Trajector Medical’s
Best Cities for People with Disabilities
By Trajector Medical’s Editorial Team – July 16, 2025
Access and affordability for Americans with disabilities vary widely across the country. Trajector Medical’s 2025 rankings highlight the cities doing the best job of meeting those needs.
Knoxville, Tennessee takes the top spot, followed by Cincinnati, Ohio and Grand Rapids, Michigan. These cities offer exceptional access to wheelchair-friendly rentals, accessible buildings, special education teachers, job opportunities, public transit and Medicare services.
About Trajector Medical
Trajector Medical is a leading provider of medical evidence services for people with disabilities and is based in Gainesville, Florida. Founded in 2014, its licensed medical professionals help individuals gather the medical evidence they need to secure the disability benefits they medically, legally, and ethically qualify for.
Key Takeaways
- Knoxville, Tennessee ranks as the best city for people with disabilities.
- Four Ohio Cities rank among the 30 best cities for people with disabilities: Cincinnati (ranked 2), Cleveland (ranked 22), Columbus (ranked 14), and Toledo (ranked 29).
- Atlanta, Georgia ranks best for accessibility; Toledo, Ohio ranks best for affordability; and Cincinnati, Ohio ranks best for health care.
Why It Matters
Nearly one in seven Americans has a disability (13.6%), according to the U.S. Census Bureau. But not all cities offer the same level of accessibility.
Paralyzed Veterans of America reports that more than one-third of people with mobility disabilities miss important events and appointments due to access barriers.
In some areas, people with disabilities face added challenges—from high housing costs and low wages to limited access to wheelchair-friendly rentals, accessible buildings, special education teachers, job opportunities, and Medicare services.
How We Ensure Accuracy in Our Data The Trajector Medical team analyzed 14 metrics from The U.S. Census Bureau, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, The Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Zillow to uncover the best cities for people with disabilities. We examined data for the 150 most populated cities, 141 of which have available data. Please find more details on our study’s methodology below.
- 1,974 data points analyzed
Details Behind the Data
1)
Knoxville, Tennessee
1) Knoxville, Tennessee
City’s Score: 100 out of 100
- Knoxville ranks ninth best in our category evaluating health care. The city has the:
- Sixth highest number of healthcare providers at Medicare-registered hospitals per 10,000 people with disabilities (988.17).
- 13th highest number of Medicare-registered hospitals per 100,000 people with disabilities (22.05).
- Knoxville residents with disabilities also have the 13th highest median earnings compared to those without disabilities ($4,585 less).
2)
Cincinnati, Ohio
2) Cincinnati, Ohio
City’s Score: 99.12 out of 100
- Cincinnati ranks best overall in our health care category. The city stands out for having the:
- Highest number of Medicare-registered nursing homes per 100,000 people with disabilities (153.62).
- Highest number of beds available at Medicare-registered nursing homes per 10,000 people with disabilities (1,488.81).
- Ninth highest Medicare-registered hospitals per 100,000 people with disabilities (25.96).
- Additionally, Cincinnati residents with disabilities spend the third lowest percentage of income on rent (3.1%).
3)
Grand Rapids, Michigan
3) Grand Rapids, Michigan
City’s Score: 93.22 out of 100
- Grand Rapids ranks sixth best in our category evaluating health care. The city has the:
- Second highest number of healthcare providers at Medicare-registered hospitals per 10,000 people with disabilities (1,598.56).
- Second highest number of Medicare-registered nursing homes per 100,000 people with disabilities (80.21).
- Grand Rapids residents with disabilities also spend the 10th lowest percentage of income on mortgage payments (4.3%).
4)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
4) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
City’s Score: 88.82 out of 100
- Pittsburgh ranks third best in our health care category. The city has the:
- Third highest number of healthcare providers at Medicare-registered hospitals per 10,000 people with disabilities (1,496.68).
- Sixth highest number of Medicare-registered nursing homes per 100,000 people with disabilities (67.44).
- Third highest number of beds available at Medicare-registered nursing homes per 10,000 people with disabilities (972.19).
- Fourth highest number of Medicare-registered hospitals per 100,000 people with disabilities 31.13
- Additionally, Pittsburgh ranks seventh best for walkability (9.1% of employees walk to work) and ninth best for access to public transportation (13.6% of employees take public transportation to work).
5)
Mobile, Alabama
5) Mobile, Alabama
City’s Score: 86.27 out of 100
- Mobile ranks third best in our category evaluating affordability. Mobile residents with disabilities spend the:
- Fourth lowest percentage of income on mortgage payments (4%).
- Eighth lowest percentage of income on rent (3.3%).
- They also have the 12th highest median earnings compared to those without disabilities ($4,489 less).
