A Profile of Older Americans: 2003

Geographic Distribution

In 2002, about half (52%) of persons 65+ lived in nine states. California had over 3.7 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 9 states in 2002 (Figure 6): Florida (17.1%); Pennsylvania (15.5%); West Virginia (15.3%); North Dakota (14.8%); Iowa (14.7%); Rhode Island (14.2%); Maine (14.4); South Dakota (14.2); and Arkansas (13.9%). In nine states, the 65+ population increased by 20% or more between 1992 and 2002 (Figure 6): Nevada (63.8%); Alaska (53.6%); Arizona (35.2%); New Mexico (28.4%); Colorado (24.3%); Hawaii (24.0%); Delaware (24.0%); Utah (23.7%) and South Carolina (20.7%). The ten jurisdictions with the highest poverty rates for elderly over the period 2000-2002 were the District of Columbia (18.8%); Mississippi (17.9%); Alabama (15.2%); Tennessee (14.6%); North Carolina (14.0%); Arkansas (15.2%); New Mexico (13.8%); Texas (13.7%); Louisiana (13.2%); and Kentucky (12.4%).

Most persons 65+ lived in metropolitan areas in 2002 (77.4%). About 50% of older persons lived in the suburbs, 27.4% lived in central cities, and 22.6% lived in nonmetropolitan areas.

The elderly are less likely to change residence than other age groups. In the five year period from 1995 to 2000, 22.8% of older persons had moved (compared to 47.7% of persons under 65). Most older movers (59.7%) stayed in the same county while only 18.8% (of the movers) moved to another state. The 85+ segment of the older population had a much high rate of moving. During this period, 32.3% of the 85+ population moved, 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 2002 as well as other Internet releases of the U.S. Bureau of the Census including tables from the March 2002 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 - 2002

Based on Census 2002 Population Estimates from the U.S. Bureau of the Census

Figure 5: Percentage Increase in Population 65+ -- 1992 to 2002

Based on Census 2002 Population Estimates from the U.S. Bureau of the Census

Figure 6: The 65+ Population by State 2002
Numbers	Number of Persons	Percent of All Ages	Percent Increase 1992-2002	Percent Below Poverty 2000-2002
US Total (50 States + DC)	35,601,911	12.3%	10.2%	10.2
Alabama	588,542	13.1%	9.6%	15.2
Alaska	39,200	6.1%	53.6%	6.3
Arizona	701,243	12.9%	35.2%	7.5
Arkansas	376,387	13.9%	5.6%	15.2
California	3,716,836	10.6%	13.8%	8.4
Colorado	434,472	9.6%	24.3%	8.2
Connecticut	472,314	13.6%	3.7%	6.5
Delaware	105,488	13.1%	24.0%	6.5
District of Columbia	68,534	12.0%	-11.1%	18.8
Florida	2,854,838	17.1%	15.2%	10.0
Georgia	813,652	9.5%	19.3%	12.6
Hawaii	166,910	13.4%	24.0%	8.1
Idaho	151,141	11.3%	19.3%	6.6
Illinois	1,499,249	11.9%	2.2%	8.6
Indiana	757,451	12.3%	5.8%	8.9
Iowa	432,785	14.7%	0.4%	8.4
Kansas	355,094	13.1%	1.7%	7.9
Kentucky	509,476	12.4%	7.0%	12.4
Louisiana	520,446	11.6%	8.4%	13.2
Maine	186,383	14.4%	10.8%	11.2
Maryland	616,699	11.3%	14.1%	11.1
Massachusetts	863,695	13.4%	2.9%	10.6
Michigan	1,231,920	12.3%	6.8%	9.3
Minnesota	601,741	12.0%	7.4%	9.0
Mississippi	346,251	12.1%	6.1%	17.9
Missouri	757,197	13.3%	3.5%	6.8
Montana	122,806	13.5%	11.8%	9.6
Nebraska	232,134	13.4%	2.8%	9.2
Nevada	240,255	11.1%	63.8%	8.0
New Hampshire	152,577	12.0%	16.9%	6.8
New Jersey	1,121,197	13.1%	5.9%	8.4
New Mexico	221,454	11.9%	28.4%	13.8
New York	2,473,510	12.9%	4.0%	11.8
North Carolina	998,391	12.0%	17.9%	14.0
North Dakota	94,076	14.8%	1.6%	11.5
Ohio	1,513,372	13.3%	4.2%	7.5
Oklahoma	460,459	13.2%	6.1%	11.6
Oregon	443,968	12.6%	8.5%	6.0
Pennsylvania	1,908,962	15.5%	1.8%	8.4
Rhode Island	152,286	14.2%	-0.6%	11.4
South Carolina	503,256	12.3%	20.7%	14.2
South Dakota	108,322	14.2%	4.4%	10.3
Tennessee	719,177	12.4%	12.7%	14.6
Texas	2,152,896	9.9%	19.3%	13.7
Utah	199,041	8.6%	23.7%	10.1
Vermont	79,241	12.9%	16.6%	10.5
Virginia	817,441	11.2%	17.4%	9.8
Washington	677,532	11.2%	13.0%	7.9
West Virginia	275,974	15.3%	1.0%	10.6
Wisconsin	706,418	13.0%	5.9%	8.0
Wyoming	59,222	11.9%	19.4%	7.9
Puerto Rico	449,176	11.6%

Population data is from the Census Bureau Population Estimates and poverty data is from the Current Population Survey, 2001, 2002, and 2003 Annual Social and Economic Supplements.

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Last Modified: 7/16/2009 8:31:01 AM