News Release

May 15, 2024 (Salt Lake City) — National surveys estimate that between 12% and 25% of Utah adults have a disability. A new summary analysis from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute finds that data across different surveys show that Utahns with a disability are more likely to have less income, lower education attainment, higher housing cost burdens, lower access to health coverage, and poor health.

“Housing quality and cost burden vary for Utah households with a disability compared to households where no member of the household reports a disability,” said Laura Summers, director of industry research at the Gardner Institute. “Utahns with a disability are almost twice as likely to live in poor quality housing and are more likely to live in a household that spends 30% or more of their income on housing costs. The proportion of Utah’s population with a disability is also likely to increase as the state’s population ages.”

The latest Utah demographic characteristics on disability are available online. The Gardner Institute will release additional demographic characteristics over several days to aid state decision-making.

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