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Q2 FY2025 · SSA Public

For firm principals · Market brief

Where the SSDI math actually works.

Every state, ranked by the two axes case economics turn on: DDS approval rate and hearing-office processing time. Pick a state to see the case-fee math, the top ALJs to target, and the fastest offices in that market.

Prime markets

9

DDS approval and hearing-office timing both above national median.

Strong markets

33

Above median on approval rate or timing, not both.

National baseline

39.8%

Median hearing-office wait: 277 days.

52 states · ranked

Nebraska

Prime

DDS approval

47.6%

Avg office wait

225 days

Hearing offices

1

3-yr change

+0.4pp

Open brief

North Dakota

Prime

DDS approval

45.4%

Avg office wait

248 days

Hearing offices

1

3-yr change

-0.1pp

Open brief

Kansas

Prime

DDS approval

44.8%

Avg office wait

258 days

Hearing offices

2

3-yr change

-15.8pp

Open brief

Iowa

Prime

DDS approval

43.9%

Avg office wait

253 days

Hearing offices

1

3-yr change

+1.8pp

Open brief

Minnesota

Prime

DDS approval

43.0%

Avg office wait

250 days

Hearing offices

1

3-yr change

+0.9pp

Open brief

Missouri

Prime

DDS approval

42.5%

Avg office wait

275 days

Hearing offices

5

3-yr change

+4.2pp

Open brief

South Carolina

Prime

DDS approval

40.3%

Avg office wait

241 days

Hearing offices

4

3-yr change

+4.4pp

Open brief

Delaware

Prime

DDS approval

39.5%

Avg office wait

272 days

Hearing offices

1

3-yr change

+1.9pp

Open brief

Utah

Prime

DDS approval

39.3%

Avg office wait

252 days

Hearing offices

1

3-yr change

+1.6pp

Open brief

Alaska

Strong

DDS approval

49.0%

Avg office wait

Hearing offices

1

3-yr change

-7.6pp

Open brief

New Hampshire

Strong

DDS approval

48.6%

Avg office wait

318 days

Hearing offices

1

3-yr change

-2.0pp

Open brief

Vermont

Strong

DDS approval

47.0%

Avg office wait

Hearing offices

0

3-yr change

+3.3pp

Open brief

PR

Strong

DDS approval

45.5%

Avg office wait

447 days

Hearing offices

2

3-yr change

+3.4pp

Open brief

Rhode Island

Strong

DDS approval

44.7%

Avg office wait

295 days

Hearing offices

1

3-yr change

-1.4pp

Open brief

Oregon

Strong

DDS approval

44.0%

Avg office wait

290 days

Hearing offices

2

3-yr change

+2.1pp

Open brief

Maryland

Strong

DDS approval

43.8%

Avg office wait

330 days

Hearing offices

2

3-yr change

+4.9pp

Open brief

Virginia

Strong

DDS approval

43.7%

Avg office wait

296 days

Hearing offices

5

3-yr change

-0.4pp

Open brief

Connecticut

Strong

DDS approval

43.1%

Avg office wait

314 days

Hearing offices

2

3-yr change

+2.8pp

Open brief

Wyoming

Strong

DDS approval

42.5%

Avg office wait

Hearing offices

0

3-yr change

-1.7pp

Open brief

New Mexico

Strong

DDS approval

41.3%

Avg office wait

330 days

Hearing offices

2

3-yr change

+6.0pp

Open brief

Wisconsin

Strong

DDS approval

41.2%

Avg office wait

286 days

Hearing offices

2

3-yr change

+3.3pp

Open brief

Massachusetts

Strong

DDS approval

40.2%

Avg office wait

381 days

Hearing offices

3

3-yr change

-2.8pp

Open brief

Idaho

Strong

DDS approval

39.9%

Avg office wait

Hearing offices

0

3-yr change

-3.1pp

Open brief

Maine

Strong

DDS approval

39.5%

Avg office wait

279 days

Hearing offices

1

3-yr change

+4.5pp

Open brief

California

Strong

DDS approval

39.0%

Avg office wait

