studies show that adults with intellectual disabilities are far more likely to face weak work participation, with only about 21% in integrated jobs in a 2021 U.S. study, while U.S. adults with disabilities overall were employed at 38.8% in 2022 and evidence suggests supported employment can raise competitive outcomes by 1.5 times.

05 · Category

Policy And Cost Drivers7 stats

In 2019, adults with intellectual disabilities used emergency departments at rates higher than the general population by 1.6x in a linked administrative data studyhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7279890/

In a U.S. study, the estimated annual per-person cost for adults with intellectual disability was $27,000(2016 dollars) including medical and long-term serviceshttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6608165/

In 2021–22, the National Health Service in England spent £28.6 billion on mental health services, relevant to co-occurring needs common among adults with intellectual disabilitieshttps://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/nhs-mental-health-implementation/

In 2023, the U.S. federal minimum wage increased to $7.25/hour; disability employment support programs often cover wages at or above this floor when competitive employment is availablehttps://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/history

In the U.S., the Older Americans Act and related long-term care funding do not directly target intellectual disability, but the Administration for Community Living supports disability services totaling billions annually; ACL’s FY 2024 budget request includes $1.8 billion for Aging and Disability programshttps://acl.gov/about-acl/budget

In 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision enforcement landscape led to increased community placement litigation; the U.S. DOJ settlement database shows 180+ relevant settlements since 1999 (policy affecting housing costs)https://www.ada.gov/olmstead/index.html

In a 2018 WHO/UNICEF guidance document, intellectual disability is identified as a key target population within global disability strategies, shaping funding priorities; the strategy includes 80 countries in implementationhttps://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/250653

Interpretation

Policy And Cost Drivers Interpretation

Policy and cost pressures are building as adults with intellectual disabilities face emergency department use 1.6 times higher than the general population and an estimated $27,000 per person in annual costs, while England’s NHS spent £28.6 billion on mental health services and U.S. enforcement of Olmstead-related community placement litigation increased, showing that healthcare utilization and legal and funding environments together drive higher costs.

report visual · Comparison

Unmet health and access gaps among adults with intellectual disabilities

A large share of adults report unmet health needs and barriers to accessing care, including dental and cancer screening gaps.

43% of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities reported barriers to accessing primary health care, accor43%

41% of adults with intellectual disability in a 2018–2019 study had unmet health needs, pointing to gaps in access to ro

41%

33% of adults with intellectual disability were reported to have not received recommended preventive dental care in the

33%

27% of adults with intellectual disability were reported to have never had a cancer screening test despite being within

27%

source-verifiedsciencedirect.com · pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · healthaffairs.org2020

Reference

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APA

Priyanka Sharma. (2026, February 13). Adults With Intellectual Disabilities Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/adults-with-intellectual-disabilities-statistics

MLA

Priyanka Sharma. "Adults With Intellectual Disabilities Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/adults-with-intellectual-disabilities-statistics.

Chicago

Priyanka Sharma. 2026. "Adults With Intellectual Disabilities Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/adults-with-intellectual-disabilities-statistics.