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A Profile of Older Americans: 2009
Geographic Distribution
The proportion of older persons in the population varies considerably by state with some states experiencing much greater growth in their older populations (Figures 4 and 5). In 2008, about half (51.2%) of persons 65+ lived in nine states. California had 4.1 million; Florida 3.2 million; New York 2.6 million; Texas 2.5 million; and Pennsylvania 1.9 million, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, and New Jersey each had well over 1 million (Figure 6).
Person 65+ constituted approximately 14% or more of the total population in 11 states in 2008 (Figure 6): Florida (17.4%); West Virginia (15.7%); Pennsylvania (15.3%); Maine (15.1%); Iowa (14.8%); Hawaii (14.8%); North Dakota (14.7%); South Dakota (14.4%); Arkansas (14.3%); Montana (14.2); and Rhode Island (14.1%). In ten states, the 65+ population increased by 25% or more between 1998 and 2008 (Figure 6): Alaska (49.8%); Nevada (48.1%); Arizona (39.7%); Utah (33.7%); New Mexico (31.3%); Idaho (30.9%); Georgia (29.9%); South Carolina (27.3%); Colorado (27.2%); and Delaware (26.3%). The ten jurisdictions with the highest poverty rates for elderly during 2008 were Mississippi (16.7%), District of Columbia (15.6%), Kentucky (13.8%), Louisiana (13.6%), New Mexico (13.4%), North Dakota (13.0%), Arkansas (12.7%), South Carolina (12.4%), Texas (12.2%), and Georgia (12.1%).
Most persons 65+ lived in metropolitan areas in 2008 (80.6%). About 65% of these older persons lived outside the principal cities and 35% lived in principal cities. Also, 19% of older persons lived in nonmetropolitan areas.
The elderly are less likely to change residence than other age groups. From 2007 to 2008, only 3.7% of older persons moved as opposed to 13.1% of the under 65 population. Most older movers (56.4%) stayed in the same county and 79.9% remained in the same state. Only 20.1% of the movers moved out-of-state.
(Data for this section and for Figures 4-6 were compiled primarily from the Census Population Estimates for 2008 as well as other Internet releases of the U.S. Bureau of the Census including tables from the March 2009 Current Population Survey,
Annual Social and Economic Supplement and the 2008 American Community survey )
Figure 4: Persons 65+ as a Percentage of Total Population - 2008
Figure 5: Percentage Increase in Population 65+ -- 1997 to 2007
Figure 6: The 65+ Population by State 2009
Numbers |
Number of Persons 65 and Older |
Percent of All Ages |
Percent Increase from 1998 to 2008 |
Percent Below Poverty 2008 |
US Total (50 States + DC) |
38,869,716 |
12.8% |
13.0% |
9.7% |
Alabama |
641,667 |
13.8% |
12.9% |
12.0% |
Alaska |
50,277 |
7.3% |
49.8% |
3.4% |
Arizona |
862,573 |
13.3% |
39.7% |
8.7% |
Arkansas |
407,205 |
14.3% |
12.1% |
12.7% |
California |
4,114,496 |
11.2% |
13.8% |
8.6% |
Colorado |
511,094 |
10.3% |
27.2% |
8.7% |
Connecticut |
478,007 |
13.7% |
1.9% |
7.8% |
Delaware |
121,688 |
13.9% |
26.3% |
7.1% |
District of Columbia |
70,648 |
11.9% |
-2.8% |
15.6% |
Florida |
3,187,797 |
17.4% |
16.6% |
10.4% |
Georgia |
981,024 |
10.1% |
29.9% |
12.1% |
Hawaii |
190,067 |
14.8% |
20.1% |
6.5% |
Idaho |
182,150 |
12.0% |
30.9% |
7.4% |
Illinois |
1,575,308 |
12.2% |
5.3% |
9.3% |
Indiana |
813,839 |
12.8% |
10.0% |
8.7% |
Iowa |
444,554 |
14.8% |
3.1% |
7.8% |
Kansas |
366,706 |
13.1% |
3.6% |
8.1% |
Kentucky |
565,867 |
13.3% |
14.8% |
13.8% |
Louisiana |
540,314 |
12.2% |
7.3% |
13.6% |
Maine |
199,187 |
15.1% |
13.9% |
8.9% |
Maryland |
679,565 |
12.1% |
14.9% |
8.0% |
Massachusetts |
871,098 |
13.4% |
1.2% |
10.1% |
Michigan |
1,304,322 |
13.0% |
6.6% |
8.6% |
Minnesota |
650,519 |
12.5% |
11.6% |
8.3% |
Mississippi |
371,598 |
12.6% |
10.5% |
16.7% |
Missouri |
805,235 |
13.6% |
8.0% |
9.4% |
Montana |
137,312 |
14.2% |
17.3% |
10.1% |
Nebraska |
240,847 |
13.5% |
5.3% |
9.7% |
Nevada |
296,717 |
11.4% |
48.1% |
8.7% |
New Hampshire |
169,978 |
12.9% |
19.5% |
8.6% |
New Jersey |
1,150,941 |
13.3% |
4.1% |
7.9% |
New Mexico |
260,051 |
13.1% |
31.3% |
13.4% |
New York |
2,607,672 |
13.4% |
7.6% |
11.6% |
North Carolina |
1,139,052 |
12.4% |
20.3% |
11.3% |
North Dakota |
94,276 |
14.7% |
2.5% |
13.0% |
Ohio |
1,570,837 |
13.7% |
4.7% |
8.8% |
Oklahoma |
490,637 |
13.5% |
9.4% |
10.9% |
Oregon |
503,998 |
13.3% |
16.5% |
8.6% |
Pennsylvania |
1,910,571 |
15.3% |
0.3% |
9.2% |
Rhode Island |
147,646 |
14.1% |
-4.3% |
11.2% |
South Carolina |
596,295 |
13.3% |
27.3% |
12.4% |
South Dakota |
116,100 |
14.4% |
9.8% |
10.7% |
Tennessee |
819,626 |
13.2% |
20.7% |
11.6% |
Texas |
2,472,223 |
10.2% |
23.6% |
12.2% |
Utah |
246,202 |
9.0% |
33.7% |
7.0% |
Vermont |
86,649 |
13.9% |
19.4% |
7.5% |
Virginia |
940,577 |
12.1% |
22.6% |
8.3% |
Washington |
783,877 |
12.0% |
20.2% |
8.0% |
West Virginia |
285,067 |
15.7% |
3.8% |
10.5% |
Wisconsin |
750,146 |
13.3% |
8.6% |
7.7% |
Wyoming |
65,614 |
12.3% |
18.2% |
7.6% |
Puerto Rico |
540,006 |
13.7% |
|
42.4% |
(Source: Population data is from Census Bureau 2008 Population Estimates. State level poverty data is from the Census 2008 American Community Survey. National level poverty data is from the 2009 Current Population Survey/American Social and Economic Supplement.)
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AoA - Statistics - A Profile of Older Americans 2009 - Income
| Last Modified: 1/11/2010 11:05:06 AM |
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