Hearing loss statistics at a glance

By | December 2, 2019

Hearing loss is third most common physical condition behind arthritis and heart disease, affecting people of all ages. This is what hearing loss looks like by the numbers.

Hearing loss statistics

A woman indicates she can't hear well.
See a hearing care specialist if you think
you might have hearing loss.

According to Johns Hopkins Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health, approximately 38.2 million Americans (14.3 percent) report some degree of hearing loss.

Prevalence in adults

  • Age is the strongest predictor of hearing loss among adults; 91% of adults with hearing loss are aged 50 and older
  • Those older than 80 have the greatest amount of hearing loss
  • Adult men in their 50s are three times as likely to have hearing loss than women of the same age, but as they age, hearing loss rates become similar among the sexes
  • As women age, they may have more difficulty hearing at lower frequencies than do men.

Children

  • Approximately 2-3 of every 1,000 children in the United States are born with a detectable hearing loss in one or both ears. Most children in the US receive newborn hearing screening.
  • More than 90 percent of deaf children are born to hearing parents
  • Fifteen percent of school-age children (6-19) have some degree of hearing loss.

Hearing aid statistics

According to the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), approximately 28.8 million adults in the United States could benefit from wearing hearing aids.

  • 3.65 million hearing aid units were dispensed in the United States during 2016.
  • The average age of first-time hearing aid wearers is 70 years of age.
  • A large number of people wait 15 years from the time they know they have hearing loss until they purchase their first hearing aids (Better Hearing Institute)
  • Hearing aid prices range from $ 1,000 to $ 4,000 per device depending upon the level of technology they contain.
  • Of the 28.8 million Americans (age 20-69) who could benefit from wearing hearing aids, fewer than 16 percent have ever used them.
  • Of those age 70 and older who could benefit from wearing hearing aids, fewer than 30 percent have ever used them.
Read More:  Why does diet coke have no calories

Financial impact of hearing loss

  • According to a survey by the Better Hearing Institute, hearing loss negatively impacts household income on average up to $ 12,000 per year. The use of hearing aids mitigates that loss by as much as 50 percent.
  • The impact of hearing loss is estimated to be more than $ 100 billion annually.
  • In a 15 percent tax bracket, the total cost to society in unrealized taxes is estimated to be more than $ 18 billion.

Related health conditions

Additional information

The statistics tell the story of just how much hearing loss impacts our lives, relationships and careers. Find more information here on our website and, when you are ready to get help, visit our directory of hearing healthcare professionals to find a hearing aid clinic near you and make the call.

Healthy Hearing Content

Read More:  5 Best Juice Diet Recipes for Weight Loss