1 in 7 Atlantic County Residents Lives With a Disability

About one out of every seven people in Atlantic County lives with a disability, according to figures updated Oct. 23, 2026 by USAFacts. The nonprofit's annual refresh puts the local count at an average of 39,900 residents between 2020 and 2024 — 14.6% of the county's population.

That share is higher than much of the state. Atlantic County's rate sits 3.8 percentage points above the New Jersey average and 1.3 points above the national average, and it ranks fourth among the 21 New Jersey counties with available data. Cumberland County lands close behind at 14.8%, with Camden County at 14.4%.

The numbers come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey, which asks residents to self-report difficulties in six areas: walking or climbing stairs, hearing, vision, self-care, cognition, and independent living. USAFacts draws directly on that survey and on other federal agency data for its county-level snapshot.

It's worth noting that the survey's definition is narrower than the legal one. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, a disability can mean a physical or mental impairment that substantially restricts a major life activity — or a documented history of such an impairment, such as cancer in remission. The law also covers people who are perceived by others as having a disability, even when no major life activity is currently limited; visible burn scars are one example the statute contemplates. Because there is no single government-wide method for counting disability, the Census Bureau relies on self-reported answers rather than medical records or legal determinations.

Age shapes the picture significantly. Adults between 65 and 74 in Atlantic County show the widest gap from their peers statewide, with a disability rate 5.8 percentage points higher than the rest of New Jersey. That pattern tracks with guidance from the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, which notes that older adults face elevated risks for chronic conditions and are more frequently hospitalized for infectious diseases than younger age groups.

For our community, the takeaway is practical. A disability rate above both state and national averages means accessibility, health care capacity, and support services are not abstract policy questions here — they touch roughly 39,900 of our neighbors. As the county's older population continues to grow, the 65-to-74 age bracket highlighted in the data will likely remain a focal point for local planners and service providers alike.