60 Hearing Loss Statistics for 2026

Discover hearing loss statistics for 2026, including global and national trends, average hearing loss by age and other demographics, and key risk factors.

Hearing loss is more common than many people realize, affecting over 1 billion people worldwide, including 50 million Americans. It can begin at any age, from birth to late adulthood. For adults who experience hearing loss later in life, the impact goes beyond communication, with broader health issues like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, depression, and cognitive decline.

At Rylo, we’ve compiled up-to-date hearing loss statistics for 2026 using data from leading global sources like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), JAMA Network, and the National Institute for Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD).

These hearing loss statistics offer a comprehensive look at the epidemiology of hearing loss, including its causes, prevalence, and wide-reaching impact. Whether you’re looking to understand the average age of hearing loss or track public health trends, these stats offer valuable insight into one of the world’s most overlooked health challenges.

If you or someone you care about is navigating hearing difficulties, Rylo’s phone call captioning app can be a helpful tool for improving everyday communication and staying connected.

Let’s get started.

Prevalence of Hearing Loss

• Globally, 1.5 billion people have hearing loss (greater than 20 decibels in the better-hearing ear). Hearing loss prevalence is expected to reach 2.5 billion, or 700 million people, by 2050. (source)
• About 5% of the global population have disabling hearing loss (greater than 35 decibels) that requires rehabilitation services. This affects 430 million people. (source)
• About 50 million Americans live with some degree of hearing loss. (source)
• Hearing loss is the third most prevalent chronic physical condition in the U.S., affecting roughly 1 in 7 individuals nationwide. It’s twice as common as cancer or diabetes. (source)

Average Hearing Loss by Age, Race, and Other Demographics

Age

• About 55% of adults over age 75 live with disabling hearing loss, compared to 5% of adults aged 45-54. (source)
• Approximately 1 in 3 older adults between 65 and 74 have detectable hearing loss. (source)
• About 14% of U.S. adults aged 20-69 have difficulty hearing normal speech frequencies, according to data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). (source)
• That percentage more than doubles among Americans in the 60-69 age bracket, where nearly 4 in 10 (39.3%) have trouble hearing normal speech frequencies. (source)
• Up to 5 in 1,000 babies worldwide are born with hearing loss or develop it shortly after birth. (source)

Gender

• Among adults aged 20-69, men are almost twice as likely as women to experience hearing loss (18.6% vs. 9.6%). (source)
• In the 45-64 age group, men are significantly more likely than women (16.7% vs. 10.6%) to have difficulty hearing even when using a hearing aid. This increases to 30.9% for men and 23.5% for women in the 65+ age group. (source)
• Also in the 45-64 age group, men comprise nearly two thirds of people who are hard of hearing or are not able to hear at all (1.8% vs. 1.1%). This increases to 5% of men and 3.3% of women among those age 65 and older. (source)

Race and Ethnicity

• Non-Hispanic white adults are the most likely to have hearing loss in the U.S. Even after accounting for other factors, they remain about 130% more likely to experience speech-frequency hearing loss than other groups. (source)
• Among Americans in the 20-69 age group, non-Hispanic Black adults are the least likely racial or ethnic group to experience hearing loss. (source)
• Elevated risk isn’t limited to white adults: non-Hispanic Asian adults are about 110% more likely to have speech-frequency hearing loss compared to baseline groups. (source)
• For high-frequency hearing loss, Mexican American adults are about 100% more likely, and other Hispanic adults about 140% more likely, to be affected compared to the baseline group. (source)

Income Level

• Close to 80% of people with disabling hearing loss, which is greater than 35 decibels (dB), live in countries with middle-range income or lower. (source)
• About 65% of lower income Americans on Medicare age 71 or older have some hearing loss, and that percentage increases to about 96% by age 90. (source)
• Approximately 45% of people on Medicare report difficulty hearing even while wearing a hearing aid. (source)
• Hearing loss among children is most common in low-income and lower-middle-income regions. (source)
• Countries with lower development levels had higher rates of hearing loss and disability, with a strong negative correlation. (source)

Hearing Loss Statistics - Babies and Children

• About 96% of deaf babies are born to hearing parents. (source)
• There are 97.8 million children and teens living with hearing loss worldwide, representing a total of 3.91 million years lived with disability (YLDs). (source)
• Globally, approximately 34 million children have profound hearing loss. (source)
• The rate of hearing loss rose slightly from 3,537 to 3,711 per 100,000 children and teens between 1990 and 2021, for an average yearly increase of 0.15%. (source)
• Mild hearing loss represented the majority of all childhood and adolescent cases at 62.1%. (source)
• Middle ear infections (otitis media) are the leading preventable cause, responsible for 46.9% of hearing loss cases among children and teens. (source)

Hearing Loss Statistics - In the Workforce

• About 12% of people in the workforce have hearing loss. (source)
• Roughly 4% of American workers have both hearing loss and tinnitus. (source)
• Among noise-exposed workers, 20% have a material hearing impairment, meaning their hearing loss affects daily activities. (source)
• Each year, about 22 million workers are exposed to hazardous noise levels in the workplace. (source)
• Only 47% of workers exposed to loud noise report wearing hearing protection. (source)
• Workers with hearing loss are more likely to be injured in the workplace, as they may not respond to warning sounds from smoke detectors, vehicles, forklifts, and other machinery. (source)
• Pregnant workers in noisy environments can risk their baby’s hearing and experience increased stress levels, which can affect the baby’s development. (source)