317 days

Hearing offices

17

3-yr change

+2.5pp

Open brief

New York

Strong

DDS approval

38.9%

Avg office wait

335 days

Hearing offices

10

3-yr change

+1.3pp

Open brief

Michigan

Strong

DDS approval

38.8%

Avg office wait

255 days

Hearing offices

6

3-yr change

-0.6pp

Open brief

Indiana

Strong

DDS approval

38.6%

Avg office wait

234 days

Hearing offices

4

3-yr change

+7.3pp

Open brief

Illinois

Strong

DDS approval

38.6%

Avg office wait

265 days

Hearing offices

7

3-yr change

+1.6pp

Open brief

Texas

Strong

DDS approval

38.3%

Avg office wait

259 days

Hearing offices

7

3-yr change

+4.6pp

Open brief

Arkansas

Strong

DDS approval

37.7%

Avg office wait

277 days

Hearing offices

2

3-yr change

+1.7pp

Open brief

Louisiana

Strong

DDS approval

37.2%

Avg office wait

267 days

Hearing offices

4

3-yr change

-2.6pp

Open brief

Hawaii

Strong

DDS approval

37.2%

Avg office wait

264 days

Hearing offices

1

3-yr change

+2.1pp

Open brief

North Carolina

Strong

DDS approval

37.0%

Avg office wait

249 days

Hearing offices

4

3-yr change

+3.9pp

Open brief

Florida

Strong

DDS approval

36.6%

Avg office wait

253 days

Hearing offices

8

3-yr change

+2.7pp

Open brief

Mississippi

Strong

DDS approval

36.4%

Avg office wait

221 days

Hearing offices

3

3-yr change

+5.8pp

Open brief

Ohio

Strong

DDS approval

36.2%

Avg office wait

266 days

Hearing offices

6

3-yr change

-0.7pp

Open brief

Alabama

Strong

DDS approval

35.4%

Avg office wait

246 days

Hearing offices

3

3-yr change

+2.5pp

Open brief

Georgia

Strong

DDS approval

34.9%

Avg office wait

249 days

Hearing offices

5

3-yr change

-3.1pp

Open brief

Oklahoma

Strong

DDS approval

33.9%

Avg office wait

277 days

Hearing offices

3

3-yr change

+4.8pp

Open brief

Tennessee

Strong

DDS approval

33.7%

Avg office wait

254 days

Hearing offices

6

3-yr change

-1.4pp

Open brief

Kentucky

Strong

DDS approval

32.7%

Avg office wait

241 days

Hearing offices

4

3-yr change

+1.1pp

Open brief

Washington

Challenging

DDS approval

38.8%

Avg office wait

331 days

Hearing offices

3

3-yr change

-0.8pp

Open brief

New Jersey

Challenging

DDS approval

38.4%

Avg office wait

340 days

Hearing offices

3

3-yr change

-1.2pp

Open brief

Pennsylvania

Challenging

DDS approval

38.0%

Avg office wait

290 days

Hearing offices

8

3-yr change

-0.5pp

Open brief

Nevada

Challenging

DDS approval

37.9%

Avg office wait

315 days

Hearing offices

2

3-yr change

-0.1pp

Open brief

Montana

Challenging

DDS approval

37.8%

Avg office wait

300 days

Hearing offices

1

3-yr change

-3.8pp

Open brief

South Dakota

Challenging

DDS approval

37.6%

Avg office wait

Hearing offices

0

3-yr change

-3.1pp

Open brief

Colorado

Challenging

DDS approval

36.8%

Avg office wait

331 days

Hearing offices

2

3-yr change

+1.9pp

Open brief

District of Columbia

Challenging

DDS approval

35.6%

Avg office wait

284 days

Hearing offices

1

3-yr change

+8.7pp

Open brief

West Virginia

Challenging

DDS approval

34.2%

Avg office wait

287 days

Hearing offices

3

3-yr change

+3.5pp

Open brief

Arizona

Challenging

DDS approval

33.5%

Avg office wait

326 days

Hearing offices

3

3-yr change

+2.1pp

Open brief

Source: SSA public disposition data · Scores describe market conditions, not case outcomes · No approval probabilities expressed or implied