State report

Rhode Island

Selected estimates for Rhode Island from five years of American Community Survey data.

Product
ACS 5-year
Period
2020–2024
Publication status
Approved aggregate release

Headline indicators

Deaf and hearing estimates for Rhode Island, 2020–2024 (ACS 5-year). Each measure names its population universe. CI means confidence interval.

Employment rate

Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16–64

2020–2024 · ACS 5-year

Deaf
56.9% Stable 95% CI: 51.1% to 62.7%
Hearing
74.0% Stable 95% CI: 73.3% to 74.6%

Deaf − hearing gap (percentage points)

-17.1 pp Stable 95% CI: -22.8 pp to -11.3 pp

Bachelor's degree or higher

Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 25–64

2020–2024 · ACS 5-year

Deaf
28.3% Stable 95% CI: 22.6% to 34.1%
Hearing
39.8% Stable 95% CI: 39.0% to 40.7%

Deaf − hearing gap (percentage points)

-11.5 pp Stable 95% CI: -17.4 pp to -5.6 pp

Postsecondary enrollment

Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16–64

2020–2024 · ACS 5-year

Deaf
7.2% Stable 95% CI: 4.5% to 9.9%
Hearing
12.7% Stable 95% CI: 12.3% to 13.2%

Deaf − hearing gap (percentage points)

-5.6 pp Stable 95% CI: -8.4 pp to -2.8 pp

STEM occupation employment share

Civilian noninstitutionalized employed population age 16–64 with a valid occupation

2020–2024 · ACS 5-year

Deaf
Suppressed Suppressed: denominator below threshold The sample is too small to publish this estimate.
Hearing
7.7% Stable 95% CI: 7.3% to 8.1%

Deaf − hearing gap (percentage points)

Suppressed Suppressed: derived input suppressed An estimate needed for this calculation is suppressed.

Science and engineering degree share

Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 25–64 with a bachelor’s degree or higher and a valid SCIENGP flag

2020–2024 · ACS 5-year

Deaf
Suppressed Suppressed: denominator below threshold The sample is too small to publish this estimate.
Hearing
38.4% Stable 95% CI: 37.3% to 39.5%

Deaf − hearing gap (percentage points)

Suppressed Suppressed: derived input suppressed An estimate needed for this calculation is suppressed.

Full-time, year-round employment

Employed civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16–64 with valid weeks and usual hours worked

2020–2024 · ACS 5-year

Deaf
Suppressed Suppressed: denominator below threshold The sample is too small to publish this estimate.
Hearing
71.4% Stable 95% CI: 70.6% to 72.2%

Deaf − hearing gap (percentage points)

Suppressed Suppressed: derived input suppressed An estimate needed for this calculation is suppressed.

Median annual earnings

Full-time, year-round civilian noninstitutionalized workers age 16–64 with valid adjusted earnings, including zero and net losses

2020–2024 · ACS 5-year

Deaf
Suppressed Suppressed: denominator below threshold The sample is too small to publish this estimate.
Hearing
$67,032 Stable 95% CI: $66,107 to $67,956

Deaf − hearing gap

Suppressed Suppressed: derived input suppressed An estimate needed for this calculation is suppressed.

Median age

Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 18 and older

2020–2024 · ACS 5-year

Deaf
72.0 years Stable 95% CI: 70.7 years to 73.3 years
Hearing
Suppressed Suppressed: median zero replicate variance Replicate weights did not provide reliable uncertainty for this median.

Deaf − hearing gap

Suppressed Suppressed: derived input suppressed An estimate needed for this calculation is suppressed.

Additional disability

Deaf civilian noninstitutionalized population age 18 and older

2020–2024 · ACS 5-year

Deaf
45.3% Stable 95% CI: 42.1% to 48.4%

Gaps subtract the hearing estimate from the Deaf estimate. Negative values mean the Deaf estimate is lower; positive values mean it is higher. Percentage points (pp) describe differences between percentages. Gap confidence intervals come from published paired estimates. Unstable estimates require caution; suppressed estimates are withheld and do not mean zero.

View detailed results and sample sizes

About this report

This report presents 9 selected Census indicators for Rhode Island during 2020–2024. The table shows the population covered by each measure, along with its uncertainty, sample size, and reliability. Check these details before comparing or citing estimates.

Comparing periods: Consecutive five-year estimates share four years of data. A difference between them should not be read as a change over a single year. National one-year estimates are not directly comparable benchmarks for these five-year estimates.

Results

A dash means the estimate is unavailable; the reliability column explains why. Unweighted sample is the number of survey records used, before applying survey weights. Each measure names the population it covers.

