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IntroductionUp-to-date statistics are essential to policymaking, planning, research, and advocacy. While federal agencies collect data and generate a variety of statistics about the population with disabilities in the United States (U.S.), it is often difficult for local government agencies, individuals with disabilities, and even seasoned researchers to find these statistics.
Facts & Figures is a regularly-occurring publication of the Institute on Disability (IOD) at the University of New Hampshire. This report focuses on characteristics of the population with disabilities in New Hampshire (NH), with comparisons to neighboring states and the nation. Facts & Figures and its companion piece the Annual Disability Statistics Compendium are intended to provide a comprehensive picture of important issues related to disability in NH and the U.S. as a whole.
The statistics presented here focus on four primary topics: population size (all ages), education (ages 25 and older), employment (ages 18-64), private health care coverage (ages 18-64), and public health care coverage (under age 64). Each page of this report highlights a different topic, and includes NH’s ranking among all U.S. states in terms of prevalence of or equality for people with disabilities. In addition, the arrow indicates whether that placement has improved or decreased since the last annual estimate.
The statistics in Facts & Figures are derived from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2013-2017 American Community Survey (ACS) five-year data that allow us to present county-level statistics. Counts (i.e., the number of people) and percentages are reported and are to be interpreted as annual averages over the five years. For example, there was an annual average of 1,314,875 persons living in NH over the period 2013- 2017. The rankings presented in the headings of each page are based on the 2016 ACS and 2017 ACS, and the underlying statistics may be found in the Annual Disability Statistics Compendium (opens new tab).
Key Takeaways:
Population
About 1 out of every 8 NH residents report having a disability, which includes serious difficulties with vision, hearing, mobility, cognition, self-care, and/or independent living. In other words, 12.6% of people living in NH report a disability. This percentage is the same as the U.S. rate of 12.6%.
Employment
People with disabilities are less likely to be employed. The “employment gap” – that is, the difference between the percentage of those with no disability who are employed and those with a disability who are employed – was 40.2 percentage points in NH.
Education
Related to employment, those with disabilities are less likely to have attended college. The college education gap in NH is 19 percentage points. NH residents are more highly educated than the national average, a trend that extends to both the population with a disability and the population without. Almost half (49.1%) of NH residents with a disability have some college education compared to 43.8% of people with a disability nationwide.
Health Insurance
As might be expected with lower labor force participation, NH residents with disabilities are less likely to have private health insurance (52.2%) compared to those with no disability (83.3%). Half of NH residents with a disability are covered by a public health insurance program. This rate is just 12.8% for NH residents with no disability.
These findings demonstrate the need for data on additional geographic areas and a variety of other topics, including poverty, earnings, vocational rehabilitation, and veterans’ issues. Readers may wish to download an electronic copy of the 2018 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium at www.DisabilityCompendium.org
Population
Population statistics demonstrate that many people in NH have a disability. Understanding the size and composition of the population with disabilities is important for advocacy, policymaking, and group identity. Advocates use population statistics to highlight the breadth of disability across all communities in NH. Policymakers use population statistics to assess the adequacy of current funding and services for persons with disabilities. Statistics about the population with disabilities also show individuals with disabilities that they are not alone and are part of a large group. In sum, population statistics provide an important foundation for any work that strives to improve the lives of persons with disabilities.
Population Size
People with disabilities are 12.6% of the NH population or about 1 in 8 people in NH have a disability over the average of the five years 2013- 2017. (It is important to note that these estimates did not include people living in institutions or individuals in the Armed Forces.) This is the same as the national average of 12.6%. In 2017, NH ranked 22nd in prevalence of people with disabilities (with 1st place being the state with the lowest disability prevalence rate), one rank lower than in 2016.
Recommendations
Continue to collect and disseminate data that will highlight the diversity of disability in NH and its counties, while also exploring ways to better capture and disseminate disability prevalence data within local communities.
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22nd
U.S. Rank:-1
Change:* Rank in U.S. by prevalence rate. Change in rank from 2016 to 2017.
