Social Security SEARCH

# Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2023

# Beneficiaries in Current-Payment Status

Chart 1. All Social Security disabled beneficiaries in current-payment status, December 2023

In December 2023, there were 8,709,006 people receiving Social Security disability benefits as disabled workers, disabled widow(er)s, or disabled adult children. The majority (84.6 percent) were disabled workers, 13.1 percent were disabled adult children, and 2.3 percent were disabled widow(er)s.

SOURCE: Table 3.
Chart 2. All Social Security disabled beneficiaries in current-payment status, December 1970–2023

The number of disabled beneficiaries has risen from 1,812,786 in 1970 to 8,709,006 in 2023, driven predominately by an increase in the number of disabled workers. The number of disabled adult children has grown slightly, and the number of disabled widow(er)s has remained fairly level. In December 2023, there were 7,365,987 disabled workers; 1,142,375 disabled adult children; and 200,644 disabled widow(er)s receiving disability benefits.

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Table equivalent for Chart 2. All Social Security disabled beneficiaries in current-payment status, December 1970–2023 (millions)
Year | Total | Disabled workers | Disabled widow(er)s | Disabled adult children
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
1970 | 1.81 | 1.49 | 0.05 | 0.27
1971 | 1.99 | 1.65 | 0.06 | 0.29
1972 | 2.20 | 1.83 | 0.06 | 0.31
1973 | 2.42 | 2.02 | 0.08 | 0.32
1974 | 2.67 | 2.24 | 0.09 | 0.34
1975 | 2.96 | 2.49 | 0.11 | 0.36
1976 | 3.17 | 2.67 | 0.12 | 0.38
1977 | 3.37 | 2.84 | 0.13 | 0.40
1978 | 3.43 | 2.88 | 0.13 | 0.42
1979 | 3.44 | 2.87 | 0.13 | 0.44
1980 | 3.44 | 2.86 | 0.13 | 0.45
1981 | 3.36 | 2.78 | 0.12 | 0.46
1982 | 3.19 | 2.60 | 0.12 | 0.47
1983 | 3.17 | 2.57 | 0.11 | 0.49
1984 | 3.21 | 2.60 | 0.11 | 0.51
1985 | 3.29 | 2.66 | 0.11 | 0.53
1986 | 3.38 | 2.73 | 0.11 | 0.55
1987 | 3.45 | 2.79 | 0.11 | 0.56
1988 | 3.51 | 2.83 | 0.10 | 0.57
1989 | 3.58 | 2.90 | 0.10 | 0.59
1990 | 3.71 | 3.01 | 0.10 | 0.60
1991 | 3.93 | 3.19 | 0.11 | 0.62
1992 | 4.24 | 3.47 | 0.13 | 0.64
1993 | 4.53 | 3.73 | 0.15 | 0.66
1994 | 4.80 | 3.96 | 0.16 | 0.67
1995 | 5.04 | 4.19 | 0.17 | 0.69
1996 | 5.26 | 4.39 | 0.18 | 0.70
1997 | 5.40 | 4.51 | 0.19 | 0.70
1998 | 5.61 | 4.70 | 0.19 | 0.71
1999 | 5.80 | 4.88 | 0.20 | 0.72
2000 | 5.97 | 5.04 | 0.20 | 0.73
2001 | 6.21 | 5.27 | 0.20 | 0.74
2002 | 6.49 | 5.54 | 0.21 | 0.74
2003 | 6.83 | 5.87 | 0.21 | 0.75
2004 | 7.17 | 6.20 | 0.21 | 0.76
2005 | 7.50 | 6.52 | 0.22 | 0.77
2006 | 7.80 | 6.81 | 0.22 | 0.78
2007 | 8.12 | 7.10 | 0.22 | 0.79
2008 | 8.53 | 7.43 | 0.23 | 0.87
2009 | 8.95 | 7.79 | 0.24 | 0.92
2010 | 9.40 | 8.20 | 0.24 | 0.95
2011 | 9.80 | 8.58 | 0.25 | 0.98
2012 | 10.09 | 8.83 | 0.26 | 1.01
2013 | 10.23 | 8.94 | 0.26 | 1.03
2014 | 10.26 | 8.95 | 0.26 | 1.05
2015 | 10.24 | 8.91 | 0.26 | 1.07
2016 | 10.15 | 8.81 | 0.26 | 1.09
2017 | 10.06 | 8.70 | 0.26 | 1.11
2018 | 9.92 | 8.54 | 0.25 | 1.13
2019 | 9.77 | 8.38 | 0.25 | 1.14
2020 | 9.54 | 8.15 | 0.24 | 1.15
2021 | 9.24 | 7.88 | 0.22 | 1.14
2022 | 8.96 | 7.60 | 0.21 | 1.14
2023 | 8.71 | 7.37 | 0.20 | 1.14

SOURCE: Table 3.
Chart 3. Disabled beneficiaries aged 18–64 in current-payment status as a percentage of state population aged 18–64, December 2023

Disabled beneficiaries aged 18–64 in current-payment status accounted for 3.7 percent of the population aged 18–64 in the United States. In seven states and the District of Columbia, they represented less than 3 percent of the state (or district) population. The states with the highest rates of disabled beneficiaries—6 percent or more—were Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi, and West Virginia.

