The proportion of people living with a disability is an indicator of how many may need assistance from social networks or the government to live independently or maintain economic stability. It also indicates challenges a community may face to improve access to buildings, education, and employment opportunities for the disabled population.

In 2017-21, 8% of the population in Brookline, or about 4,700 people, had a disability. This was lower than Massachusetts (12%) and the U.S. (13%). Brookline's rate increased one percentage point since 2011-15 while the state and national rates were essentially flat. Brookline was on par with Arlington and Cambridge at 8% and 7% respectively. Everett had the highest percentage of people living with a disability at 12%.

The multiyear figures are from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The bureau combined 5 years of responses to the survey to provide estimates for smaller geographic areas and increase the precision of its estimates. However, because the information came from a survey, the samples responding to the survey were not always large enough to produce reliable results, especially in small geographic areas. CGR has noted on data tables the estimates with relatively large margins of error. Estimates with three asterisks have the largest margins, plus or minus 50% or more of the estimate. Two asterisks mean plus or minus 35%-50%, and one asterisk means plus or minus 20%-35%. For all estimates, the confidence level is 90%, meaning there is 90% probability the true value (if the whole population were surveyed) would be within the margin of error (or confidence interval). The survey provides data on characteristics of the population that used to be collected only during the decennial census. Data for this indicator are released annually in December.