Based on the popularity of our previous blog post on Social Security approval rates by state and ODAR we decided to revisit the subject. The SSA reports approval data on a fall to fall basis. The below data covers 09/27/2014 through 09/27/2015. Overall the favorable approval rate has been pretty consistent over the last year. In a similar period in 2014, the approval rate (combined fully and partially favorable) was 53.73% vs 53.41% in 2015. While the overall approval rate was pretty consistent on a national basis, some states experience a larger variation. The below table contains the states having the largest increase and decrease in approval rates.
States with the greatest change in approval rate
| State | 2015 % Favorable | 2014 % Favorable | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| DE | 51.20% | 44.72% | + 6.5 |
| WI | 48.45% | 42.67% | + 5.8 |
| PR | 74.10% | 69.10% | + 5.0 |
| RI | 48.96% | 44.86% | + 4.1 |
| KS | 42.79% | 39.53% | + 3.3 |
| MN | 53.90% | 57.99% | - 4.1 |
| CT | 48.15% | 52.56% | - 4.4 |
| CO | 50.22% | 54.71% | - 4.5 |
| NM | 65.26% | 70.01% | - 4.7 |
| MT | 45.71% | 56.70% | - 11.0 |
Weighted approval rate by state
The below map shows the weighted average approval rate by state compiled from www.ssa.gov/appeals/DataSets/archive/archive_data_reports.html. The figures were calculated based on the location in which the disability hearing was held, not the state in which the claimant resided. Idaho, Wyoming, South Dakota and Vermont do not contain data since those states do not have a Social Security hearing office.
Approval rate by ODAR
| State | ODAR | % Fully Favorable | % Partially Favorable | % Favorable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AK | ANCHORAGE AK | 14.16% | 7.60% | 21.76% |
| AL | BIRMINGHAM | 49.00% | 5.47% | 54.47% |
| AL | FLORENCE | 41.22% | 3.74% | 44.97% |
| AL | MOBILE | 58.53% | 3.49% | 62.02% |
| AL | MONTGOMERY | 48.17% | 5.25% | 53.41% |
| AR | FORT SMITH | 47.18% | 6.90% | 54.07% |
| AR | LITTLE ROCK | 43.36% | 4.63% | 48.00% |
| AZ | PHOENIX | 41.21% | 9.51% | 50.72% |
| AZ | PHOENIX NORTH | 33.99% | 4.62% | 38.61% |
| AZ | TUCSON | 56.58% | 7.33% | 63.91% |
| CA | FRESNO | 31.28% | 10.64% | 41.92% |
| CA | LONG BEACH | 54.64% | 8.60% | 63.24% |
| CA | LOS ANGELES DOWNTOWN | 54.50% | 6.28% | 60.79% |
| CA | LOS ANGELES WEST | 50.41% | 5.60% | 56.01% |
| CA | MORENO VALLEY CA | 45.29% | 9.08% | 54.38% |
| CA | NORWALK | 50.69% | 8.55% | 59.25% |
| CA | OAKLAND | 60.49% | 6.71% | 67.20% |
| CA | ORANGE | 39.47% | 7.18% | 46.65% |
| CA | PASADENA | 53.62% | 5.66% | 59.27% |
| CA | SACRAMENTO | 49.35% | 7.43% | 56.78% |
| CA | SAN BERNARDINO | 39.87% | 6.86% | 46.73% |
| CA | SAN DIEGO | 49.76% | 8.96% | 58.72% |
| CA | SAN FRANCISCO | 48.17% | 8.02% | 56.18% |
| CA | SAN JOSE | 43.50% | 9.15% | 52.65% |
| CA | SAN RAFAEL | 57.23% | 11.00% | 68.23% |
| CA | SANTA BARBARA | 40.43% | 9.66% | 50.08% |
| CA | STOCKTON | 33.95% | 13.48% | 47.43% |
| CO | COLORADO SPRINGS | 41.52% | 6.61% | 48.13% |
| CO | DENVER | 42.29% | 8.97% | 51.26% |
| CT | HARTFORD | 35.99% | 8.78% | 44.78% |
| CT | NEW HAVEN | 39.79% | 11.20% | 50.99% |
