“According to the CDC, 28.7% of U.S. adults have a disability in the United States —so it’s to our advantage to design our cities inclusively. Although some locations still lag when it comes to accessibility, some cities in America are doing things right for people with disabilities.” [1]
” When searching for a new home, people with disabilities often have a longer and more complicated list of considerations than other individuals. In addition to common wish-list items, such as reliable public transportation and diverse entertainment options, people with disabilities also must think about things like the accessibility of homes and public buildings.” [2]
“Cities were assessed for disability friendliness using 33 metrics across three main categories — economy, quality of life and health care.” [3]
“To determine the best city for people with disabilities, the study evaluated data from a variety of sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. They ultimately took three main aspects into consideration:
- Economy: This looked at the affordability of housing, the cost of living, the employment rate and average income for people with disabilities, the cost of in-home services, the waiting times for public housing and the availability of disability insurance.
- Quality of life: This involved looking at how easy it is for people with disabilities to live and thrive in the city, including the number of wheelchair-accessible places like restaurants and parks. It also looked at the effectiveness of state Medicaid programs, how walkable the city is and the number of accessible homes for sale.
- Health care: This considered the cost of seeing a doctor, the average health insurance premiums, the number of doctors and health-care providers within the city, the number of hospitals and the quality of the public hospital system.
Each of the three categories was weighed equally at 33.33%, giving each city an overall ranking out of 100.” [4] Each of these cities presents unique advantages, making them worth considering if you’re a person with a disability seeking a new place to call home.” [4]
By https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-cities-for-people-with-disabilities/7164
People living with a disability deserve equality with their non-disabled peers. It’s extremely important for all the cities to prioritize becoming a safe, welcoming, and affordable place for people with disabilities and their families.
Resources
[2] https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-cities-for-people-with-disabilities/7164
[3] https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2023/11/03/ranking-names-most-disability-friendly-cities/30617/
[4] https://www.rd.com/article/best-city-for-people-with-disabilities/
[5] https://qz.com/best-worst-cities-people-with-disabilities-1851657558