Government and public statistics
New prevalence data shows 1 in 6 adults reports trouble hearing
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, NIDCD news release, 2015
Read the originalRead on October 16, 2026
- What it is
- A 2015 NIDCD news release on data from the 2014 National Health Interview Survey, giving the share of U.S. adults who report trouble hearing by age group.
- How much weight it carries
- Official release of a national survey with a large sample. The figures are self-reported and come from 2014, so they predate the current NIDCD quick statistics.
Facts taken from this source
- Among US adults aged 18 to 39, 5.5 percent reported trouble hearing in the 2014 National Health Interview Survey.
“and those ages 18–39 (5.5 percent)” (Paragraph on age differences)
- Among US adults aged 40 to 69, 19.0 percent reported trouble hearing in the 2014 National Health Interview Survey.
“compared to those ages 40–69 (19.0 percent)” (Paragraph on age differences)
- Among US adults aged 70 and older, 43.2 percent reported trouble hearing in the 2014 National Health Interview Survey.
“adults ages 70 and older are more likely to report trouble hearing (43.2 percent)” (Paragraph on age differences)