30+ Stats About Deafness and Hearing Loss in 2026

Hearing loss statistics at a glance

Hearing loss is prevalent worldwide and affects people of all ages. While treatment is available, it can be extremely costly.

• More than 1.5 billion individuals worldwide suffer from some kind of hearing loss in at least one ear [source].
• Nearly 80% of people with disabling hearing loss live in low- and middle-income countries. [source].
• Disabling hearing loss affects roughly 430 million people worldwide — or 5% of the world’s population — and requires significant rehabilitation [source].
• Roughly 43 million children and young adults between the ages of 12 and 35 suffer from disabling hearing loss due to different causes [source].
• It’s projected that by 2050, almost 2.5 billion people will have some degree of hearing loss.
• A 2023 study found hearing loss prevalence among U.S. adults may be significantly underreported, with audiometric testing showing substantially higher rates than self-reported hearing difficulty. [source].
• On average, people wait seven years before seeking help for their hearing loss [source].
• People typically wait 9+ years in between diagnosis and getting their first hearing aid [source].
• WHO estimates unaddressed hearing loss costs the global economy nearly $1 trillion annually due to health sector costs, educational support, productivity losses, and societal impacts. [source].
• It’s estimated that the economic cost of age-related hearing loss equates to $297,000 over the lifetime of every affected person [1].
• Hearing loss is considered more prevalent than diabetes or cancer and is the third most common chronic physical condition in the United States [2].
• The employment gap between d/Deaf and hearing people in the United States is a significant area of concern. In 2017, only 53.3% of d/Deaf people were employed, compared to 75.8% of hearing people — an employment gap of 22.5% [3].
• Those with hearing loss earn about 25% less [source].

Hearing loss in adults

Aging and older adults are especially susceptible to hearing loss, but it’s also known to affect young adults.

• A 2023 nationally representative analysis estimated that roughly 44 million U.S. adults aged 20 and older have measurable hearing loss in at least one ear [source].
• Over 65% of those 71 and older have hearing loss in the U.S. [source].
• Approximately 13% of adults ages 18 and older experience some kind of hearing difficulty even with the use of a hearing aid [source].
• 1.9% of adult women and 2.8% of adult men between the ages of 45 and 64 experience the effects of hearing loss, even with some kind of hearing aid [source].
• More than 14% of adults ages 65 and over use a hearing aid [source].
• WHO estimates more than 25% of adults over age 60 experience disabling hearing loss, making older adults the most affected age group globally [source].
• Roughly 25 million U.S. adults, or about 10% of the adult population, have experienced tinnitus (ringing in the ears) in the past year that lasts 5 minutes or longer [source].
• An estimated 21% of adults find it difficult to follow conversations when background noise is present. Of this group, 11% experienced tinnitus, and roughly 6% experienced sensitivity to regular sounds [source].

Hearing loss in children

While hearing loss is most commonly associated with adults and aging, children of all ages, even newborns experience deafness and significant hearing loss. Children are most susceptible to hearing loss during the prenatal and neonatal phases.

Some of the common causes for infant hearing loss include intrauterine infections,  such as rubella and cytomegalovirus infection, birth asphyxia, hyperbilirubinemia (severe jaundice in the neonatal period), and low birth weight.

During childhood and adolescence, common causes of hearing loss can look like chronic ear infections, meningitis, or a build-up of fluid in the ear.

• WHO estimates that approximately 60% of hearing loss in children could be prevented through public health measures such as vaccination, improved maternal care, safer childbirth practices, and early screening [source].
• More than 1 billion young people worldwide are considered at risk of permanent hearing damage due to unsafe listening practices [source].
• Over 1,700 babies were estimated to have been born d/Deaf in the year 2020 [source].
• 2020 also saw thousands of infants with some form of hearing loss. It’s estimated that over 6,000 infants experienced hearing loss in one or both ears at the time of birth [source].
• Many hearing losses in infants and children can be prevented. Roughly 60% of hearing loss cases in children are due to improper maternal and neonatal care and could have been prevented through proper health interventions [source].
• A 2005-2008 study conducted by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) found that roughly 2.5 million children from the ages of 12–19 experienced tinnitus to some degree. [4]

Hearing loss statistics in veterans

Men and women in uniform are one of the most susceptible groups of adults to experience hearing loss. In fact, hearing loss is so prevalent among U.S. Veterans that the VA is the largest employer of hearing loss medical professionals in the county.

• Tinnitus is the number one disability among U.S. veterans [source].
• Over 1.3 million U.S. veterans receive some kind of federal compensation for hearing loss, and more than 2.3 million have received compensation for tinnitus [source].
• Among veterans, blast-induced injuries accounted for permanent hearing loss [source].
• The VA is the largest employer of hearing loss medical professionals in the United States. They employ more than 410 audiology health technicians, 1,370 audiologists, and 450 speech-language pathologists to treat hearing loss for veterans [source].

Noise-induced hearing loss

In addition to noise-induced hearing loss from hazardous noise levels in the workplace, individuals, especially young people, are at risk for hearing loss or damaged hearing due to a variety of unsafe listening practices. This typically looks like personal audio devices such as headphones and exposure to high decibel levels at bars, nightclubs, and restaurants.

• It’s estimated that roughly 22 million American workers experience hazardous noise levels in the workplace [source].
• In environments where individuals are exposed to loud noise, roughly 70% of people never or seldom wear the proper hearing protection [source].
• Personal audio devices are a big culprit when it comes to hearing loss. It’s estimated that nearly 50% of individuals ages 12 to 35 could be regularly exposed to unsafe audio levels on their personal audio devices [source].
• Additionally, around 40% of adults aged 12 to 35 experience potentially damaging sound levels from loud music at entertainment venues such as bars, nightclubs, and concerts [source].

Hearing aid statistics

While hearing loss can be temporary, in permanent hearing loss cases, a specialist will often recommend hearing aids, cochlear implants, or other medical treatments. Below are a variety of statistics related specifically to hearing aids.

• In the United States, it’s estimated that roughly 29 million adults could benefit from using hearing aids of some sort [source].
• WHO estimates that only about 17% of people globally who could benefit from hearing aids actually use them [source].
• As of 2019, roughly 736,900 cochlear devices have been implanted in individuals suffering from hearing loss [source].
• Of those 736,900 cochlear devices implanted worldwide, 183,100 were implanted in U.S. adults and children [source].

Hearing loss affects billions of people worldwide. While it can be frustrating, it doesn’t have to be debilitating. If you suffer from hearing loss, it’s important to seek out proper treatment and do your research on hearing aids. At audiologists.org, we’re here to help to make your hearing health a little less complicated. Learn more about the different types of hearing loss, and hearing aids and find local providers.

Additional sources:

1. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Hearing health care for adults: Priorities for improving access and affordability.  Washington, DC:  The National Academies Press; 2016.  (doi:10.17226/23446)
2. Blackwell DL, Lucas JW, Clarke TC.  Summary health statistics for US adults:  National Health Interview Survey, 2012.  Vital Health Stat 10. 2014;260:1-161.
3. Carrie Lou Garberoglio, Jeffrey Levi Palmer, Stephanie Cawthon, and Adam Sales. National Deaf Center on Post-Secondary Outcomes. Deaf People and Employment in the United States: 2019
4. Mahboubi H, Oliaei S, Kiumehr S, Dwabe S, Djalilian HR. The prevalence and characteristics of tinnitus in the youth population of the United States. Laryngoscope. 2013;123(8):2001–8.