Section 3: Women: Disability, work, income and benefits

3.6. How many women with a work disability are living in poverty?

Women are more likely to be living in poverty than men, and people with a work disability are much more likely to be living below the poverty level than those with no work disability. Based on CPS estimates from 1992, women with a work disability, aged 16 to 64 years, have higher poverty rates (33.8%) than men with a work disability (24.2%). Women with severe work disability (a condition that prevents them from working) have the highest poverty rates of all. About forty percent (40.5%) of women with a severe work disability are living in poverty, compared to 31.2% of men with a severe work disability. Further research is needed to better understand and address these striking disparities.

One-third of women with a work disability live in poverty;
rates are even higher for those with a severe work disability.

Figure 15: Percentage of people living below poverty level, by work disability status and gender, 16 to 64 years old

Data Table for Figure 15

Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census (1993), Table 16, p. 91.

Surveys: CPS, 1992

Jans, L., & Stoddard, S. (1999). Chartbook on Women and Disability in the United States. An InfoUse Report. Washington, D.C.: U.S. National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research.