Open Access
Hearing loss occurs for many reasons, including genetic disorders, noise, and trauma. More than 1.5 billion people worldwide report hearing loss, including millions of Americans.
No matter the cause of hearing loss, people in the U.S. are more likely to experience hearing loss as they age. Many people with hearing loss, especially older Americans, could benefit from hearing aids.
Key Insights
Around 48 million Americans have some level of hearing loss.
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The number of U.S. adults with hearing loss is expected to rise from about 15% of the adult American population in 2020 to 22.6% in 2060.
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Men are more often affected by hearing loss than women at any age. In 2022, fewer American women (13.6%) aged 18 and older reported hearing loss than men in that age group (17.6%).
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The most common cause of acquired hearing loss is noise, with more than 25% of hearing loss cases related to excessive noise.
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Relatively few people aged 70 years and older with hearing loss use hearing aids. Less than one-third of Americans in that age bracket who could benefit from hearing aids use them.
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Hearing Loss Statistics: A Detailed Overview
Hearing loss impacts 1.5 billion people worldwide, with over a billion reporting mild severity, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Whether caused by genetics, disease, or another factor, any degree of hearing loss presents numerous challenges for the person affected.
Of the 1.5 billion people with hearing loss worldwide, 1.16 billion have mild severity. Mild hearing loss is the most common level of hearing loss among Americans ages 12 and older, affecting 25.4 million people. However, older people experience hearing loss more often and at more severe levels than their younger counterparts.
Globally, around 430 million people have at least moderate hearing loss that may require rehabilitation, which could exceed 700 million by 2050.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that hearing loss is twice as prevalent as cancer or diabetes in the U.S. and ranks as the third-most common chronic health condition.
In the U.S., about 14.7% of adults aged 20 and older have audiometry-measured hearing loss, yet only 12.7% of those with hearing loss use hearing aids regularly.
Approximately 8% of adults aged 20 to 69 experience depression, according to a recent study. This percentage increases to nearly 18% among those with moderate or worse hearing loss. In addition, around 17% of adults with tinnitus at least once per month also have depression.
Having some level of hearing loss can increase the risk of dementia, with severe hearing impairment demonstrating the strongest correlation with dementia.
How Many Americans Have Hearing Loss?
In the U.S., around 48 million people have some level of hearing loss. In 2022, 15.5% of American adults ages 18 and over had hearing difficulty, an increase from 14.4% in 2021.
Projections show that hearing loss will continue to become more common in the U.S. By 2060, around 73.5 million Americans ages 20 and older are expected to experience hearing loss. This means that the percentage of U.S. adults with hearing loss will rise from about 15% in 2020 to 22.6% in 2060. In addition, the number of Americans with moderate or greater hearing loss will grow more quickly than those with mild hearing loss.
Hearing Loss by Age Demographics
Hearing loss is relatively uncommon among children ages 5 and younger but becomes significantly more common at age 6. The prevalence of hearing loss increases with age, with over 25% of individuals over 60 years affected by disabling hearing loss, according to WHO.
Among Americans who experience hearing loss at some point in their lives, the onset of hearing loss typically occurs between the ages of 20 and 59, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.
An equal share of American men (32%) begin to experience hearing loss from ages 20 to 39 and 40 to 59. However, the percentage of American women who initially experienced hearing loss jumps dramatically between those two age brackets, from 20% to 30%, respectively.
Overall, hearing loss is more common among men. More men ages 18 and older (17.6%) reported hearing loss compared with women of the same age (13.6%) in 2022.
Age-related hearing loss is the primary cause of hearing loss among U.S. adults.
Almost half of people older than 75 have some difficulty hearing, and projections indicate that the number of older adults in the U.S. who experience hearing loss will increase greatly in the future.
In 2060, it’s expected that at least 67.4% of adults with hearing loss will be 70 years of age or older. In 2020, the share of U.S. adults with hearing loss who were 70 years or older was only 55.4%.
Another study shows the prevalence of hearing loss increases significantly with age:
- 53.4% of adults aged 71 to 74 have hearing loss.
- 76.7% of adults aged 80 to 85 experience hearing loss.
- By age 90, the prevalence rises to 96.2%.
More severe cases of hearing loss also become far more common with age. The percentage of Americans who experience bilateral hearing loss—i.e., some degree of hearing loss in both ears—is more than double among the cohort of those who are 60 to 69 years old than among those who are 50 to 59 years old.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Hearing Loss?
An individual may experience congenital hearing loss from birth or acquired hearing loss later in life. The impact of hearing loss from loud noise accounts for over a quarter of acquired cases.
Other risk factors include head or neck injuries, infection, or health conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes.
How Many Americans Could Benefit From Hearing Aids?
The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders estimated that 28.8 million U.S. adults could benefit from the use of hearing aids based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau in 2015.
However, among Americans ages 70 and older with hearing loss who could benefit from hearing aids, fewer than 30% indicated ever having used them. Even fewer adults between the ages of 20 and 69 (16%) who might benefit from hearing aids reported using them.
In 2019, only 7.1% of adults ages 45 and older reported using a hearing aid. Adults ages 65 and older were over six times more likely to have used a hearing aid than adults ages 45 to 64. It’s important to note that hearing loss becomes more common with age, with about 68% of people in their 70s and 90% of people in their 80s living with hearing loss.
Almost 80% of hearing loss can be treated by using hearing aids, yet only 1 in 4 people use them.
