Hearing Aid and Hearing Loss Statistics 2026
This is a collection of verified hearing aid and hearing loss statistics for 2026, sourced from NIDCD, CDC, FDA, Medicare.gov, KFF, and peer-reviewed publications. Every statistic includes an inline source with the organization name, publication or update date, and link. It is not a second hearing loss explainer and it is not clinical advice.
Key takeaways
- This is a verified statistics reference page, not a second hearing loss explainer. For diagnosis, treatment, and when to see an audiologist, see our signs of hearing loss guide.
- Every statistic includes an inline source with organization name, publication or update date, and link to the primary source.
- 37.5 million U.S. adults (15%) report hearing trouble, and 28.8 million could benefit from hearing aids (NIDCD, September 2024).
- Average cost is $2,694 per pair across all channels, down from $4,672 in 2018 (HearingTracker, December 2025).
- 39.1% of adults with hearing difficulty use hearing aids, up from 30.2% in 2015 (MarkeTrak 2025).
- 95% of Medicare Advantage enrollees are in plans offering hearing benefits in 2026 (KFF, June 5, 2026).
This page collects verified hearing aid and hearing loss statistics for writers, journalists, researchers, and anyone who needs a number with a source. It is not a clinical guide and it is not a second explainer of what hearing loss is. For diagnosis and treatment, see our signs of hearing loss guide. For hearing aid costs, see the cost guide. For Medicare coverage, see Does Medicare cover hearing aids?
What this is (and is not)
This is a collection of verified statistics on hearing loss prevalence, hearing aid costs, adoption rates, Medicare coverage, tinnitus, workplace noise exposure, and technology trends in the United States. It is organized by theme and updated as new data becomes available.
This page is not:
- A clinical guide. For when to get a hearing test, what hearing loss sounds like, and when to see an audiologist, see our signs of hearing loss guide.
- A product comparison. For OTC device comparisons, see Best OTC hearing aids in 2026.
- A cost breakdown. For bundled pricing, what clinics include, and how to pay less, see How much do hearing aids cost?
Methodology
Statistics on this page meet the following criteria:
- Primary sources only. NIDCD, CDC, FDA, Medicare.gov, CMS, KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation), peer-reviewed publications in JAMA, MMWR, BMJ, Seminars in Hearing, and named surveys (MarkeTrak, HearingTracker) with disclosed methods.
- Verified URLs and dates. Every statistic includes the source organization, publication or last-updated date, and a working link. If a URL or date cannot be verified, the claim is omitted.
- No invented figures. No estimated Medicare Advantage allowance dollar caps, no state-by-state Medicaid counts without a source, no manufacturer-supplied product ratings.
- Last reviewed: September 12, 2026. Figures can change. When NIDCD, CDC, or MarkeTrak publishes updated data, this page will reflect it.
Prevalence of hearing loss in the United States
Self-reported hearing difficulty
Approximately 15% of American adults (37.5 million) ages 18 and over report some trouble hearing (NIDCD Quick Statistics About Hearing, updated September 20, 2024).
In 2019, 13.0% of adults aged 18 and over had some difficulty hearing even when using a hearing aid, and 1.6% either had a lot of difficulty hearing or could not hear at all (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 414, July 2021).
Hearing difficulties increase with age. Among those aged 65 and over, 26.8% have some difficulty and 4.1% have a lot of difficulty or cannot hear at all (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 414, July 2021).
Audiometrically measured hearing loss
1 in 8 people in the United States (13%, or 30 million) ages 12 or older has hearing loss in both ears, based on standard hearing examinations (NIDCD Quick Statistics About Hearing, updated September 20, 2024, citing Lin et al., 2011).
Among adults ages 20 to 69, the overall prevalence of hearing loss was 14.1% (27.7 million) in the 2011-2012 NHANES period, compared to 16% (28.0 million) in 1999-2004 (NIDCD Quick Statistics About Hearing, updated September 20, 2024, citing Hoffman et al., 2017).
