Hearing Loss Statistics
Hearing loss is far more common than most people realise, affecting well over a billion people worldwide and around one in twelve adults in Ireland. Here are the verified statistics, each sourced directly to the organisation that published it, rather than figures repeated without a citation.
Global hearing loss statistics
These figures come directly from the World Health Organization, and give a sense of just how widespread hearing loss already is worldwide, and how quickly that's expected to grow:
- Over 5% of the world's population — 430 million people, including 34 million children — currently require rehabilitation for disabling hearing loss.
- Around 95.1 million children aged 5–19 live with hearing loss worldwide.
- By 2050, nearly 2.5 billion people are projected to have some degree of hearing loss, with more than 700 million requiring hearing rehabilitation.
- The global economic cost of unaddressed hearing loss is estimated at around US$980 billion a year.
Source: World Health Organization — Deafness and hearing loss fact sheet.
Hearing loss in Ireland
These figures come directly from the Irish Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists (ISHAA), and show how common hearing loss already is here specifically, not just as a global trend:
- Permanent acquired hearing loss of a significant degree affects around 1 in 12 adults in Ireland.
- This rises to roughly 50% in the over-70 age group.
- An estimated quarter of a million adults in Ireland have a permanent hearing impairment, mainly due to ageing (presbycusis) and/or noise exposure.
- Around 3,000 to 4,500 preschool and school-age children in Ireland are estimated to have a permanent hearing impairment.
Common causes of hearing loss
According to the WHO, causes span the whole lifespan and include genetic factors, infections, birth complications, certain medicines, noise exposure, age-related decline, and impacted ear wax (cerumen impaction). Nearly 60% of hearing loss in children is estimated to stem from preventable causes. Unlike most causes on this list, an ear wax build-up is usually straightforward to resolve — see our Ear Wax Removal page, or our guide to why ear wax builds up.
What to do if you're noticing changes
Statistics aside, the only way to know what's happening with your own hearing is a proper hearing test. See our guide to signs of hearing loss worth paying attention to, or arrange a hearing test with a qualified, independent audiologist. For the research on one of the most talked-about links, see hearing loss and dementia.
Frequently asked questions
- How many people in Ireland have hearing loss?
- According to the Irish Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists (ISHAA), permanent acquired hearing loss of a significant degree affects around 1 in 12 adults in Ireland — roughly a quarter of a million people — rising to about 50% in the over-70 age group.
- How many people worldwide have disabling hearing loss?
- The World Health Organization estimates that over 5% of the world's population — 430 million people, including 34 million children — currently require rehabilitation for disabling hearing loss.
- Is ear wax a common cause of hearing loss?
- The WHO lists impacted ear wax (cerumen impaction) among the recognised causes of hearing loss across the lifespan, alongside age-related decline, noise exposure, infections and genetic factors. Unlike most of those, it's often straightforward to resolve — see our Ear Wax Removal page.
- Is hearing loss expected to become more common?
- Yes — the WHO projects that by 2050, nearly 2.5 billion people worldwide will have some degree of hearing loss, with more than 700 million requiring hearing rehabilitation.
Book a hearing test
Leave your details and we'll call you back, usually the same day, to arrange an appointment at home or in a clinic.
Last reviewed: 14 September 2026