Top 10 Hearing Loss Statistics
- Approximately 15% of American adults (37.5 million) aged 18 and over report some trouble hearing.
- About 2-3 of every 1,000 children in the United States are born with a detectable hearing loss in one or both ears.
- Men are almost twice as likely as women to have hearing loss among adults aged 20-69 years.
- About 28.8 million U.S. adults could benefit from using hearing aids.
- Only about 1 in 5 people who could benefit from a hearing aid actually use one.
- Approximately 1.1 billion young people (aged between 12–35 years) are at risk of hearing loss due to exposure to noise in recreational settings.
- Noise-induced hearing loss can be caused by exposure to loud noises over time or a single exposure to an extremely loud sound.
- For every 10 decibels of hearing loss, the risk of social isolation increases by 52%.
- Hearing loss has been associated with depression, anxiety, and cognitive decline.
- The estimated cost of unaddressed hearing loss in the U.S. is $133 billion annually.
How Many Deaf People in the U.S.?
- Deafness is a severe loss of hearing, and not all people who experience hearing loss are considered deaf.
- Approximately 2 to 3 out of every 1,000 children in the United States are born with a detectable hearing loss in one or both ears, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD).
- It is estimated that approximately 15% of American adults (37.5 million) aged 18 and over report some trouble hearing.
- While it is difficult to determine the exact number of deaf individuals in the U.S., it is estimated that there are approximately 500,000 to 2 million deaf people in the U.S.
How Many Deaf People in the World?
- The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are approximately 466 million people worldwide with disabling hearing loss, which is about 6.1% of the world's population.
- Of these individuals, 34 million are children and most live in low- and middle-income countries.
- About one-third of people over the age of 65 have disabling hearing loss.
- It is estimated that by 2050, over 900 million people worldwide will have disabling hearing loss.
What is the Average Age of Hearing Loss?
- Among adults aged 20-69 years, men are almost twice as likely as women to have hearing loss.
- About 2-3 out of every 1,000 children in the United States are born with a detectable hearing loss in one or both ears.
What are the Most Common Causes of Hearing Loss?
- Age: Age-related hearing loss, also known as presbycusis, is the most common cause of hearing loss. Approximately one in three people aged 65-74 have hearing loss and nearly half of those over age 75 have difficulty hearing.
- Noise exposure: Exposure to loud noises over time can cause permanent damage to the hair cells in the inner ear, leading to noise-induced hearing loss. Approximately 10 million Americans have already suffered irreversible noise-induced hearing damage, and another 30 million are exposed to dangerous noise levels each day.
- Genetics: Genetic factors can play a role in some types of hearing loss. In fact, approximately 50% of all cases of congenital deafness have a genetic basis.
- Ototoxic medications: Certain medications, such as chemotherapy drugs or antibiotics, can be toxic to the inner ear and cause hearing loss.
- Trauma/injury: Physical trauma or injury to the head can cause temporary or permanent damage to the auditory system.
- Infections/diseases: Certain infections such as meningitis, measles or mumps can cause sensorineural hearing loss. Chronic diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure can also contribute to hearing loss.
Hearing Loss Statistics by Age
- About 2-3 of every 1,000 children in the United States are born with a detectable hearing loss in one or both ears.
- Approximately 15% of American adults (37.5 million) aged 18 and over report some trouble hearing.
- Among adults aged 20-29 years, approximately 16% have some degree of hearing loss.
- Among adults aged 60-69 years, approximately 43% have hearing loss.
- Nearly two-thirds of adults over the age of 70 experience significant hearing loss.
Hearing Loss Statistics by Gender
- Men are almost twice as likely as women to have hearing loss among adults aged 20-69 years.
- Among adults aged 18 and over, approximately 15.6% of men report having trouble hearing compared to 11.5% of women.
- In the age group of 60-69 years, approximately 52% of men have hearing loss compared to 38% of women.
- Among adults over the age of 70, nearly two-thirds of men experience significant hearing loss compared to just over half of women.
Hearing Loss Statistics by Ethnicity
- Among non-Hispanic whites aged 20 and over, approximately 18% report having trouble hearing.
- Among non-Hispanic blacks aged 20 and over, approximately 15% report having trouble hearing.
- Among Hispanics aged 20 and over, approximately 11% report having trouble hearing.
- Among non-Hispanic Asians aged 20 and over, approximately 8% report having trouble hearing.
- American Indian/Alaska Native adults are more likely to experience hearing loss compared to other racial/ethnic groups. In fact, they have the highest prevalence of hearing loss (nearly double that of non-Hispanic whites) among those aged 45-64 years.
What US state has the highest deaf population?
- South Dakota: 9.7% of the population is deaf or hard of hearing.
- New Mexico: 6.8% of the population is deaf or hard of hearing.
- Alaska: 6.7% of the population is deaf or hard of hearing.
- Wyoming: 6.5% of the population is deaf or hard of hearing.
- Montana: 6.3% of the population is deaf or hard of hearing.
- North Dakota: 6.1% of the population is deaf or hard of hearing.
- Maine: 5.7% of the population is deaf or hard of hearing.
- Vermont: 5.5% of the population is deaf or hard of hearing.
- Colorado: 5.4% of the population is deaf or hard of hearing.
- Oregon: 5.3% of the population is deaf or hard of hearing.
