Of the 3.8 million Oklahoma residents, 614,800 claim to have at least one disability. Studies show disabilities in the workplace are underreported, which means the number is likely higher.
Statistics from Oklahoma.gov/okdrs show the percentage of disability types among the state's total population.
• 3.0% of all ages have self-care disabilities.
• 3.3% of all ages have vision disabilities.
• 5% of all ages report hearing disabilities.
• 6.1% of all ages have cognitive disabilities.
• 6.8% of all ages have independent living disabilities.
• 8.7% of all ages have ambulatory disabilities.
• 40.1% age 65 and older have disabilities (not counting persons living in nursing homes or other institutions.)
Additional statistics show employment trends for people with disabilities in Oklahoma.
• 14.4% of work-age Oklahomans, ages 21-64, or 312,900 persons have disabilities.
• 40% of work-age Oklahomans, ages 21-64, with disabilities were employed.
• 40% of Oklahomans with disabilities, ages 21-64, were employed, compared to 79.2% of persons without disabilities.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in three adults with a disability lives in rural areas.
People with disabilities are protected through the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. For more information about hiring someone with a disability and the resources available, visit oklahoma.gov/ okdrs or the South Central Oklahoma Workforce Board at scowib.info.