| DC | WASHINGTON | 42.22% | 9.41% | 51.63% |
| DE | DOVER | 40.24% | 10.96% | 51.20% |
| FL | FORT MYERS FL | 49.47% | 6.98% | 56.45% |
| FL | FT LAUDERDALE | 46.93% | 5.75% | 52.68% |
| FL | JACKSONVILLE | 34.18% | 6.55% | 40.73% |
| FL | MIAMI | 50.51% | 6.86% | 57.37% |
| FL | ORLANDO | 50.09% | 7.71% | 57.80% |
| FL | ST PETERSBURG FL | 51.80% | 7.27% | 59.07% |
| FL | TALLAHASSEE FL | 51.76% | 7.88% | 59.64% |
| FL | TAMPA | 53.72% | 5.22% | 58.94% |
| GA | ATLANTA DOWNTOWN | 54.88% | 5.95% | 60.84% |
| GA | ATLANTA NORTH | 56.07% | 4.54% | 60.60% |
| GA | COVINGTON GA | 52.29% | 4.67% | 56.96% |
| GA | MACON | 40.98% | 8.88% | 49.87% |
| GA | SAVANNAH | 46.75% | 6.30% | 53.05% |
| HI | HONOLULU | 63.63% | 8.93% | 72.55% |
| IA | WEST DES MOINES | 42.46% | 6.19% | 48.65% |
| IL | CHICAGO | 45.10% | 9.12% | 54.22% |
| IL | EVANSTON | 54.21% | 9.10% | 63.30% |
| IL | OAK BROOK | 45.66% | 10.03% | 55.69% |
| IL | ORLAND PARK | 41.69% | 6.18% | 47.87% |
| IL | PEORIA | 28.95% | 8.64% | 37.59% |
| IN | EVANSVILLE | 42.21% | 9.56% | 51.77% |
| IN | FORT WAYNE | 45.53% | 6.28% | 51.81% |
| IN | INDIANAPOLIS | 54.82% | 4.91% | 59.72% |
| IN | VALPARAISO IN | 41.23% | 11.08% | 52.31% |
| KS | TOPEKA KS | 31.30% | 8.73% | 40.04% |
| KS | WICHITA | 42.12% | 2.92% | 45.04% |
| KY | LEXINGTON | 39.35% | 3.40% | 42.76% |
| KY | LOUISVILLE | 49.65% | 5.07% | 54.72% |
| KY | MIDDLESBORO | 47.70% | 2.94% | 50.64% |
| KY | PADUCAH | 53.71% | 5.39% | 59.10% |
| LA | ALEXANDRIA | 42.19% | 7.63% | 49.82% |
| LA | METAIRIE | 35.86% | 6.99% | 42.84% |
| LA | NEW ORLEANS | 55.07% | 7.83% | 62.90% |
| LA | SHREVEPORT | 39.31% | 8.27% | 47.58% |
| MA | BOSTON | 46.56% | 7.24% | 53.79% |
| MA | LAWRENCE MA | 45.47% | 12.39% | 57.86% |
| MA | SPRINGFIELD MA | 39.08% | 11.60% | 50.67% |
| MD | BALTIMORE | 51.72% | 7.49% | 59.21% |
| ME | PORTLAND ME | 61.07% | 3.32% | 64.39% |
| MI | DETROIT | 53.81% | 6.88% | 60.69% |
| MI | FLINT | 46.10% | 14.15% | 60.25% |
| MI | GRAND RAPIDS | 37.69% | 7.58% | 45.27% |
| MI | LANSING | 48.08% | 6.47% | 54.55% |
| MI | LIVONIA MI | 52.65% | 6.96% | 59.61% |
| MI | MT PLEASANT MI | 45.80% | 7.94% | 53.74% |
| MI | OAK PARK | 54.26% | 7.24% | 61.51% |
| MN | MINNEAPOLIS | 49.12% | 4.78% | 53.90% |
| MO | COLUMBIA MO | 45.43% | 6.10% | 51.52% |
| MO | CREVE COEUR | 63.60% | 5.39% | 68.99% |
| MO | KANSAS CITY | 40.47% | 5.89% | 46.36% |
| MO | SPRINGFIELD MO | 32.94% | 4.31% | 37.25% |
| MO | ST LOUIS | 45.14% | 8.38% | 53.51% |
| MS | HATTIESBURG | 37.55% | 8.01% | 45.57% |
| MS | JACKSON | 46.68% | 3.82% | 50.49% |
| MS | TUPELO | 43.22% | 5.89% | 49.11% |
| MT | BILLINGS | 41.09% | 4.62% | 45.71% |
| NC | CHARLOTTE | 50.57% | 6.01% | 56.58% |
| NC | FAYETTEVILLE NC | 48.60% | 5.44% | 54.04% |
| NC | GREENSBORO | 58.77% | 8.30% | 67.06% |
| NC | RALEIGH | 50.49% | 4.94% | 55.43% |
| ND | FARGO | 46.18% | 8.36% | 54.54% |
| NE | OMAHA | 61.46% | 6.51% | 67.97% |
| NH | MANCHESTER | 43.26% | 6.38% | 49.64% |
| NHC | NHC ALBUQUERQUE | 31.55% | 9.26% | 40.82% |
| NHC | NHC BALTIMORE | 47.43% | 6.27% | 53.70% |
| NHC | NHC CHICAGO | 32.16% | 6.59% | 38.75% |
