A Profile of Older Americans: 2005

Geographic Distribution

The proportion of the 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 2004, about half (52%) of persons 65+ lived in nine states. California had over 3.8 million; Florida 2.9 million; New York 2.5 million; Texas 2.2 million; and Pennsylvania 1.9 million. Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, and New Jersey each had well over 1 million (Figure 6).

Person 65+ constituted approximately 14% or more of the total population in 8 states in 2004 (Figure 6): Florida (16.8%); West Virginia (15.3%); Pennsylvania (15.3%); North Dakota (14.7%); Iowa (14.7%); Maine (14.4); South Dakota (14.2); and Rhode Island (13.9%). In eight states, the 65+ population increased by 20% or more between 1994 and 2004 (Figure 6): Nevada (58.1%); Alaska (47.9%); Arizona (30.9%); New Mexico (26.4%); Colorado (22.2%); Delaware (22.2%); Utah (22.1%); and Idaho (20.9%). The ten jurisdictions with the highest poverty rates for elderly over the period 2002-2004 were Mississippi (17.2%); Arkansas (16.2%); Texas (15.0%); South Carolina (13.9%); the District of Columbia (13.8%); New York (13.6%); Louisiana (13.1%); North Carolina (13.0%); Alabama (12.8%); and New Mexico (12.4%).

Most persons 65+ lived in metropolitan areas in 2003 (77.4%). About 50% of older persons lived in the suburbs, 27.2% lived in central cities, and 22.6% lived in nonmetropolitan areas.

The elderly are less likely to change residence than other age groups. During the year 2004 only 4.4% of older persons moved as opposed to 14.3% of the under 65 population. Most older movers (53.7%) stayed in the same county and 76.0% remained in the same state. Only 24% (of the movers) moved to out-of-state. However, five year Census migration data from 1995-2000 show that the 85+ segment of the older population had a higher rate of moving over time. During that five year period, 32.3% of the 85+ population moved (as opposed to 22.8% of the overall 65+ population), 61.1% of them within the same county.

(Data for this section and for Figure 4 were compiled primarily from the Census Population Estimates for 2004 as well as other Internet releases of the U.S. Bureau of the Census including tables from the March 2004 Current Population Survey and “Internal Migration of the Older Population: 1995 to 2000,” Census 2000 Special Report, CENSR-10, August 2003).

Figure 4: Persons 65+ as a Percentage of Total Population - 2004

Based on Census 2004 Population Estimates from the U.S. Bureau of the Census

Figure 5: Percentage Increase in Population 65+ -- 1994 to 2004

Figure 6: The 65+ Population by State - 2004
Numbers	Number of Persons	Percent of All Ages	Percent Increase from 1994 to 2004	Percent Below Poverty 2002-2004
US Total (50 States + DC)	36,293,985	12.4%	9.3%	10.2%
Alabama	597,959	13.2%	8.5%	12.8%
Alaska	41,887	6.4%	47.9%	7.7%
Arizona	732,071	12.7%	30.9%	7.1%
Arkansas	381,106	13.8%	6.0%	16.2%
California	3,822,957	10.7%	12.7%	8.2%
Colorado	450,971	9.8%	22.2%	9.5%
Connecticut	473,693	13.5%	2.2%	6.4%
Delaware	108,961	13.1%	22.2%	5.7%
District of Columbia	67,171	12.1%	-12.4%	13.8%
Florida	2,927,583	16.8%	13.1%	9.6%
Georgia	847,082	9.6%	19.6%	9.6%
Hawaii	172,008	13.6%	18.6%	9.3%
Idaho	158,695	11.4%	20.9%	5.2%
Illinois	1,520,629	12.0%	2.1%	8.7%
Indiana	772,010	12.4%	5.8%	7.6%
Iowa	433,139	14.7%	-0.1%	8.8%
Kansas	354,579	13.0%	0.4%	9.2%
Kentucky	519,327	12.5%	7.4%	11.8%
Louisiana	527,644	11.7%	7.6%	13.1%
Maine	189,751	14.4%	10.6%	10.6%
Maryland	634,743	11.4%	13.0%	10.7%
Massachusetts	854,343	13.3%	0.1%	12.0%
Michigan	1,246,595	12.3%	5.0%	9.1%
Minnesota	615,179	12.1%	7.7%	8.5%
Mississippi	352,867	12.2%	6.7%	17.5%
Missouri	765,692	13.3%	3.4%	7.9%
Montana	126,549	13.7%	11.9%	10.2%
Nebraska	231,803	13.3%	1.6%	10.7%
Nevada	262,079	11.2%	58.1%	8.2%
New Hampshire	156,672	12.1%	15.7%	7.2%
New Jersey	1,126,141	12.9%	4.0%	9.4%
New Mexico	229,474	12.1%	26.4%	12.4%
New York	2,492,816	13.0%	3.6%	13.6%
North Carolina	1,032,249	12.1%	16.3%	13.0%
North Dakota	93,171	14.7%	-0.1%	9.5%
Ohio	1,524,916	13.3%	2.8%	7.7%
Oklahoma	464,440	13.2%	5.4%	11.3%
Oregon	459,821	12.8%	9.1%	5.8%
Pennsylvania	1,896,503	15.3%	-0.3%	8.4%
Rhode Island	150,587	13.9%	-2.8%	10.6%
South Carolina	520,392	12.4%	19.5%	13.9%
South Dakota	109,493	14.2%	4.2%	11.4%
Tennessee	738,053	12.5%	13.0%	12.2%
Texas	2,216,610	9.9%	18.4%	15.0%
Utah	207,711	8.7%	22.1%	6.7%
Vermont	80,762	13.0%	15.6%	7.0%
Virginia	846,921	11.4%	17.0%	10.4%
Washington	703,145	11.3%	13.3%	8.8%
West Virginia	278,354	15.3%	0.7%	10.3%
Wisconsin	715,568	13.0%	5.4%	8.2%
Wyoming	61,113	12.1%	17.5%	7.5%

Population data is from Census Bureau Population Estimates. Poverty data is from the 2002, 2003, and 2004 figures of the Current Population Survey, Annual Social and Economic Supplements.

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Last Modified: 1/5/2009 1:10:50 PM