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Table equivalent for Chart 3. Disabled beneficiaries aged 18–64 in current-payment status as a percentage of state population aged 18–64, December 2023
State | Percent
--- | ---
Alabama | 6.5
Alaska | 2.4
Arizona | 3.1
Arkansas | 6.9
California | 2.3
Colorado | 2.2
Connecticut | 3.5
Delaware | 4.0
District of Columbia | 2.5
Florida | 3.7
Georgia | 3.7
Hawaii | 2.3
Idaho | 3.6
Illinois | 3.3
Indiana | 4.6
Iowa | 4.1
Kansas | 3.9
Kentucky | 6.6
Louisiana | 5.3
Maine | 6.2
Maryland | 3.0
Massachusetts | 3.9
Michigan | 5.1
Minnesota | 3.4
Mississippi | 6.5
Missouri | 5.2
Montana | 3.6
Nebraska | 3.5
Nevada | 2.9
New Hampshire | 5.0
New Jersey | 3.1
New Mexico | 4.5
New York | 3.7
North Carolina | 4.4
North Dakota | 3.1
Ohio | 4.6
Oklahoma | 4.9
Oregon | 3.7
Pennsylvania | 4.7
Rhode Island | 4.9
South Carolina | 4.9
South Dakota | 3.4
Tennessee | 5.1
Texas | 2.7
Utah | 2.2
Vermont | 5.3
Virginia | 3.6
Washington | 3.0
West Virginia | 7.3
Wisconsin | 4.2
Wyoming | 3.6

SOURCE: Table 8.
Chart 4. Age of disabled-worker beneficiaries in current-payment status, by sex, December 2023

The percentage of disabled-worker beneficiaries increases with age for both men and women. In December 2023, the largest percentage of disabled-worker beneficiaries was aged 60–64. Disability benefits convert to retirement benefits when the worker reaches full retirement age (65–67, depending on the year of birth).

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Table equivalent for Chart 4. Age of disabled-worker beneficiaries in current-payment status, by sex, December 2023 (percent)
Age | Men | Women
--- | --- | ---
Under 25 | 0.4 | 0.2
25–29 | 1.2 | 0.9
30–34 | 2.3 | 1.8
35–39 | 3.8 | 3.3
40–44 | 5.8 | 5.7
45–49 | 7.5 | 8.0
50–54 | 12.2 | 13.2
55–59 | 21.1 | 21.8
60–64 | 34.1 | 33.9
65–FRA | 11.6 | 11.2

SOURCE: Table 4.
NOTE: FRA = full retirement age.
Chart 5. Average monthly benefit of disabled beneficiaries in current-payment status, by sex, December 2023

The average monthly benefit for disabled-worker beneficiaries is higher than that paid to disabled widow(er)s or disabled adult children. The reason for the difference is that disabled workers receive 100 percent of the primary insurance amount (PIA), compared with 71.5 percent for disabled widow(er)s and 50 percent for disabled adult children (if the worker is disabled or retired) or 75 percent (if the worker is deceased).

Because men have traditionally had higher earnings than women, their monthly benefit is higher. This is most obvious in the disabled-worker group. Benefits for disabled widow(er)s and disabled adult children are dependents' benefits, so their monthly benefit is a function of the worker's earnings. Therefore, a disabled widow's average benefit tends to be higher than that of a disabled widower because average earnings are higher for male workers than for female workers. Benefit amounts are about the same for men and women in the disabled adult children group.

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Table equivalent for Chart 5. Average monthly benefit of disabled beneficiaries in current-payment status, by sex, December 2023 (dollars)
Beneficiary | Men | Women
--- | --- | ---
Disabled workers | 1,685.96 | 1,388.07
Disabled widow(er)s | 720.63 | 945.25
Disabled adult children | 1,028.21 | 1,044.85

SOURCE: Table 4.
Chart 6. Disabled beneficiaries in current-payment status, by diagnostic group, December 2023

The impairment on which disability is based varies with the type of beneficiary. In December 2023, diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue were the primary reason disabled workers and disabled widow(er)s received benefits; intellectual disorders was the predominant reason for disability among disabled adult children.

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Table equivalent for Chart 6. Disabled beneficiaries in current-payment status, by diagnostic group, December 2023 (percent)
Diagnostic group | Disabled workers | Disabled widow(er)s | Disabled adult children
--- | --- | --- | ---
Depressive, bipolar, and related disorders | 12.4 | 14.4 | 5.7
Intellectual disorders | 3.8 | 3.0 | 44.1
All other mental disorders | 12.4 | 8.2 | 24.6
Musculoskeletal system and connective tissue | 34.1 | 42.4 | 1.2
Nervous system and sense organs | 10.1 | 7.8 | 11.6
Circulatory system | 7.6 | 6.6 | 0.5
All other nonmental impairments | 19.5 | 17.6 | 12.4

SOURCE: Table 6.