ALL STATE DATA UPDATED FOR 2024!

Everyone’s experience applying for Social Security Disability benefits will be unique. Part of this is because everyone’s individual medical and work history is different. But, potential applicants should also know that each state – like Arizona – has its own story to tell in terms of social security disability benefit approval rates at each stage of the process, as well as waiting times at the hearing stage.

Why is State-by-State Information Important?

Specialized disability advocates (like us here at Citizens Disability) and Arizona social security disability attorneys know all too well how important it is to understand that every state is different. It’s very helpful to know what the trends are, how long the wait times are from office to office, and what the different rates of approvals are.

Citizens Disability takes a data-driven approach to helping our clients. We want to make sure that we’re giving our clients the best possible advice at every step in the application process. We also work very hard to present the best possible case for each of our clients. Bringing together data from a wide variety of sources – including data like this, which comes from the Social Security Administration – allows us to make smart decisions when we present cases for our clients.

Finally, this information can be very helpful to applicants. Applying for social security benefits is likely a new experience for most applicants, and having an idea of what they can expect from the process can help them be engaged and involved participants with their advocates.

While your own journey may be different than the trends you see here, these tables and charts can help you understand what, on average, you can expect.

You will also find location and contact information for all the offices in Arizona below.

Applying for Social Security Disability Benefits in Arizona – What You Need To Know

There are generally three stages in the application process for Social Security Disability benefits: initial application, reconsideration, and the hearing. In this table, you can see how Arizona compares to the national average (all states in America) when it comes to approval rates at each of those stages.

Initial Application (L1)Reconsideration (L2)Hearing (L3)
Arizona33.6%17.8%56.4%
National Average39.5%15.1%57.7%
State Difference:-5.9%2.7%-1.3%

As the table shows, in 2024, Arizona was slightly ahead of the national average in terms of approvals at the Reconsideration stage by 2.7%. However, it has begun to fall behind the national average at the Initial Application and Hearing level.

Arizona Initial Application Approval Over Time

Initial Application Approval Rate2024202320222021202020192018201720162015
Arizona33.6%34.2%35.7%33.7%34.3%32.1%28.6%27.2%27.0%26.7%
National Average39.5%38.9%38.8%37.7%38.3%37.6%35.3%34.4%33.5%32.8%
Swipe left & right to see the whole table

As the table and the below chart show, Arizona has been consistently behind the national average for approvals of Initial Applications going back to at least 2015. In 2024, with an approval rate of 33.6%, Arizona ranked 50th (of 51, including Washington DC) in the nation in terms of percentage approval of Initial Applications. While approval rates have slightly improved since 2015 in Arizona, they still lag behind the national average. If you are thinking of applying for SSDI, don’t worry – there are multiple stages to the application process.
This graph shows the current & historical approval rates for SSDI hearings in Arizona and compares them to the national averages.

Arizona Reconsideration Approval Over Time

Reconsideration Approval Rate2024202320222021202020192018201720162015
Arizona17.8%18.2%16.2%14.7%13.8%14.4%12.5%10.8%13.2%11.0%
National Average15.1%15.5%15.0%13.2%13.6%13.4%12.4%12.9%12.6%11.7%
Swipe left & right to see the whole table

As the table and the below chart indicate, Arizona has stayed above the national average when it comes to approvals at the Reconsideration level. In 2024, Arizona ranked 13th in the nation for highest percentage of approvals at Reconsideration. However, as you can see, in general, the chances of winning approval at Reconsideration are not particularly high. That is why many applicants must continue in the next level, the Hearing.
This graph shows the current approval and wait times for SSDI hearings for Social Security offices in Arizona and compares them to the national averages.

Arizona Hearings Approval Over Time

Hearing Approval Rate2024202320222021202020192018201720162015
Arizona56.4%54.8%51.5%50.1%52.8%54.8%56.4%55.1%55.1%49.8%
National Average57.7%56.8%54.2%54.7%51.1%52.9%53.9%56.8%54.7%53.4%
Swipe left & right to see the whole table

As the table and the below chart indicate, Arizona has generally mirrored the national average when it comes to approvals at the Hearing level, in 2024 Arizona fell below the national average by 1.3%. In 2024, Arizona ranked 24th in the nation for highest percentage of approvals at Hearings.
This graph shows the current & historical approval rates for SSDI initial applications in Arizona and compares them to the national averages.
However, as you’ll see below, all individual hearing offices in Arizona are not the same – each office has its own approval rates, and almost as importantly, waiting times. Which hearing office your case is assigned to in Arizona may have a significant bearing on your chances for approval.

Also worthy of note is the fact that past performance is only one indicator of likely outcomes; as new data comes in, you might see that a state’s performance compared to the national average has either improved or weakened.

Arizona SSDI Hearing Wait Times & Approval By Office

Arizona is part of the Social Security Administration’s “Region 9,” which is headquartered in San Francisco, California. There are 3 hearing offices in Arizona. You can see waiting times for hearings & case dispositions for each office below, with comparisons to Arizona and National Averages.

The “Hearing Wait Time (Months)” is, on average, how long it takes in between when an applicant asks for a Hearing and when that hearing occurs.

The “Average Disposition Time (Days)” is, on average, the number of days in between when an applicant asks for a Hearing, and when the Administrative Law Judge who hears their case actually makes a decision on that case.