An estimated 72.88 million people in the United States had hearing loss in 2019, accounting for 22.2% of the total population (95% uncertainty interval 20.9% to 23.6%), according to the Global Burden of Disease Study, published in Seminars in Hearing, November 2023.
A 2019 small-area estimation study estimated 37.9 million Americans (11.6%) experienced any bilateral hearing loss: 24.9 million with mild and 13.0 million with moderate or worse (NORC at the University of Chicago, 2024).
Who could benefit from hearing aids
About 28.8 million U.S. adults could benefit from using hearing aids (NIDCD Quick Statistics About Hearing, updated September 20, 2024, citing Goman et al., 2017).
Hearing loss by age
Prevalence of disabling hearing loss by age group (NIDCD Quick Statistics About Hearing, updated September 20, 2024):
- 5% of adults ages 45-54 have disabling hearing loss.
- 10% of adults ages 55-64 have disabling hearing loss.
- 22% of adults ages 65-74 have disabling hearing loss.
- 55% of adults age 75 and older have disabling hearing loss.
Hearing aid costs
Average price paid in 2025-2026
The average price paid for hearing aids was $2,694 per pair across all channels, according to HearingTracker's survey of more than 1,100 purchasers (December 2025). This is down from approximately $4,672 in 2018.
| Channel | Average price (pair) | Median price |
|---|---|---|
| All channels | $2,694 | $1,999 |
| Traditional clinic without insurance | $4,727 | $5,000 |
| Traditional clinic with insurance | $2,567 | $2,000 |
| Costco | $1,674 | $1,600 |
| Over-the-counter (OTC) | $502 | $200 |
Source: HearingTracker, December 2025.
Private-pay prescription pairs (excluding Costco) average approximately $3,432 per pair (HearingTracker, December 2025).
Hearing aid adoption and delay
Current adoption rate
The adoption rate for all hearing aids combined among those with self-reported hearing difficulty increased from 30.2% in 2015 to 39.1% in 2025 (MarkeTrak 2025, Seminars in Hearing, January 2025, fielded October and November 2024).
When factoring in cochlear implants, the 2025 adoption rate is 43.4% (MarkeTrak 2025).
When including earbuds with FDA-authorized hearing aid features (AirPods Pro, Galaxy Buds), overall device use reaches 51.3%, up from 46.9% in 2022 (MarkeTrak 2025).
Delay from awareness to getting hearing aids
It takes about 4 years on average for an individual to get their first hearing aid after becoming aware of hearing difficulty (MarkeTrak 2025).
This has decreased from 6 years in 2019 (MarkeTrak 2022).
The time it takes to discuss hearing difficulty with a doctor, get a professional test, and first visit a hearing care professional each decreased from 4 years to 3 years in MarkeTrak 2025.
A separate longitudinal cohort study found an 8.9-year average delay from audiometric hearing aid candidacy to adoption (Nieman et al., Ear and Hearing, February 2019).
Hearing aid use rate (historical)
An estimated 9.7% of individuals with mild to profound hearing loss utilized a hearing aid in 2019 (Global Burden of Disease Study, Seminars in Hearing, November 2023).
In 2019, 7.1% of adults aged 45 and over used a hearing aid; use was higher among men than women in all age groups (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 414, July 2021).
Medicare and insurance coverage
Original Medicare
Original Medicare (Parts A and B) does not cover hearing aids or the exams used to fit them (Medicare.gov). This exclusion is written into the Social Security Act and has never been amended.
Part B does cover diagnostic hearing and balance exams. Since January 2023, Medicare beneficiaries can see an audiologist once every 12 months for non-acute hearing conditions with no physician order needed.
Medicare Advantage
95% of individual Medicare Advantage enrollees are in plans that offer hearing exams and/or hearing aids in 2026 (KFF, June 5, 2026).
In 2026, 98% of individual Medicare Advantage plans offer some hearing benefit, similar to 2025 (97% or more). Scope of coverage varies widely by plan (KFF, June 5, 2026).
Insurance coverage among hearing aid owners
More hearing aid owners reported having coverage for their hearing aids than in the past: 63% in 2025 vs. 54% in 2022 (MarkeTrak 2025).
