The median income for uninsured adults was $40,000 in 2022, half that of insured adults. Over seven thousand Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas exist nationwide, reflecting widespread geographic barriers to care alongside financial ones.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, 12.8% of adults reported having a disability in working-age groups that often face employment barriers, linking disability and socioeconomic disadvantage to health disparities
- In 2022, median household income in the U.S. was $74,580, and lower income is associated with worse access and outcomes
- In 2022, 7.6% of people lived in households experiencing food insecurity at some point in the year (USDA ERS), a socioeconomic driver of health disparities
- 6.9% of U.S. adults were current smokers in 2022, with tobacco use being a major, preventable driver of disparity in morbidity and mortality
- 14.0% of U.S. adults had diabetes in 2022 (self-reported), underscoring a chronic condition associated with unequal access to prevention and care
- In 2022, the CDC reported that 8.7% of U.S. adults had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), with disparities in smoking and access contributing to COPD outcome differences
- 12.6 deaths per 100,000 population for age-adjusted suicide mortality in 2022 in the U.S., a mental-health outcome with documented disparities across demographic groups
- In 2022, the age-adjusted death rate for cancer was 169.3 deaths per 100,000 population, with large disparities in incidence and survival by race
- In 2021, the age-adjusted mortality rate for Black Americans was 16% higher than for White Americans for all causes of death combined (CDC NHDS comparison), showing persistent outcome gaps
- In 2022, 8.1% of adults aged 18–64 reported not having received needed dental care because of cost in the past year (CDC NHIS oral health access measure)
- As of 2024, HRSA reported over 7,000 Mental Health HPSAs in the U.S., indicating geographic access constraints that can disproportionately affect disadvantaged communities
- 22.6% of adults with hypertension did not have it under control in 2022
- 39.5% of U.S. adults had obesity in 2020
- 16.1% of adults aged 18+ experienced frequent mental distress in 2022
- 54.6% of adults with serious mental illness did not receive mental health services in 2022
Health disparities persist as disability, income, and access gaps drive higher chronic disease, mortality, and mental health burdens.
Related reading
01 · Category
Socioeconomic Drivers6 stats
01
In 2022, 12.8% of adults reported having a disability in working-age groups that often face employment barriers, linking disability and socioeconomic disadvantage to health disparities
02
In 2022, median household income in the U.S. was $74,580,and lower income is associated with worse access and outcomes
03
In 2022, 7.6% of people lived in households experiencing food insecurity at some point in the year (USDA ERS), a socioeconomic driver of health disparities
04
In 2022, adults with no health insurance had median household income of $40,000vs $90,000 for insured adults (Census/health insurance income comparisons reported in Census health insurance tables), indicating strong socioeconomic gradients
05
In 2022, the U.S. unemployment rate was 3.6% (BLS), and labor market disadvantage is associated with loss of employer-based coverage and worse health access
06
In 2022, the median rent as a percentage of income was 31.2% in the U.S. (HUD/CHAS estimates summarized in HUD affordability reporting), contributing to hardship that affects health
Interpretation
Socioeconomic Drivers Interpretation
In 2022, socioeconomic hardship was strongly tied to health inequities, with food insecurity affecting 7.6% of people, uninsured adults making $40,000 versus $90,000 for insured adults, and rent consuming 31.2% of income, showing how financial strain can translate into worse access to care and outcomes under the Socioeconomic Drivers category.
02 · Category
Prevalence And Risk3 stats
01
6.9% of U.S. adults were current smokers in 2022, with tobacco use being a major, preventable driver of disparity in morbidity and mortality
02
14.0% of U.S. adults had diabetes in 2022 (self-reported), underscoring a chronic condition associated with unequal access to prevention and care
03
In 2022, the CDC reported that 8.7% of U.S. adults had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), with disparities in smoking and access contributing to COPD outcome differences
Interpretation
Prevalence And Risk Interpretation
In the “Prevalence And Risk” picture of health disparity, about 6.9% of U.S. adults were current smokers in 2022 alongside 14.0% reporting diabetes and 8.7% living with COPD, suggesting that common chronic risk factors are widespread and likely contribute to unequal morbidity and mortality.