Location | Population with disability | Population without disability | Percent of total population with disability | Percent of total without disability |
---|---|---|---|---|
United States | 39,792,082 | 316,027,641 | 12.6% | 87.4% |
New Hampshire | 165,149 | 1,314,875 | 12.6% | 87.4% |
County | Total Population | Total Population of Persons with Disabilities | Total Percent of Persons with Disabilities |
---|---|---|---|
Belknap | 59,629 | 8,858 | 14.9% |
Carroll | 47,059 | 7,775 | 16.5% |
Cheshire | 75,355 | 10,379 | 13.8% |
Coos | 30,072 | 6,282 | 20.9% |
Grafton | 88,326 | 12,355 | 14.0% |
Hillsborough | 402,033 | 46,080 | 11.5% |
Merrimack | 144,508 | 19,891 | 13.8% |
Rockingham | 300,188 | 31,913 | 10.6% |
Strafford | 125,124 | 15,705 | 12.6% |
Sullivan | 42,581 | 5,911 | 13.9% |
Population | New Hampshire | Vermont | Maine | Massachusetts | United States |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total Population (civilian noninstitutionalized) | 1,314,875 | 618,703 | 1,315,654 | 6,713,702 | 316,027,641 |
Population with a Disability | 165,149 | 88,112 | 208,646 | 781,740 | 39,792,082 |
Percent with a Disability | 12.6% | 14.2% | 15.9% | 11.6% | 12.6% |
Education
Education is an important indicator of the inclusion of youth and young adults with disabilities into an essential part of American life. Education statistics show that NH residents with disabilities have lower levels of educational attainment than people without disabilities. Such disparities are tied to lower rates of earnings and employment for people with disabilities.
Educational Attainment
In NH, of the 144,181 people with disabilities ages 25 and older in NH, 49.1% have at least some college education. In contrast, of the 780,301 people without disabilities ages 25 and older in NH, 68.3% have some college education – a difference of 19.2 percentage points. As shown in the infographic to the right, the level of educational attainment of people with disabilities in NH is higher than the level of educational attainment in the U.S. as a whole. In addition, NH ranks better than average with respect to the education gap, at 21st place among all U.S. states. This is a decrease in 3 places in the rankings compared to 2016.
Recommendations
NH policymakers and school officials should consider why some counties have a larger education gap than others. In counties and states where people with no disability have above average levels of college education, residents with a disability tend to be less likely to pursue secondary education. Consider why educational attainment is higher and how these areas can better support people with disabilities who have aspirations for a college education.
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21st
U.S. Rank:-3
Change:* Rank in U.S. by prevalence rate. Change in rank from 2016 to 2017.
Location | Population with disability | Population without disability | Percent of population with some college with a disability | Percent of population with some college without a disability | Education Gap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
United States | 34,915,916 | 177,302,353 | 43.8% | 63.6% | 19.8 Points |
New Hampshire | 144,181 | 780,301 | 49.1% | 68.3% | 19.2 Points |
County | Percent with disability | Percent without disability | College gap |
---|---|---|---|
Belknap | 49.9% | 66.1% | 16.2 |
Carroll | 52.4% | 66.8% | 14.4 |
Cheshire | 46.1% | 65.0% | 18.9 |
Coos | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Grafton | 47.9% | 69.0% | 21.1 |
Hillsborough | 47.8% | 68.4% | 20.6 |
Merrimack | 51.8% | 69.1% | 17.3 |
Rockingham | 54.5% | 72.0% | 17.5 |
Strafford | 47.8% | 68.6% | 20.8 |
Sullivan | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Some College Education, Ages 25+ | New Hampshire | Vermont | Maine | Massachusetts | United States |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Percent Some College Education with Disability | 49.1% | 46.4% | 42.2% | 44.3% | 43.8% |
Percent Some College Education without Disability | 68.3% | 66.5% | 64.4% | 69.7% | 63.6% |
Percent Point College Gap | 19.2 | 20.1 | 22.2 | 25.4 | 19.8 |
Employment
Employment statistics demonstrate that persons with disabilities fare worse on a number of employment outcomes when compared to persons without disabilities. Such data highlights the need for continued investment in employment services and supports for individuals and for employers.
Employment
Of the 83,940 people with disabilities ages 18 to 64 in NH, 42.0% were employed. (Note, this percentage is sometimes called the “employmentto- population ratio.”) By comparison, of the 756,678 people without disabilities ages 18 to 64 in NH, 82.2% were employed. The difference between the percent employed among people without disabilities and the percent employed among people with disabilities is called the “employment gap.” In NH, the employment gap is 40.2 percentage points. In the U.S. as a whole, the employment gap is about the same; it is 40.6 pts. This places NH near the middle of all U.S. states, ranking 27th on the employment gap for people with disabilities versus those without. This is an increase in one spot since 2016.
