2 MD Cities Make Top 20 List Of Best Places For People With Disabilities

From Maryland Matters:

By Josh Kurtz

Columbia is the 10th best American city for people to live in who have disabilities, a recent survey found. Baltimore is No. 17.

That’s according to WalletHub, a financial services website that studied economic opportunities for people with disabilities, quality of life and amenities, and quality and accessibility of health care. In all, 182 U.S. cities were surveyed.

Columbia ranked 22nd in the economy category, 94th in quality of life, and 16th in health care. Baltimore was 152nd in economy, 21st in quality of life, and 26th health care.

“When searching for a new home, people with disabilities often have a longer and more complicated list of considerations compared with other individuals,” the WalletHub report found. “In addition to common wish-list items, such as reliable public transportation and diverse entertainment options, people with disabilities also must think about things like the accessibility of facilities or even the cleanliness of the air.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that about one in four U.S. adults, or 61 million total, have a disability that impacts their major activities. And among Americans age 65 and older, that number rises to two in five.

The top five U.S. cities for people with disabilities are South Burlington, Vt., Scottsdale, Ariz., St. Louis, Minneapolis, and San Francisco. The worst is Providence, R.I. Washington, D.C., ranks No. 58.

jkurtz@marylandmatters.org

For more stories from Maryland Matters, visit www.marylandmatters.org.