Among those with coverage, 24% reported having full coverage with no co-pay or deductible (MarkeTrak 2025).
The top sources of coverage are Medicare Advantage, followed by insurance or health maintenance organizations (HMO), and then military or Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) (MarkeTrak 2025).
Over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids
FDA OTC category
The FDA established a new category of over-the-counter hearing aids for adults 18 years of age and older with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss that went into effect October 17, 2022 (FDA).
Close to 30 million adults living in the U.S. have some degree of hearing loss. Despite this, only about one-fifth of those who could benefit from a hearing aid seek intervention (FDA).
OTC ownership and sales
About 6% of adults reporting hearing difficulty own OTC hearing aids, adding roughly 4 percentage points to overall device adoption (MarkeTrak 2025).
OTC hearing aids comprised 1.0% of sales from Hearing Industries Association (HIA) reporting companies (approximately 13,000 units) in the first quarter of 2023 (HearingTracker, May 2023).
FDA-authorized earbud hearing aid features
Apple's AirPods Pro received FDA De Novo authorization (DEN230081) on September 12, 2024 for its Hearing Aid Feature.
Samsung's Galaxy Buds3 Pro and Buds4 Pro received FDA 510(k) clearance (K261187) on July 31, 2026 for their hearing aid features (FDA 510(k) database). Samsung announced the clearance on August 11, 2026.
Tinnitus prevalence
Roughly 10% of the U.S. adult population, or about 25 million Americans, has experienced tinnitus lasting at least 5 minutes in the past year (NIDCD Quick Statistics About Hearing, updated September 20, 2024, citing Bhatt et al., 2016).
The U.S. prevalence of tinnitus was 11.2% (approximately 27 million people) in 2014, according to the National Health Interview Survey (Henry et al., Frontiers in Audiology and Otology, January 2024).
Among those with tinnitus, 41.2% always have symptoms and 28.3% have had symptoms for 15 years or more (Henry et al., 2024).
An estimated 32.5% of Americans with hearing loss experience concurrent tinnitus (Global Burden of Disease Study, Seminars in Hearing, November 2023).
About 14.4% of adults worldwide have experienced tinnitus. Roughly 2% have experienced severe tinnitus, and almost 10% have experienced chronic tinnitus (lasting more than 3 months) (NIDCD Quick Statistics About Hearing, updated September 20, 2024).
Workplace noise exposure and hearing loss
Occupational noise exposure
About 22 million U.S. workers are exposed to hazardous noise at work annually (NIOSH/CDC).
Approximately 28% of all workers have been exposed to hazardous noise, with 16% (27 million) exposed in the last year (NIOSH/CDC, citing Masterson et al., 2025).
53% of noise-exposed workers report not wearing hearing protection (NIOSH/CDC).
Hearing impairment among noise-exposed workers
About 20% of noise-exposed tested workers have a material hearing impairment. Material hearing impairment is hearing loss severe enough that a person has difficulty understanding speech (NIOSH/CDC).
13% of noise-exposed tested workers have hearing impairment in both ears (NIOSH/CDC).
Among 1.4 million noise-exposed worker audiograms from 2003 to 2012, 13% had hearing impairment. By industry sector: mining (17%), construction (16%), and manufacturing (14%) had the highest prevalence (CDC MMWR, April 22, 2016).
All workers (not limited to noise-exposed)
Approximately 11% of all workers have hearing difficulty (NIOSH/CDC).
About 8% of all workers have tinnitus (NIOSH/CDC).
Technology trends
Rechargeable hearing aids
69% of hearing aid owners reported their current hearing aids have rechargeability, up from 52% in 2022 (MarkeTrak 2025, The Hearing Review, August 2025, fielded October and November 2024).
Binaural fitting rate
Among hearing aid owners with bilateral loss, the binaural solution rate is 83% (an increase of 12 points from MarkeTrak 2022) (MarkeTrak 2025).
Demographics of hearing loss
Gender differences
Age-standardized prevalence of hearing loss was higher in males (17.7%) compared with females (11.9%) (Global Burden of Disease Study, Seminars in Hearing, November 2023).