Hearing Loss Statistics - Causes and Risk Factors

Genetics

• Genetics are the cause of hearing loss in roughly 50% of cases. The rest are caused after birth by infections, injuries, loud noise, or certain medications. (source)
• Among genetic cases, 30% are part of a larger medical condition (a syndrome) while 70% happen without other health conditions present (called non-syndromic). (source)
• In non-syndromic genetic hearing loss, 75-80% of cases are inherited from both parents and 20% are passed down from one parent. The remaining cases are caused by less common inheritance types. (source)

Noise Exposure

• Approximately 12.5% of American children and teens aged 6-19 have permanent noise-induced hearing loss, compared to 17% of adults aged 20-69. (source)
• Globally, “unsafe listening practices” has put more than 1 billion young people aged 12 to 35 at risk of permanent hearing loss. (source)
• People who use firearms heavily (1,000 or more rounds) are 80% more likely to lose hearing in the range used for speech. (source)
• Noise induced hearing loss statistics reveal occupational noise exposure results in 25% of cases among American workers. (source)
• Among American adults aged 20-69, 18% of those exposed to very loud noise at work for 5 years or more had difficulty hearing normal speech frequencies, compared to 5.5% of adults who weren’t. (source)

Exposure to Ototoxic Chemicals

• Approximately 13 million American workers have elevated risk of exposure to ototoxic chemicals, which can cause hearing loss. (source)

Childhood Illness

• In children under 5 years of age, otitis media is responsible for 68.7% of hearing loss cases. (source)
• Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) causes hearing loss in about 12% to 20% of infected children and is the second most common cause of permanent childhood hearing loss after genetics. It is a common virus passed from mother to baby during pregnancy. (source)
• Among infants born with symptomatic congenital CMV infection, about 40% to 63% develop sensorineural hearing loss. (source)
• Most infants with congenital CMV (about 85% to 90%) show no symptoms at birth, but roughly 15% of asymptomatic cases still develop hearing loss. (source)
• CMV-related hearing loss may develop later in early childhood, with reported rates of late-onset hearing loss ranging from about 1.3% to 10.6% of children with congenital CMV infection. (source)
• Hearing loss caused by congenital CMV can worsen over time, with progression in the level of hearing loss observed in nearly 18% of symptomatic children and over 20% of children in the asymptomatic group. (source)

Hearing Loss Statistics - Care and Prevention

• In July 2022, the number of cochlear implants received globally reached 1 million. (source)
• 7.1% of Americans aged 45 and older report hearing aid use, and the percentage more than doubles (14.4%) among those aged 65 and older. (source)
• Nearly 29 million U.S. adults could benefit from hearing aids, but only 16% of those aged 20-69 who could benefit use them. (source)
• Fewer than 1 in 3 adults (30%) aged 70 and older who could benefit from hearing aids have ever worn them. (source)
• Among Americans aged 65 and older, men are nearly twice as likely to use hearing aids as women, with usage at 19.2% vs. 10.6% respectively. The difference is smaller but still significant in the 45-64 age bracket, at 2.8% vs. 1.9%. (source)
• Among American adults who reported hearing loss, only 11% have sought treatment. (source)
• Only 7% of low-income Americans who reported hearing loss have visited an audiologist, while that percentage was double for those with high incomes. (source)
• Only 20% of American adults have had a hearing screening in the past five years, compared to 61% who have had a vision test. (source)
• Public health measures like immunization, improved care for mothers and newborns, and proper management of ear infections can prevent 60% of hearing loss worldwide. (source)

Hearing Loss Statistics - Global and Individual Effects

• Untreated hearing loss leads to significant costs to the global economy, at an estimated $980 billion each year. (source)
• Roughly 18% of adults aged 20-69 with moderate to profound hearing loss have depression, compared to 8% of adults in that same age range among the general population. (source)
• Approximately 28% of people aged 52 and older with moderate to severe hearing loss have difficulty completing daily tasks, compared to 7.3% of people in that age group in the general population. (source)

What These Hearing Loss Statistics Reveal

These hearing loss statistics don’t just paint a picture; they spotlight a growing global health issue that we have the power to address. Hearing loss may impact daily life, productivity, and well-being, but with the right awareness and tools, we can take meaningful steps forward.Here’s what we can take away:

• Hearing loss is extremely common, with 1 in 7 Americans and 1.5 billion people worldwide below normal hearing thresholds.
• The risk increases significantly with age, especially after 60, due to age-related hearing loss and other factors. However, children and teens are also affected, especially in low-income regions.
• Men are more likely than women to develop hearing loss before age 70.
• Race, income, and geographic location all influence hearing health and access to hearing care.
• Noise exposure remains a leading cause, especially in workplaces and among young people using headphones at unsafe volumes.
• Preventable infections like otitis media cause most hearing loss in children under 5.
• Access to hearing health care is unequal, millions who need hearing technologies such as hearing aids don’t have them, especially in lower-income households.

By raising awareness and supporting early detection, safer environments, and better access to care, we can reduce the global impact of hearing loss.

How Rylo Can Help

At Rylo, we believe communication should be accessible to everyone. That’s why we’ve developed a suite of AI-powered tools designed to break down barriers and support people with hearing loss in everyday conversations.

With real-time, natural-feeling transcription, Rylo helps you stay connected, whether you're at work, in school, or catching up with friends. It’s not about adapting to a world that doesn’t always accommodate you; it’s about using technology that empowers you to fully engage.

Ready to experience the difference? Download Rylo and try it for yourself. If you have questions or need help getting started, contact us anytime. We’re here to support you every step of the way.