| NHC | NHC FALLS CHURCH | 35.56% | 9.13% | 44.69% |
| NHC | NHC ST LOUIS | 40.42% | 5.31% | 45.73% |
| NJ | JERSEY CITY | 40.75% | 7.91% | 48.66% |
| NJ | NEWARK | 52.62% | 7.84% | 60.46% |
| NJ | SOUTH JERSEY | 62.07% | 11.28% | 73.34% |
| NM | ALBUQUERQUE | 58.93% | 6.33% | 65.26% |
| NV | LAS VEGAS | 41.19% | 8.91% | 50.10% |
| NV | RENO NV | 30.83% | 7.21% | 38.05% |
| NY | ALBANY | 56.04% | 9.00% | 65.04% |
| NY | BRONX | 46.25% | 4.86% | 51.11% |
| NY | BROOKLYN | 56.72% | 8.65% | 65.37% |
| NY | BUFFALO | 47.20% | 7.92% | 55.12% |
| NY | LONG ISLAND | 60.49% | 7.38% | 67.87% |
| NY | NEW YORK | 49.11% | 8.38% | 57.49% |
| NY | QUEENS | 61.38% | 7.07% | 68.44% |
| NY | ROCHESTER | 60.10% | 5.78% | 65.88% |
| NY | SYRACUSE | 51.92% | 6.69% | 58.61% |
| NY | WHITE PLAINS | 40.04% | 7.70% | 47.74% |
| OH | AKRON OH | 46.30% | 6.23% | 52.53% |
| OH | CINCINNATI | 49.89% | 7.11% | 57.00% |
| OH | CLEVELAND | 33.41% | 8.53% | 41.95% |
| OH | COLUMBUS | 46.20% | 9.20% | 55.40% |
| OH | DAYTON | 36.70% | 6.84% | 43.55% |
| OH | TOLEDO OH | 39.68% | 10.25% | 49.93% |
| OK | MCALESTER | 35.47% | 5.31% | 40.79% |
| OK | OKLAHOMA CITY | 48.92% | 4.05% | 52.97% |
| OK | TULSA | 49.33% | 5.93% | 55.26% |
| OR | EUGENE | 44.69% | 7.17% | 51.85% |
| OR | PORTLAND OR | 36.79% | 9.53% | 46.32% |
| PA | ELKINS PARK | 53.57% | 6.31% | 59.88% |
| PA | HARRISBURG | 43.51% | 4.71% | 48.21% |
| PA | JOHNSTOWN | 50.07% | 3.91% | 53.99% |
| PA | PHILADELPHIA | 54.48% | 7.44% | 61.93% |
| PA | PHILADELPHIA EAST | 39.16% | 8.50% | 47.66% |
| PA | PITTSBURGH | 48.45% | 6.16% | 54.60% |
| PA | SEVEN FIELDS | 40.28% | 10.39% | 50.67% |
| PA | WILKES BARRE | 43.47% | 5.86% | 49.33% |
| PR | PONCE | 54.94% | 0.99% | 55.93% |
| PR | SAN JUAN | 74.88% | 2.48% | 77.35% |
| RI | PROVIDENCE | 43.83% | 5.13% | 48.96% |
| SC | CHARLESTON SC | 43.85% | 4.27% | 48.13% |
| SC | COLUMBIA SC | 56.26% | 5.25% | 61.51% |
| SC | GREENVILLE | 50.91% | 3.68% | 54.59% |
| TN | CHATTANOOGA | 59.50% | 4.52% | 64.02% |
| TN | FRANKLIN TN | 52.39% | 7.09% | 59.48% |
| TN | KINGSPORT | 60.70% | 2.12% | 62.83% |
| TN | KNOXVILLE | 51.14% | 3.46% | 54.61% |
| TN | MEMPHIS | 53.75% | 4.43% | 58.18% |
| TN | NASHVILLE | 45.80% | 8.15% | 53.95% |
| TX | DALLAS DOWNTOWN | 43.34% | 7.19% | 50.53% |
| TX | DALLAS NORTH | 46.86% | 6.48% | 53.34% |
| TX | FORT WORTH | 41.02% | 6.75% | 47.77% |
| TX | HOUSTON NORTH | 38.68% | 5.97% | 44.65% |
| TX | HOUSTON-BISSONNET | 35.79% | 4.74% | 40.53% |
| TX | RIO GRANDE VALLEY TX | 33.29% | 10.05% | 43.34% |
| TX | SAN ANTONIO | 36.20% | 6.13% | 42.33% |
| UT | SALT LAKE CITY | 52.06% | 10.23% | 62.28% |
| VA | CHARLOTTESVILLE | 30.93% | 7.89% | 38.82% |
| VA | NORFOLK | 42.11% | 7.19% | 49.30% |
| VA | RICHMOND | 39.18% | 11.08% | 50.25% |
| VA | ROANOKE | 47.78% | 6.62% | 54.40% |
| WA | SEATTLE | 32.15% | 8.69% | 40.83% |
| WA | SPOKANE | 59.17% | 5.35% | 64.52% |
| WA | TACOMA WA | 53.44% | 8.43% | 61.87% |
| WI | MADISON | 47.82% | 11.09% | 58.91% |
| WI | MILWAUKEE | 32.86% | 10.20% | 43.06% |
| WV | CHARLESTON WV | 48.97% | 4.41% | 53.38% |
| WV | HUNTINGTON | 37.04% | 3.27% | 40.32% |
| WV | MORGANTOWN | 37.37% | 4.97% | 42.34% |