The number of disability beneficiaries varies between states. 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from the Social Security Administration to determine which states had the most residents aged 18-64 receiving Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. West Virginia has the highest rate of beneficiaries in the nation at 8.9% of working-age residents. In Hawaii and Alaska only 2.8% of working-age residents receive disability benefits, the lowest share in the nation.
Disability beneficiary rates vary considerably between regions of the country. Southern states, for example, tend to have higher portions of residents collecting disability benefits. There are only four states in the country with 8% or more of 18-64 year olds receiving disability benefits — and all of them are located in the South. Conversely, Western states tend to have fewer residents on disability. Seven of the 10 states with the lowest shares of working-age residents collecting disability insurance are located in the western part of the country.
Click here to see the states with the most Americans on disability.
Because the vast majority of disability beneficiaries do not work, they are not counted as part of the labor force, which is defined as the total of residents 16 and older who are employed or actively seeking work. Nine of the 10 states with the highest percentages of disability beneficiaries have labor force participation rates less than the national rate. In West Virginia, the state with the highest share of residents collecting disability, only 52.7% of residents 16 and older are part of the labor force, the lowest rate in the country, and more than 10 percentage points below the national rate.
Low labor force participation rates can skew a state’s unemployment rate. Arkansas, for example, has the third highest share of residents collecting disability in the nation. In December 2014, while Arkansas had 73,858 residents actively seeking work, the amount of 18-64 year olds receiving disability benefits was greater than 150,000.
To identify the states with the highest portion of residents aged 18-64 receiving Social Security Disability Insurance benefits, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed figures published in the Social Security Administration’s Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance program. Published in November 2015, the report contains the most recent data available. Data for statewide monthly benefits also came from this report. Unemployment rates and labor force participation rates for May 2016 are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
These are the states with the highest share of residents collecting disability.
50. Hawaii
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 2.8%
> Total monthly benefits received: $30.5 million
> Labor force participation rate: 62.6% (tied-20th lowest)
> May unemployment rate: 3.2% (tied-6th lowest)
49. Alaska
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 2.8%
> Total monthly benefits received: $15.8 million
> Labor force participation rate: 66.3% (tied-13th highest)
> May unemployment rate: 6.7% (the highest)
48. Utah
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 3.0%
> Total monthly benefits received: $61.2 million
> Labor force participation rate: 68.3% (8th highest)
> May unemployment rate: 3.8% (tied-14th lowest)
47. California
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 3.1%
> Total monthly benefits received: $933.0 million
> Labor force participation rate: 61.9% (16th lowest)
> May unemployment rate: 5.2% (17th highest)
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46. Colorado
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 3.3%
> Total monthly benefits received: $135.6 million
> Labor force participation rate: 67.2% (10th highest)
> May unemployment rate: 3.4% (7th lowest)
45. North Dakota
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 3.4%
> Total monthly benefits received: $17.1 million
> Labor force participation rate: 70.4% (2nd highest)
> May unemployment rate: 3.2% (tied-6th lowest)
44. Maryland
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 3.7%
> Total monthly benefits received: $171.5 million
> Labor force participation rate: 66.9% (12th highest)
> May unemployment rate: 4.5% (tied-24th lowest)
43. Texas
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 3.7%
> Total monthly benefits received: $715.4 million
> Labor force participation rate: 63.8% (tied-24th highest)
> May unemployment rate: 4.4% (22nd lowest)
42. Nevada
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 3.8%
> Total monthly benefits received: $83.8 million
> Labor force participation rate: 62.6% (tied-20th lowest)
