Data Note No. 111, 2026
This Data Note describes the characteristics, services received, and employment outcomes of adults with an intellectual disability (ID) who exited the vocational rehabilitation (VR) program in the 50 US states and the District of Columbia (DC) during fiscal years (FY) 2016 through 2025. We compare the findings of adults with ID to the findings of people with other disabilities.
Data Note No. 109, 2026
This data notes examines the relationship between postsecondary education and employment outcomes among young adults with intellectual disabilities receiving vocational rehabilitation services. Analysis of national RSA-911 data found that those who participated in college or career training were more likely to be employed, work more hours, and earn higher hourly wages.
Data Note No. 107, 2026
This Data Note summarizes employment and poverty rates across the US in 2024. These outcomes are compared for people with no disability, people with any disability, and people with a cognitive disability, which indicate that people with disabilities continue to have less success in the labor market, and a greater likelihood of being unemployed or underemployed, compared to individuals without a disability.
Data Note No. 106, 2026
This Data Note reports on the core findings from the National Survey of State Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Agencies’ Employment and Day Services through FY 2023. These data focus on participation in integrated employment, community-based non-work, and facility-based services (both work and non-work.
Data Note No. 105, 2026
Data Note 105 summarizes the findings from the National Report on Employment Services and Outcomes Through 2023. Overall, the findings suggest that across data sources, people with IDD experience greater levels of unemployment, underemployment, low wages, and poverty compared to those without disabilities and those with non-IDD disabilities.
Data Note No. 104, 2025
Data Note 104 summarizes Social Security Administration data from 2003-2023 on work incentives and their utilization by Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients. It compares recipients' likelihood of working and participating in work incentives by disability type. It also describes how the percentage of SSI recipients working is recovering since 2020. Finally, the Data Note illustrates how the rate of employment among SSI recipients varies by diagnostic group with some modest increases since 2020.
Data Note No. 103, 2025
Data Note 103 summarizes national data on employment among adults receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) due to blindness or disability. Over the past three decades, the number of working-age SSI recipients has grown, yet only about 8% were employed in 2023. Employment rates among SSI recipients have mirrored broader economic trends, declining during major recessions and never returning to late-1990s levels. While the data reflect persistent challenges, they underscore the need to strengthen policies and supports that promote employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
Data Note No. 102, 2025
This Data Note describes the characteristics, services received, and employment outcomes of adults with an intellectual disability (ID) who exited from the vocational rehabilitation (VR) program during fiscal years (FY) 2015 through 2024, in the 50 states and the District of Columbia (DC). We compare the findings of adults with ID to the findings of people with other disabilities.
Data Note No. 101, 2025
Data Note 101 summarizes national data that show progress toward inclusive employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Facility-based work and subminimum wage use have declined, while poverty rates and unemployment have dropped. While data suggest progress, there is a need to continue strengthening policies, practices, and initiatives that prioritize employment.
Data Note No. 100, 2025
Data Note 100 celebrates the 20th anniversary of the ThinkWork Data Note with fun stats and infographics about this consistent and remarkable publication. Data Notes highlight research on employment and day services trends and outcomes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Check out Data Note 100.
Data Note No. 99, 2025
In FY2022, states continued to vary in their ability to report on the services they provided to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and the amount of funding allocated to employment and non-work services. In this Data Note, we examine the percentage of funds allocated to integrated employment.
Data Note No. 98, 2025
This Data Note examines poverty rates over time for selected disability populations from the 2023 American Community Survey (ACS). The data note specifically examines two populations: 1) people with cognitive disabilities receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) who are employed, and 2) people without disabilities who are employed.Data Note No. 97, 2025
This Data Note is an update of findings that highlighted the sharp employment decline that occurred in the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic and tracked recovery using February 2020 as a baseline. The analysis is extended through February 2025 to examine how employment trends have evolved over time for people with and without disabilities.Data Note No. 96, 2025
This Data Note summarizes employment and poverty rates across the US in 2023. These data are compared for people with no disability, people with any disability, and people with a cognitive disability, which indicate that people with disabilities continue to have less success in the labor market, and a greater likelihood of being underemployed, compared to individuals without a disability.Data Note No. 95, 2025
This Data Note discusses the definition of competitive integrated employment (CIE) under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and its role as a goal for federally funded employment services. It highlights the national shift toward CIE for people with IDD, promoting community participation and self-sufficiency, and provides guidance on identifying valid CIE outcome data.Data Note No. 94, 2025
Data Note 94 summarizes the findings from the National Report on Employment Services and Outcomes Through 2022. Overall, the findings suggest that across data sources, people with IDD experience greater levels of unemployment, underemployment, low wages, and poverty compared to those without disabilities and those with non-IDD disabilities.
Data Note No. 93, 2025
This Data Note reports on the core findings from the National Survey of State Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Agencies’ Employment and Day Services through FY 2022. These data focus on participation in integrated employment, community-based non-work, and facility-based services (both work and non-work). Download an accessible PDF here.
Data Note No. 92, 2024
This Data Note summarizes Social Security Administration data from 2000-2022 on work incentives and their utilization by Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients. It compares recipients' likelihood of working and participating in work incentives by disability type. It also describes how the percentage of SSI recipients working has recovered from its decline during the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, the Data Note illustrates how the percentage of SSI recipients working in each state has changed between 2010 and 2022.
Data Note No. 91, 2024
This Data Note compares the employment levels of people with disabilities pre-COVID-19 pandemic to their employment levels post-pandemic, expanding the findings from Data Note 69. These data are compared to individuals without disabilities, highlighting the differences between recovery rates in employment between these two groups.
Data Note No. 90, 2024
This Data Note summarizes employment and poverty rates across the US in 2022. These data are compared for people with no disability, people with any disability, and people with a cognitive disability, which indicate that people with disabilities continue to have less success in the labor market, and a greater likelihood of being underemployed, compared to individuals without a disability.