- The city also has the:
- Eighth highest number of Medicare-registered hospitals per 100,000 people with disabilities (26.24).
- 12th highest number of Medicare-registered nursing homes per 100,000 people with disabilities (61.22).
- 12th highest number of beds available at Medicare-registered nursing homes per 10,000 people with disabilities (718.03).
6)
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
6) Baton Rouge, Louisiana
City’s Score: 84.01 out of 100
- Baton Rouge ranks eighth best in our health care category. The city boasts the:
- Highest number of Medicare-registered hospitals per 100,000 people with disabilities (33.75).
- Seventh highest number of beds available at Medicare-registered nursing homes per 10,000 people with disabilities (818.64).
- 11th highest number of Medicare-registered nursing homes per 100,000 people with disabilities (61.87).
- Additionally, Baton Rouge residents with disabilities have the 10th highest median earnings compared to those without disabilities ($3,796 less).
7)
St. Petersburg, Florida
7) St. Petersburg, Florida
City’s Score: 83.40 out of 100
- St. Petersburg residents with disabilities have the:
- Seventh highest median earnings compared to those without disabilities ($1,215 less).
- Fourth highest number of Medicare-registered nursing homes per 100,000 people with disabilities (74.70).
- Eighth highest number of beds available at Medicare-registered nursing homes per 10,000 people with disabilities (806.13).
- 12th lowest percentage of income spent on mortgage payments (4.3%).
8)
Fort Wayne, Indiana
8) Fort Wayne, Indiana
City’s Score: 83.14 out of 100
- Fort Wayne ranks seventh best in our category evaluating affordability. Residents with disabilities spend the:
- Second lowest percentage of income on mortgage payments (3.9%).
- Fourth lowest percentage of income on rent (3.1%).
- Additionally, the city boasts the:
- Second highest percentage of wheelchair-accessible rental housing (23.9%).
- Fifth highest number of Medicare-registered nursing homes per 100,000 people with disabilities (68.13).
- 11th highest number of beds available at Medicare-registered nursing homes per 10,000 people with disabilities (730.08).
9)
Rochester, New York
9) Rochester, New York
City’s Score: 81.89 out of 100
- Rochester ranks sixth best in our affordability category due, in part, to residents with disabilities spending the third lowest percentage of income on mortgage payments (4%).
- The city also boasts the:
- Fourth highest number of beds available at Medicare-registered nursing homes per 10,000 people with disabilities (940.69).
- Seventh highest number of healthcare providers at Medicare-registered hospitals per 10,000 people with disabilities (954.17).
10)
Worcester, Massachusetts
10) Worcester, Massachusetts
City’s Score: 81.58 out of 100
- Worcester stands out as the city with the:
- Sixth highest median earnings for people with disabilities compared to those without disabilities ($1,012 less).
- 15th highest number of beds available at Medicare-registered nursing homes per 10,000 people with disabilities (653.26).
At Trajector Medical, we are dedicated to helping people with disabilities improve their quality of life. We extend this commitment every day through our comprehensive medical evidence services and help those living with disabilities tell the true story of their medical condition with game-changing medical evidence.
Methodology
To find out which cities are best for people with disabilities, Trajector Medical examined data from 141 U.S. cities that had available information for 14 different factors in three main categories:
- Accessibility
- Affordability
- Health care
Data Sources (collected May 2025): The U.S. Census Bureau, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, The Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Zillow.
Categories & Underlying Metrics
Weight
| Ranking Category #1: Accessibility | 33.3% |
| Percentage of wheelchair-accessible rental housing | 5.55% |
| Percentage of accessible buildings | 5.55% |
| Number of special-education teachers per 1,000 minors with disabilities | 5.55% |
| Unemployment rate among people with disabilities in the labor force | 5.55% |
| Walkability | 5.55% |
| Access to public transportation | 5.55% |
| Ranking Category #2: Affordability | 33.3% |
| Monthly mortgage payments as a percentage of income for people with disabilities | 11.1% |
| Monthly rent as a percentage of income for people with disabilities | 11.1% |
| Median earnings for people with disabilities compared to those without disabilities | 11.1% |
| Ranking Category #3: Health Care | 33.3% |
| Number of Medicare-registered hospitals per 100,000 people with disabilities | 6.66% |
| Number of healthcare providers at Medicare-registered hospitals per 10,000 people with disabilities | 6.66% |
| Number of Medicare-registered nursing homes per 100,000 people with disabilities | 6.66% |
| Number of beds available at Medicare-registered nursing homes per 10,000 people with disabilities | 6.66% |
| Number of Medicare-registered home health agencies per 100,000 people with disabilities | 6.66% |
Total
100%
For media inquiries, please contact:
Steven Zenofsky, APR, Fellow PRSA
Director, Communications and Public Relations