Recommendations
Federal, state and community partners need to continue to invest in evidence-based employment services and supports for individuals with disabilities while also working with NH employers to promote greater workforce diversity.
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27th
U.S. Rank:+1
Change:* Rank in U.S. by prevalence rate. Change in rank from 2016 to 2017.
Location | Population with disability | Population without disability | Percent of population employed with a disability | Percent of population employed without a disability | Employment Gap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
United States | 20,276,199 | 175,862,600 | 35.5% | 76.1% | 40.6 Points |
New Hampshire | 83,940 | 756,678 | 42.0% | 82.2% | 40.2 Points |
County | Percent with disability | Percent without disability | Gap |
---|---|---|---|
Belknap | 38.4% | 81.3% | 42.9 |
Carroll | 37.8% | 80.5% | 42.7 |
Cheshire | 41.5% | 80.0% | 38.5 |
Coos | 38.2% | 81.7% | 43.5 |
Grafton | 41.6% | 76.4% | 34.8 |
Hillsborough | 40.7% | 82.5% | 41.8 |
Merrimack | 42.9% | 82.2% | 39.3 |
Rockingham | 48.5% | 84.7% | 36.2 |
Strafford | 41.2% | 81.7% | 40.5 |
Sullivan | 33.2% | 81.4% | 48.2 |
Employment, Ages 18-64 | New Hampshire | Vermont | Maine | Massachusetts | United States |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Percent Employed with Disability | 42.0% | 40.4% | 33.2% | 36.7% | 35.5% |
Percent Employed without Disability | 82.2% | 80.8% | 80.4% | 79.4% | 76.1% |
Percent Point Employment Gap | 40.2 | 40.4 | 47.2 | 42.7 | 40.6 |
Health Insurance - Private
Access to health insurance is an important indicator of health and financial well-being. Identifying the extent to which individuals with and without disabilities rely on publicly-funded health insurance programs (such as Medicaid, Medicare, and Veterans health insurance programs) can provide insight into the degree to which the state adequately funds the needs of its residents.
Employer-Sponsored and Other Private Health Insurance
NH residents ages 18 to 64 with and without disabilities have higher rates of private health insurance (PI) coverage (52.2% and 83.3%, respectively) compared with national averages (45.2% and 74.8%, respectively), and the gap in private insurance coverage between those with disabilities and those without is lower in NH (31.1 percentage points) than in other New England states. However, this private insurance gap has NH ranked 31st in the nation, which is one spot lower than it ranked in 2016. This high placement is in part due to the particularly large percentage of people without disabilities who have private health insurance in the state.
Recommendations
NH residents have higher private insurance coverage than many other areas of the country, regardless of disability status. However, the gap in private insurance coverage between those with disabilities and those without is higher in NH compared to many other places. This is related to the employment gap discussed earlier. As a result, NH residents with disabilities will be more impacted by changes to public health insurance programs than those without disabilities.
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31st
U.S. Rank:-1
Change:* Rank in U.S. by prevalence rate. Change in rank from 2016 to 2017.
Location | Population with disability | Population without disability | % with Private Insurance with a Disability | % with Private Insurance without a Disability | Private Insurance Gap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
United States | 20,013,988 | 171,704,118 | 45.2% | 74.8% | 29.6 Points |
New Hampshire | 82,683 | 738,155 | 52.2% | 83.3% | 31.1 Points |
County | % with disability | % without disability | Gap |
---|---|---|---|
Belknap | 46.4% | 78.1% | 31.7 |
Carroll | 37.1% | 75.9% | 38.8 |
Cheshire | 49.7% | 80.6% | 30.9 |
Coos | 39.0% | 72.1% | 33.1 |
Grafton | 46.3% | 80.5% | 34.2 |
Hillsborough | 51.5% | 83.5% | 32.0 |
Merrimack | 53.1% | 83.6% | 30.5 |
Rockingham | 66.1% | 87.8% | 21.7 |
Strafford | 51.2% | 84.3% | 33.1 |
Sullivan | 44.5% | 77.6% | 33.1 |
Private Health Insurance, Ages 18-64 | New Hampshire | Vermont | Maine | Massachusetts | United States |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Percent Private Health Insurance with Disability | 52.2% | 43.9% | 39.4% | 44.1% | 45.2% |
Percent Private Health Insurance without Disability | 83.3% | 76.2% | 77.1% | 80.7% | 74.8% |
Private Health Insurance Gap | 31.1 | 32.3 | 37.7 | 36.6 | 29.6 |
Health Insurance - Public
Publicly-funded health insurance (PHI) programs provide important levels of health care, income, and other supports to many persons with disabilities. Statistics show that most persons with disabilities in NH participate in one or more of these programs. Given the gap in private health insurance, PHI programs are one area in which residents with disabilities are disproportionately represented.
