A new analysis of federal disability data shows that Pennsylvania residents applying for Social Security Disability Insurance face an average 129-day wait just to get an initial decision on their claim. That wait comes in a state where more than 1.8 million people are living with at least one disability, according to data compiled by Disability Exchange (https://disabilityexchange.org/states/pennsylvania/).

The 129-day average is better than the national figure of 227 days, but most applicants don't get approved on the first try. Pennsylvania's initial SSDI approval rate sits at roughly 39%, which means about 6 out of 10 people who apply get denied the first time around. At the reconsideration level, the approval rate drops to just 16%. For those who push through to an Administrative Law Judge hearing, the approval rate climbs to 50%, though that stage adds months or even years to the process.

Pennsylvania's disability rate of 14.2% is 1.2 percentage points above the national average of 13.0%, ranking 18th highest among all states and the District of Columbia. The numbers come at a difficult time for the Social Security Administration. SSA field offices across the country have lost roughly 9% of their staff over the past year. In some states, each field office employee now serves over 4,000 beneficiaries.

"When you look at the numbers in Pennsylvania, what stands out is how many people fall into the gap between that first denial and actually getting approved," said the team at Disability Exchange (https://disabilityexchange.org/). "A lot of folks give up after that initial denial because the process feels overwhelming. But the data shows that people who stick with it through the hearing stage have a real shot at getting approved."

The 2026 cost-of-living adjustment raised the average monthly SSDI payment to an estimated $1,630, a $44 increase over 2025.

About Disability Exchange: Disability Exchange is a free public resource providing state-by-state disability data for all 50 states. Visit https://disabilityexchange.org. Media Contact: Anthony Albert, [email protected]