The “Average Approval Rate” is percentage at which cases are decided in favor of the applicant.

Hearing Wait Time (Months)Average Disposition Time (Days)Average Approval Rate (2024)
National Average9.336657.7%
Arizona Average8.636956.4%
PHOENIX6.833851.9%
PHOENIX NORTH10.041053.5%
TUCSON9.036064.1%

As the table here and the chart below indicate, in 2024, wait times at all offices in Arizona are lower than the national average except for Phoenix North. In fact, Arizona ranks 16th in the nation in terms of length of hearing wait times. And, with the exception of the Tucson office, the approval rates in Arizona are also lower than the national average. This means that an applicant who is scheduled to have their hearing conducted in the Phoenix or Phoenix North office have a somewhat lower chance of approval at Hearing as does an applicant who is scheduled in Tucson.

These waiting times and approval rates only highlight how important it can be to have a qualified representative – such as an Advocate from Citizens Disability – working on your case. The Government Accountability Office has done research that shows that an applicant who has a representative has an up to three times greater chance of being approved than a person who goes it alone.

This graph shows the current & historical approval rates for SSDI reconsideration requests in Arizona and compares them to the national averages.


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Hearing Offices in Arizona & The SSA Offices They Serve

These are the “Office of Hearing Operations” offices in Arizona. These offices are where hearings are scheduled and generally conducted. Each OHO office supports a number of regional Social Security Administration field offices. You are likely (but not guaranteed) to have your hearing scheduled with a Judge who works in the OHO office that supports the SSA field office nearest to you.

Hearing Office Region 9 Phoenix SSA, OHO
Siete Square, Suite 200 3737 North 7th Street
Phoenix, Arizona 85014
(888) 748-1991 • (602) 640-2165 • (877) 394-4579
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
SSA Field Offices Supported:
ARIZONA: Apache Junction, Chinle, Flagstaff, Mesa, Phoenix (Downtown), Tuba City

Hearing Office Region 9 Phoenix (North) SSA, OHO
Suite 430, 18444 North 25th Avenue
Phoenix, Arizona 85023
(877) 784-3690 • (602) 863-0124 • (877) 847-1601
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
SSA Field Offices Supported:
ARIZONA: Colorado River Basin, Glendale, Phoenix (North), Prescott

Hearing Office Region 9 Tucson SSA, OHO
Rio Nuevo Professional Plaza, Suite 265 201 N. Bonita Avenue
Tucson, Arizona 85745
(888) 383-8694 • (520) 670-6909 • (877) 394-4580
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
SSA Field Offices Supported:
ARIZONA: Casa Grande, Douglas, Globe, Nogales, Safford, Sells, Show Low, Tucson, Tucson (South)

List of Social Security Administration Field Offices in Arizona

Office NameLocationAddressCityStatePhone Number
CASA GRANDE AZSUITE 21637 E MONUMENT PLZ CRCASA GRANDEAZ(800) 772-1213
PHOENIX NORTH AZ16241 N TATUM BLVDPHOENIXAZ(800) 772-1213
TUCSON AZ3808 N 1ST AVETUCSONAZ(800) 772-1213
PRESCOTT AZ205 N MARINAPRESCOTTAZ(800) 772-1213
YUMA AZ325 W 19TH ST SUITE 1YUMAAZ(800) 772-1213
APACHE JUNCTION AZ253 W SUPERSTITION BLVAPACHE JUNCTIONAZ(800) 772-1213
PHOENIX DOWNTOWN AZSUITE 100250 N SEVENTH AVEPHOENIXAZ(800) 772-1213
GLENDALE AZ5907 W KINGS AVEGLENDALEAZ(800) 772-1213
MESA AZ702 W JEROME AVENUEMESAAZ(800) 772-1213
SOUTH TUCSON AZSUITE 10088 W 38TH STTUCSONAZ(800) 772-1213
FLAGSTAFF AZ2715 S WOODLANDS VLG BFLAGSTAFFAZ(800) 772-1213
DOUGLAS AZ600 E 15TH STDOUGLASAZ(800) 772-1213
NOGALES AZ1760 N MASTICK WAYNOGALESAZ(800) 772-1213
SHOW LOW AZ2500 E COOLEY STE 407SHOW LOWAZ(800) 772-1213
Swipe left & right to see the whole table

All data on this page is current as of February, 2023.

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About Citizens Disability, LLC:

Since 2010, Citizens Disability has been America’s premier Social Security Disability institution. Our services include helping people in applying for SSDI benefits, managing the process through Reconsideration, and representing people in person at their Hearing, and if necessary, bringing their case to the Appeals Council. Our mission is to give a voice to the millions of Americans who are disabled and unable to work, helping them receive the Social Security Disability benefits to which they may be entitled. Learn more about us and disability benefits like SSDI & SSI or give us a call (800)492-3260.


Citizens Disability is committed to helping keep people safe from fraud. We will never ask for personal details to start an SSDI application over Facebook or social media. We will only ask for certain details, in private messages, to confirm the identity of a client in a customer service situation. The only way to begin an SSDI application with us is on the phone, through a number found on our website, or one of our clearly-marked advertisements. Please keep your personal details safe, don't share them in a public forum, or with individuals who solicit your information.