Medicade, Medicare, and Veteran's Health Insurance Programs
In NH, about half of all persons with disabilities under age 65 have a form of PHI, compared with 55.2% of persons with disabilities in all of the U.S. Those without disabilities in NH have substantially lower rates of PHI enrollment (12.8%) compared to the U.S. total (20.1%). Of all PHI enrollees under age 65 in NH, 27.6% are people with disabilities. This is one of the highest proportions in the nation, ranking NH 46th of all states, three places lower than it ranked in 2016.
Recommendations
These statistics highlight the extent to which individuals with disabilities may be disproportionately impacted by proposed changes to PHI programs at the federal or local level. While only about 10% of NH residents under age 65 have a disability, 27.6% of those with PHI in this same age range have a disability. Discussions about changes to PHI programs should consider the needs of and include input from those with disabilities due to their over-representation in these programs.
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46th
U.S. Rank:-3
Change:* Rank in U.S. by prevalence rate. Change in rank from 2016 to 2017.
Location | Population with disability | Population without disability | % Enrolled in PHI with disability | % Enrolled in PHI without disability | % of Enrollees |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
United States | 23,330,758 | 246,271,900 | 55.2% | 20.1% | 20.7% |
New Hampshire | 96,628 | 1,007,412 | 50.1% | 12.8% | 27.6% |
County | % with disability | % without disability | % of enrollees with disabilties |
---|---|---|---|
Belknap | 57.5% | 16.6% | 30.1% |
Carroll | 59.4% | 18.8% | 29.4% |
Cheshire | 52.7% | 13.7% | 28.0% |
Coos | 61.7% | 24.6% | 32.5% |
Grafton | 52.2% | 14.7% | 27.2% |
Hillsborough | 51.4% | 12.9% | 26.0% |
Merrimack | 50.6% | 13.0% | 29.6% |
Rockingham | 42.6% | 8.9% | 26.6% |
Strafford | 50.5% | 12.2% | 29.5% |
Sullivan | 56.8% | 18.0% | 24.5% |
Public Health Insurance Enrollment, Ages 0-64 | New Hampshire | Vermont | Maine | Massachusetts | United States |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Percent Public Health Insurance with Disability | 50.1% | 65.4% | 61.9% | 64.1% | 55.2% |
Percent Public Health Insurance without Disability | 12.8% | 25.8% | 18.2% | 21.6% | 20.1% |
Percent of Enrollees with Disability | 27.6% | 22.6% | 31.2% | 20.3% | 20.7% |
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About the IODAcknowledgements
Special thanks to the following individuals who have contributed to the success of this effort: Peter Antal, Anna Brennan-Curry, Debra Brucker, Matthew Gianino, Megan Henly, and members of the Consumer Advisory Council of the Institute on Disability.
Funding for this publication is made possible by the NH Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Developmental Services and the University of New Hampshire, Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Statistics and Demographics (StatsRRTC). The StatsRRTC is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration For Community Living National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), grant number 90RT5037-03-00. The information developed by the StatsRRTC does not necessarily represent the policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government (Edgar, 75.620 (b)).
Suggested Citation
Houtenville, A., & Boege, S. (2019). Facts & Figures: The 2019 Report on Disability in New Hampshire.
Durham, NH: University of New Hampshire, Institute on Disability.
About the Institute on Disability
The Institute on Disability/UCED (IOD) was established in 1987 to provide a university-based focus for the improvement of knowledge, policies, and practices related to the lives of people with disabilities and their families and is New Hampshire’s University Center for Excellence in Disability (UCED). Located within the University of New Hampshire, the IOD is a federally designated center authorized by the Developmental Disabilities Act. Through innovative and interdisciplinary research, academic, service, and dissemination initiatives, the IOD builds local, state, and national capacities to respond to the needs of individuals with disabilities and their families.
Alternative formats for this data are available. Please contact the IOD to learn more.
No part of this copyrighted work may be modified, reproduced, or used in any form or by any means – graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, web distribution, or information storage and retrieval systems – without the written permission of the UNH Institute on Disability. For permission, please send requests to contact.iod@unh.edu.