> May unemployment rate: 6.1% (tied-6th highest)
41. New Jersey
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 3.9%
> Total monthly benefits received: $285.8 million
> Labor force participation rate: 64.4% (tied-20th highest)
> May unemployment rate: 4.9% (22nd highest)
40. Wyoming
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 3.9%
> Total monthly benefits received: $16.5 million
> Labor force participation rate: 66.2% (15th highest)
> May unemployment rate: 5.6% (tied-11th highest)
39. Connecticut
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 4.0%
> Total monthly benefits received: $110.3 million
> Labor force participation rate: 66.0% (17th highest)
> May unemployment rate: 5.7% (10th highest)
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38. Illinois
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 4.0%
> Total monthly benefits received: $384.8 million
> Labor force participation rate: 66.1% (16th highest)
> May unemployment rate: 6.4% (2nd highest)
37. Nebraska
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 4.0%
> Total monthly benefits received: $51.5 million
> Labor force participation rate: 70.1% (3rd highest)
> May unemployment rate: 3.0% (3rd lowest)
36. Arizona
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 4.1%
> Total monthly benefits received: $202.9 million
> Labor force participation rate: 60.7% (11th lowest)
> May unemployment rate: 5.6% (tied-11th highest)
35. Minnesota
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 4.1%
> Total monthly benefits received: $161.8 million
> Labor force participation rate: 71.0% (the highest)
> May unemployment rate: 3.8% (tied-14th lowest)
34. South Dakota
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 4.1%
> Total monthly benefits received: $22.9 million
> Labor force participation rate: 69.4% (5th highest)
> May unemployment rate: 2.5% (the lowest)
33. Washington
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 4.3%
> Total monthly benefits received: $230.0 million
> Labor force participation rate: 63.7% (tied-25th lowest)
> May unemployment rate: 5.8% (tied-8th highest)
32. Virginia
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 4.3%
> Total monthly benefits received: $271.9 million
> Labor force participation rate: 64.3% (22nd highest)
> May unemployment rate: 3.8% (tied-14th lowest)
31. New York
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 4.5%
> Total monthly benefits received: $688.0 million
> Labor force participation rate: 61.4% (12th lowest)
> May unemployment rate: 4.7% (tied-23rd highest)
30. Kansas
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 4.6%
> Total monthly benefits received: $94.0 million
> Labor force participation rate: 67.8% (9th highest)
> May unemployment rate: 3.7% (tied-10th lowest)
29. Iowa
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 4.6%
> Total monthly benefits received: $96.7 million
> Labor force participation rate: 69.9% (4th highest)
> May unemployment rate: 3.9% (15th lowest)
28. Oregon
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 4.7%
> Total monthly benefits received: $138.8 million
> Labor force participation rate: 62.7% (21st lowest)
> May unemployment rate: 4.5% (tied-24th lowest)
27. Montana
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 4.7%
> Total monthly benefits received: $33.4 million
> Labor force participation rate: 63.7% (tied-25th lowest)
> May unemployment rate: 4.2% (tied-20th lowest)
26. Georgia
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 4.8%
> Total monthly benefits received: $360.5 million
> Labor force participation rate: 61.7% (14th lowest)
> May unemployment rate: 5.3% (16th highest)
25. Idaho
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 4.8%
> Total monthly benefits received: $54.0 million
> Labor force participation rate: 64.1% (23rd highest)
> May unemployment rate: 3.7% (tied-10th lowest)
24. Florida
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 4.9%
> Total monthly benefits received: $708.6 million
> Labor force participation rate: 58.9% (tied-7th lowest)
> May unemployment rate: 4.7% (tied-23rd highest)
23. Wisconsin
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 5.0%
> Total monthly benefits received: $207.6 million
> Labor force participation rate: 68.7% (7th highest)
> May unemployment rate: 4.2% (tied-20th lowest)
22. Delaware
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 5.1%
> Total monthly benefits received: $36.8 million
> Labor force participation rate: 63.8% (tied-24th highest)
> May unemployment rate: 4.1% (tied-17th lowest)
21. Massachusetts
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 5.2%
> Total monthly benefits received: $261.7 million