Types of Hearing Loss
The National Center for Health Statistics categorizes hearing loss into four types: conductive, sensorineural, mixed, and central auditory processing disorder. It also varies in severity based on the hearing threshold—the lowest decibel level a person can hear.
- Sensorineural hearing loss is the most common type, with approximately 66,000 new cases reported annually in the U.S. It can range from mild to profound hearing loss.
- Conductive hearing loss, however, impacts more children and typically leads to temporary loss of hearing. The degree of conductive hearing loss is often mild, and its root cause is often an ear infection.
Benefits of Early Detection of Hearing Loss
Several studies show detecting hearing loss and using hearing aids can significantly improve the quality of life among seniors. Untreated hearing loss can cause cognitive decline such as dementia, or social isolation. Here’s a summary of the key advantages based on recent research and expert insights on hearing health care:
- Improved Communication: Early treatment of hearing loss with hearing aids improves communication, reducing miscommunication and strengthening social and work interactions.
- Better Quality of Life: Early intervention allows seniors to reconnect with their social circles and participate more fully in life, leading to a more fulfilling life. They are less likely to feel socially isolated or lonely.
- Memory Improvement: It can reduce cognitive load, improving memory, focus, and processing speed, helping maintain cognitive health as people age.
Hearing Loss Treatment Statistics
- 14% of patients treated for SSNHL had complete recovery, with an additional 6% showing improvement, totaling a 20% success rate.
- Spontaneous recovery for SSNHL can be up to 50% without treatment, especially in mild to moderate cases.
- The highest recovery rate (28%) was seen in patients treated with intratympanic glucocorticoids and prolonged oral glucocorticoids.
- Systemic steroids combined with hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) had a response rate of 18.75%.
- Early treatment with steroids improves recovery rates, especially if started within two weeks of symptoms.
- Regular hearing aid users have a 24% lower risk of mortality compared to non-users.
- 31.2% use hearing aids fitted in person, while 4.5% use remotely fitted hearing aids.
- Regular hearing aid use is more common among individuals aged 72 years or older.
Most Latest Treatments for Hearing Loss
Hearing aids are still the most effective treatment for hearing loss. Cochlear implant, a surgically implanted device for individuals with severe hearing loss, is also another effective treatment among seniors.
New drug therapies are being developed to better treat hearing loss, especially for people who have nerve damage in their ears. Current treatments like steroids can help, but they aren't always effective because they don’t reach the inner ear well enough. Researchers are working on ways to improve this.
Gene therapy and cell therapy offer hope for people with genetic hearing loss. Scientists are exploring how to fix or replace damaged parts of the ear using advanced techniques. These methods could eventually help restore hearing for people with long-term damage.
Hearing Care Statistics
In the United States, Medicare doesn’t cover hearing aids or exams for fitting them. Routine hearing tests, hearing screenings, and the cost of hearing aids are typically out-of-pocket expenses unless covered by additional insurance plans like Medicare Advantage.
However, Part B covers diagnostic hearing and balance exams only if your doctor orders them to evaluate a medical condition, such as hearing loss due to an injury or illness.
Medicare may also cover cochlear implants or other surgically implanted hearing devices if deemed medically necessary.
FAQs
What percentage of the population has hearing loss?
Around 48 million people in the U.S. have hearing issues, with 15% of American adults reporting some hearing trouble.
What is the average age for hearing loss?
The probability of hearing loss increases rapidly with age. Figures show that the percentage of people with bilateral hearing loss jumps from 3.4% for people ages 40 to 49 to 11.2% for those ages 50 to 59.
What is the most common cause of hearing loss?
Aging and noise exposure are two of the most common causes of hearing loss in the U.S. About one-third of Americans between the ages of 65 and 74 report having trouble hearing. In a 2011–2012 study, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that between 10 and 40 million U.S. adults under the age of 70 had hearing loss in one or both ears resulting from exposure to loud sounds.
Is hearing loss getting worse?
Yes, hearing loss appears to be getting worse in the U.S. As of 2020, just over 44 million Americans ages 20 and older suffered from hearing loss. This number is expected to increase to 73.5 million by 2060.
What is Presbycusis?
Presbycusis is an age-related hearing loss that develops as you age. Two-thirds of Americans aged 70 and older are affected by Presbycusis. Although there’s no cure for this, hearing aids are most effective.
Why do people wait to seek hearing loss treatment?
Multiple barriers may prevent people with hearing loss from seeking treatment. Many people doubt that a hearing aid’s cost is worth the level of hearing improvement they will experience by using it. Additionally, people do not want to be perceived as old because they use hearing aids.
Is 50% hearing loss a disability?
Hearing loss isn’t only based on a specific percentage and may be considered a disability if it reaches around the 70 dB threshold or higher, in most countries. However, it also depends on how much it affects your daily life, including communication and work.
Bottom Line
Hearing loss affects millions worldwide, with nearly 48 million Americans experiencing some degree of hearing difficulty. Age-related hearing loss is particularly prevalent, with nearly two-thirds of individuals over 70 affected.
Despite advancements in hearing aids and treatment options, less than 30% of older adults who could benefit from hearing aids actually use them. Addressing barriers such as cost, awareness, and accessibility is crucial to improving the quality of life for those affected.
As the U.S. population ages, the cases of hearing loss will increase, requiring proactive measures and early treatment.
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