Skip past the results table
9 selected aggregate indicators for Rhode Island, 2020–2024
MetricPopulationEstimate95% margin of error95% confidence intervalUnweighted sampleReliability
STEM occupation employment share Civilian noninstitutionalized employed population age 16–64 with a valid occupationDeaf − hearing gap———330Suppressed An estimate needed for this calculation is suppressed.
STEM occupation employment share Civilian noninstitutionalized employed population age 16–64 with a valid occupationDeaf people———330Suppressed The sample is too small to publish this estimate.
STEM occupation employment share Civilian noninstitutionalized employed population age 16–64 with a valid occupationHearing people7.68%0.4 pp7.25% to 8.11%21,498Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
Science and engineering degree share Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 25–64 with a bachelor’s degree or higher and a valid SCIENGP flagDeaf − hearing gap———154Suppressed An estimate needed for this calculation is suppressed.
Science and engineering degree share Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 25–64 with a bachelor’s degree or higher and a valid SCIENGP flagDeaf people———154Suppressed The sample is too small to publish this estimate.
Science and engineering degree share Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 25–64 with a bachelor’s degree or higher and a valid SCIENGP flagHearing people38.37%1.1 pp37.28% to 39.46%10,509Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
Employment rate Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16–64Deaf − hearing gap-17.09 pp5.7 pp-22.83 pp to -11.34 pp552Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
Employment rate Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16–64Deaf people56.87%5.8 pp51.06% to 62.68%552Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
Employment rate Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16–64Hearing people73.96%0.6 pp73.34% to 74.57%29,608Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
Full-time, year-round employment Employed civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16–64 with valid weeks and usual hours workedDeaf − hearing gap———330Suppressed An estimate needed for this calculation is suppressed.
Full-time, year-round employment Employed civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16–64 with valid weeks and usual hours workedDeaf people———330Suppressed The sample is too small to publish this estimate.
Full-time, year-round employment Employed civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16–64 with valid weeks and usual hours workedHearing people71.41%0.8 pp70.62% to 72.19%21,498Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
Bachelor's degree or higher Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 25–64Deaf − hearing gap-11.51 pp5.9 pp-17.4 pp to -5.62 pp514Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
Bachelor's degree or higher Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 25–64Deaf people28.32%5.7 pp22.58% to 34.05%514Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
Bachelor's degree or higher Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 25–64Hearing people39.82%0.8 pp38.99% to 40.65%23,475Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
Postsecondary enrollment Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16–64Deaf − hearing gap-5.57 pp2.8 pp-8.37 pp to -2.78 pp552Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
Postsecondary enrollment Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16–64Deaf people7.16%2.7 pp4.48% to 9.85%552Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
Postsecondary enrollment Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16–64Hearing people12.74%0.5 pp12.26% to 13.21%29,608Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
Median annual earnings Full-time, year-round civilian noninstitutionalized workers age 16–64 with valid adjusted earnings, including zero and net lossesDeaf − hearing gap———242Suppressed An estimate needed for this calculation is suppressed.
Median annual earnings Full-time, year-round civilian noninstitutionalized workers age 16–64 with valid adjusted earnings, including zero and net lossesDeaf people———242Suppressed The sample is too small to publish this estimate.
Median annual earnings Full-time, year-round civilian noninstitutionalized workers age 16–64 with valid adjusted earnings, including zero and net lossesHearing people$67,032$925$66,107 to $67,95615,339Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
Median age Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 18 and olderDeaf − hearing gap———1,981Suppressed An estimate needed for this calculation is suppressed.
Median age Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 18 and olderDeaf people72 years1.3 years70.69 years to 73.31 years1,981Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
Median age Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 18 and olderHearing people———38,862Suppressed Replicate weights did not provide reliable uncertainty for this median.
Additional disability Deaf civilian noninstitutionalized population age 18 and olderDeaf people45.26%3.2 pp42.09% to 48.43%1,981Stable Meets this release’s sample size and relative standard error thresholds.
End of aggregate results table

Reliability rules

  • Estimates are withheld when fewer than 351 survey records meet the measure’s denominator criteria.
  • Results with a relative standard error above 30% are marked unstable.
  • Derived values are unavailable when any required input is suppressed.

Source and populations covered

Source: ACS 5-year, 2020–2024. The definitions below describe who is included in each measure.

  • STEM occupation employment share Civilian noninstitutionalized employed population age 16–64 with a valid occupation
  • Science and engineering degree share Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 25–64 with a bachelor’s degree or higher and a valid SCIENGP flag
  • Employment rate Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16–64
  • Full-time, year-round employment Employed civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16–64 with valid weeks and usual hours worked
  • Bachelor's degree or higher Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 25–64
  • Postsecondary enrollment Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16–64
  • Median annual earnings Full-time, year-round civilian noninstitutionalized workers age 16–64 with valid adjusted earnings, including zero and net losses
  • Median age Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 18 and older
  • Additional disability Deaf civilian noninstitutionalized population age 18 and older Deaf population only
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample (opens in a new tab)
Source details and citation
Methodology
ndc-observatory-2026.3
Release
acs5-2024-observatory-2026.12-scientific-candidate
Source manifest
5634ca48e11200ddd30af9aeea331d78277e40d29178c97d1a31ee879e674b74

Citation

National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes. Deaf Data Lab: selected indicators for Rhode Island. 2020–2024 ACS5 PUMS. Methodology ndc-observatory-2026.3. Release acs5-2024-observatory-2026.12-scientific-candidate. Approved for publication. Not the current default release.