> Labor force participation rate: 65.0% (19th highest)
> May unemployment rate: 4.2% (tied-20th lowest)
20. New Mexico
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 5.4%
> Total monthly benefits received: $77.1 million
> Labor force participation rate: 57.2% (4th lowest)
> May unemployment rate: 6.2% (tied-4th highest)
19. Ohio
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 5.5%
> Total monthly benefits received: $445.1 million
> Labor force participation rate: 63.6% (22nd lowest)
> May unemployment rate: 5.1% (tied-18th highest)
18. Pennsylvania
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 5.6%
> Total monthly benefits received: $526.6 million
> Labor force participation rate: 63.7% (tied-25th lowest)
> May unemployment rate: 5.5% (14th highest)
17. Indiana
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 5.6%
> Total monthly benefits received: $268.7 million
> Labor force participation rate: 65.4% (18th highest)
> May unemployment rate: 5.0% (21st highest)
16. North Carolina
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 5.7%
> Total monthly benefits received: $417.5 million
> Labor force participation rate: 61.8% (15th lowest)
> May unemployment rate: 5.1% (tied-18th highest)
15. Oklahoma
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 5.8%
> Total monthly benefits received: $156.0 million
> Labor force participation rate: 62.1% (tied-18th lowest)
> May unemployment rate: 4.7% (tied-23rd highest)
14. Rhode Island
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 6.0%
> Total monthly benefits received: $46.3 million
> Labor force participation rate: 64.4% (tied-20th highest)
> May unemployment rate: 5.4% (15th highest)
13. New Hampshire
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 6.1%
> Total monthly benefits received: $61.6 million
> Labor force participation rate: 68.8% (6th highest)
> May unemployment rate: 2.7% (2nd lowest)
12. Louisiana
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 6.1%
> Total monthly benefits received: $198.4 million
> Labor force participation rate: 60.3% (tied-10th lowest)
> May unemployment rate: 6.3% (3rd highest)
11. Vermont
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 6.2%
> Total monthly benefits received: $27.1 million
> Labor force participation rate: 67.1% (11th highest)
> May unemployment rate: 3.1% (4th lowest)
10. Michigan
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 6.3%
> Total monthly benefits received: $475.7 million
> Labor force participation rate: 61.6% (13th lowest)
> May unemployment rate: 4.7% (tied-23rd highest)
9. South Carolina
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 6.4%
> Total monthly benefits received: $229.9 million
> Labor force participation rate: 59.8% (8th lowest)
> May unemployment rate: 5.6% (tied-11th highest)
8. Missouri
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 6.4%
> Total monthly benefits received: $274.7 million
> Labor force participation rate: 66.3% (tied-13th highest)
> May unemployment rate: 4.3% (21st lowest)
7. Tennessee
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 6.7%
> Total monthly benefits received: $311.0 million
> Labor force participation rate: 60.3% (tied-10th lowest)
> May unemployment rate: 4.1% (tied-17th lowest)
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6. Maine
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 7.7%
> Total monthly benefits received: $69.8 million
> Labor force participation rate: 62.1% (tied-18th lowest)
> May unemployment rate: 3.5% (8th lowest)
5. Mississippi
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 7.9%
> Total monthly benefits received: $161.4 million
> Labor force participation rate: 56.3% (2nd lowest)
> May unemployment rate: 5.8% (tied-8th highest)
4. Kentucky
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 8.2%
> Total monthly benefits received: $257.7 million
> Labor force participation rate: 57.3% (5th lowest)
> May unemployment rate: 5.1% (tied-18th highest)
3. Arkansas
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 8.4%
> Total monthly benefits received: $168.1 million
> Labor force participation rate: 58.9% (tied-7th lowest)
> May unemployment rate: 3.8% (tied-14th lowest)
2. Alabama
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 8.5%
> Total monthly benefits received: $293.5 million
> Labor force participation rate: 57.1% (3rd lowest)
> May unemployment rate: 6.1% (tied-6th highest)
1. West Virginia
> Pct. receiving disability benefits: 8.9%
> Total monthly benefits received: $122.4 million
> Labor force participation rate: 52.7% (the lowest)
> May unemployment rate: 6.2% (tied-4th highest)
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