Economic Cost of Hearing Loss
- The estimated cost of unaddressed hearing loss in the U.S. is $133 billion annually.
- Adults with untreated hearing loss earn significantly less than their peers with normal hearing, up to an average of $30,000 less per year.
- A study by the Better Hearing Institute found that for every dollar spent on treating hearing loss with hearing aids, there was a return on investment (ROI) of up to $12.
Speed of Hearing Loss Statistics
- About 1 in 8 people in the U.S. aged 12 years or older has hearing loss in both ears due to noise exposure.
- People who work in loud environments, such as construction workers or musicians, are at a higher risk for noise-induced hearing loss.
- Approximately 15% of adults aged 18 and over have reported that they experienced sudden hearing loss at some point in their lives.
- For people with age-related hearing loss, the average decline is about 0.5 decibels per year.
- For those with noise-induced hearing loss, the decline can be much faster, up to 3 decibels per year.
Tinnitus Statistics
- Tinnitus is the perception of sound in the absence of an external sound source.
- Approximately 15% of Americans, or 50 million people, experience some form of tinnitus.
- Of those with tinnitus, about 20 million have chronic tinnitus, meaning they experience symptoms for more than six months.
- About 2-3% of adults have tinnitus that is severe enough to impact their quality of life and require medical treatment.
- Tinnitus can occur at any age, but it is more common in older adults.
- Among veterans, the prevalence of tinnitus is estimated to be as high as 60% due to noise exposure during military service.
Newborn Hearing Loss Statistics
Approximately 1-3 out of every 1,000 newborns in the United States have some degree of hearing loss at birth.
Hearing Loss among Veterans Statistics
- It is estimated that more than 2.7 million veterans have hearing loss or tinnitus as a result of their military service.
- Among veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is estimated that over 60% have hearing loss or tinnitus.
- According to a study by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), nearly 1 million veterans receive disability compensation for hearing loss, making it one of the costliest disabilities for the VA to manage.
Hearing Loss among Factory Workers
- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 22 million U.S. workers are exposed to hazardous noise levels at work each year.
- The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) reports that between 2003 and 2012, occupational hearing loss was one of the most commonly reported occupational illnesses in manufacturing.
- NIOSH also reports that nearly 1 in 4 workers in manufacturing industries experience hearing loss, with the highest rates found among those working in paper production, wood products, primary metals, and fabricated metal products.
- A study of factory workers in China found that over 60% had some degree of hearing loss due to workplace noise exposure.
Hearing Loss among Soldiers
Among active duty soldiers, approximately 60% of those exposed to blasts report some degree of hearing loss or tinnitus.
How many deaf students are in the United States?
- According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), approximately 2 to 3 out of every 1,000 children in the United States are born with a detectable hearing loss in one or both ears.
- It is estimated that there are approximately 20,000 deaf students currently enrolled in American schools.
- Among students with disabilities, hearing loss is the second most common disability after specific learning disabilities.
- Approximately 80% of deaf or hard-of-hearing students attend public schools and receive special education services.
- The graduation rate for deaf or hard-of-hearing students is lower than that of their hearing peers. In fact, only about half of deaf or hard-of-hearing students graduate from high school within four years.
What percentage of the population is deaf and blind?
- According to the World Health Organization, approximately 2% of the world's population has some form of visual impairment.
- Of those with visual impairments, approximately 1% are considered legally blind.
- The prevalence of deafness or hearing loss combined with blindness or visual impairment is estimated to be less than 1% of the general population.
FAQs
What is the difference between deafness and hearing loss?
Deafness is a total or severe loss of hearing, while hearing loss can refer to any degree of loss, from mild to profound. Not all people who experience hearing loss are considered deaf.
Can deaf individuals still communicate?
Yes! Deaf individuals often use sign language as their primary mode of communication, but they may also use lip reading, written communication, or assistive technology like video relay services or texting apps.
Is there a cure for deafness?
There is currently no cure for most types of permanent hearing loss, including most cases of congenital deafness. However, many people with hearing loss benefit from using assistive devices like hearing aids or cochlear implants.
Are there any preventative measures I can take to avoid hearing loss?
Yes! You can protect your ears from loud noise by wearing earplugs or earmuffs in noisy environments. You should also be mindful of the volume level when listening to music through headphones or earbuds and take frequent breaks to give your ears a rest.
Is it possible for someone to lose their hearing suddenly?
Yes, sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL) is a medical emergency that requires immediate attention. If you experience sudden hearing loss in one or both ears, seek medical attention right away.
How can I tell if I have tinnitus?
Tinnitus is characterized by a ringing, buzzing, or clicking sound in the ears that persists even when there is no external sound present. If you experience these symptoms regularly, it's important to see an audiologist for an evaluation.
Can children with hearing loss attend regular schools?
Absolutely! Many children with hearing loss attend regular schools and receive accommodations like preferential seating near the teacher and access to assistive technology like FM systems or CART captioning. Some children may also benefit from attending schools specifically designed for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Conclusion
Hearing loss is a growing concern in the United States, with millions of people experiencing some degree of hearing loss. The statistics outlined above show just how prevalent hearing loss is and how it can affect individuals of all ages. It is important to take steps to protect your hearing and to seek treatment if you experience any signs of hearing loss.