Men had nearly twice the prevalence of speech-frequency hearing impairment: 18.6% (17.8 million), compared to women: 9.6% (9.7 million) (Hoffman et al., JAMA Otolaryngology, December 2016).
Hearing aid adoption by gender
Slightly more women than men have adopted hearing aids: 41% to 39% (MarkeTrak 2025).
Hearing loss in children
About 2 to 3 out of every 1,000 children in the United States are born with a detectable level of hearing loss in one or both ears (NIDCD Quick Statistics About Hearing, updated September 20, 2024).
Cochlear implants
Medicare coverage
Medicare covers cochlear implants for eligible beneficiaries with bilateral moderate-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss and limited benefit from amplification. Limited benefit is defined as test scores of 60% or less correct in the best-aided listening condition on recorded tests of open-set sentence recognition (CMS National Coverage Determination 50.3, effective September 26, 2022).
Number of cochlear implantations
From 2012 to 2019, the number of cochlear implantations performed in the Medicare population increased from 1,239 to 2,429, representing a 96.0% increase (Crowson et al., Otology & Neurotology, September 2022).
Cochlear implants were performed in only 117 of 306 hospital referral regions (38.2%) in the United States, with a median of 16.7 cochlear implantations per HRR per year (Crowson et al., 2022).
Frequently asked questions
Where do these statistics come from?
Every statistic on this page includes an inline source with the organization name, publication or last-updated date, and a link. Primary sources include NIDCD (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, updated September 2024), CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), FDA, Medicare.gov, CMS, KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation, June 2026), MarkeTrak 2025 (fielded October and November 2024), HearingTracker (December 2025), NIOSH, and peer-reviewed journals.
How often is this page updated?
This page was last reviewed September 12, 2026. When NIDCD, CDC, MarkeTrak, or other primary sources publish updated data, this page will reflect it. Statistics can change, and dates matter.
Can I cite these statistics?
Yes, but cite the primary source, not this page. Every statistic includes a link to the original publication. For example, the 37.5 million figure comes from NIDCD Quick Statistics About Hearing (updated September 20, 2024), not from Hearing Aid Finder.
Why are there different prevalence numbers?
Different studies use different definitions of hearing loss (self-reported vs. audiometric), different severity thresholds (any loss vs. disabling loss), different age ranges (adults 18+ vs. all ages 12+), and different measurement years (2019 vs. 2011-2012). Context matters. Check the source and the definition before you compare two numbers.
Where are the state-by-state Medicare Advantage allowance caps?
They do not exist as a single public dataset. Medicare Advantage benefit structure varies by plan, not by state. KFF reports the percentage of enrollees in plans offering hearing benefits (95% in 2026), but individual allowance amounts, frequency limits, and network restrictions are plan-specific. Read your plan's Evidence of Coverage or call the member services number on your card.
What is not on this page?
Invented figures. Manufacturer product ratings. Per-model hearing aid prices. State-by-state Medicaid hearing aid coverage counts without a source. Estimated Medicare Advantage dollar caps. Clinical advice.
Figures on this page reflect the most recent data available as of September 2026. NIDCD, CDC, MarkeTrak, and other sources update their data periodically. When citing a statistic, always include the source organization and publication date. Dates matter.
Related guides
- How much do hearing aids cost in 2026? - Average prices by channel, technology tier, and brand, plus 8 ways to pay less.
- Does Medicare cover hearing aids? - What Original Medicare excludes, what Medicare Advantage actually pays, and other coverage programs.
- Best OTC hearing aids in 2026 - Self-fitting devices from established brands, FDA category only, third-party reviews.
- OTC vs. prescription hearing aids - When OTC is enough, and the eight red flags that mean skip OTC entirely.
- Does insurance cover hearing aids? - Employer plans, union trusts, state Medicaid programs, and the VA.
- Hearing aids for tinnitus - How amplification can help, and when tinnitus masking features matter.
- Signs of hearing loss - When to get a hearing test and when to see an audiologist.