03 · Category
Outcome Gaps5 stats
01
12.6 deaths per 100,000 population for age-adjusted suicide mortality in 2022 in the U.S., a mental-health outcome with documented disparities across demographic groups
02
In 2022, the age-adjusted death rate for cancer was 169.3 deaths per 100,000 population, with large disparities in incidence and survival by race
03
In 2021, the age-adjusted mortality rate for Black Americans was 16% higher than for White Americans for all causes of death combined (CDC NHDS comparison), showing persistent outcome gaps
04
In 2021–2022, the life expectancy gap at birth for Black (male and female combined) vs White was 3.6 years (U.S. life expectancy estimates by race/ethnicity), highlighting a large mortality outcome disparity
05
In 2020, the age-adjusted mortality rate for cardiovascular disease was 208.5 per 100,000 among Black Americans vs 186.0 per 100,000 among White Americans (AHA statistics summary), demonstrating outcome inequities
Interpretation
Outcome Gaps Interpretation
For the outcome gaps in the data, health inequities remain stark across causes, including a 3.6 year life expectancy gap at birth for Black versus White Americans and a 16% higher all cause mortality rate in 2021 for Black Americans, alongside higher 2020 cardiovascular mortality of 208.5 per 100,000 versus 186.0 for White Americans.
04 · Category
Access Barriers2 stats
01
In 2022, 8.1% of adults aged 18–64 reported not having received needed dental care because of cost in the past year (CDC NHIS oral health access measure)
02
As of 2024, HRSA reported over 7,000 Mental Health HPSAs in the U.S., indicating geographic access constraints that can disproportionately affect disadvantaged communities
Interpretation
Access Barriers Interpretation
In the access barriers category, 8.1% of adults aged 18–64 did not get needed dental care due to cost in 2022, and HRSA’s count of over 7,000 mental health HPSAs as of 2024 signals that affordability and geographic access issues are limiting care for large portions of the population.
More related reading
05 · Category
Chronic Disease Burden2 stats
01
22.6% of adults with hypertension did not have it under control in 2022
02
39.5% of U.S. adults had obesity in 2020
Interpretation
Chronic Disease Burden Interpretation
Under the chronic disease burden framing, the fact that 22.6% of adults with hypertension were not controlled in 2022 alongside 39.5% of U.S. adults having obesity in 2020 shows how widespread and persistent risk factors for long term illness remain.
06 · Category
Mental Health Outcomes3 stats
01
16.1% of adults aged 18+ experienced frequent mental distress in 2022
02
54.6% of adults with serious mental illness did not receive mental health services in 2022
03
1.6% of U.S. adults reported having suicidal thoughts in the past year in 2023
Interpretation
Mental Health Outcomes Interpretation
In the mental health outcomes landscape, while 16.1% of adults aged 18 and older reported frequent mental distress in 2022 and 1.6% reported suicidal thoughts in the past year in 2023, a major barrier is that 54.6% of adults with serious mental illness did not receive mental health services in 2022.
report visual · Key figures
Health Disparities Driven by Access, Risk, and Outcomes
Socioeconomic and access barriers cluster with higher prevalence of health risks and poorer outcomes, underscoring how structural factors translate into measurable disparities.
7.6%
In 2022, 7.6% of people lived in households experiencing food insecurity at some point in the year (USDA ERS), a socioec
$40,000
In 2022, adults with no health insurance had median household income of $40,000 vs $90,000 for insured adults (Census/he
31.2%
In 2022, the median rent as a percentage of income was 31.2% in the U.S. (HUD/CHAS estimates summarized in HUD affordabi
8.1%
In 2022, 8.1% of adults aged 18–64 reported not having received needed dental care because of cost in the past year (CDC
14%
14.0% of U.S. adults had diabetes in 2022 (self-reported), underscoring a chronic condition associated with unequal acce
22.6%
22.6% of adults with hypertension did not have it under control in 2022
source-verifieders.usda.gov · census.gov · huduser.gov · cdc.gov2022
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Samuel Norberg. (2026, February 13). Health Disparity Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/health-disparity-statistics
MLA
Samuel Norberg. "Health Disparity Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/health-disparity-statistics.
Chicago
Samuel Norberg. 2026. "Health Disparity Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/health-disparity-statistics.
Sources & references
24 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+12 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)