June 17, 2013 -- The number of Oregonians receiving disability grew by about 52 percent from 2003 to 2011, according to the most recent data available from the Social Security Administration.
The number of Oregonians on disability grew from 67,614 in 2003 to 102,606 in 2011. Compare that 52 percent rise to the national average during that same time period of nearly 40 percent.
Last month, the SSA reported that 10.9 million Americans are on disability, marking the 195th consecutive month the figure had increased over the previous month. The last time the number went down from one month to another was in 1997, New Mexico Watchdog reports.
Federal officials attribute part of the rise to cost-of-living increases and how the government pays out benefits. Currently, recipients receive payments based on how much they earned while working, according to the SSA. Some attribute the growth to the increase in retired workers while others point to an uptick in mental health disorders.
Here is a link to all the data provided by the SSA on Oregon’s disability numbers, including a breakdown by zip code.
