A Profile of Older Americans: 2006

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 2005, about half (51.6%) of persons 65+ lived in nine states. California had 3.9 million; Florida 3.0 million; New York 2.5 million; Texas 2.3 million; and Pennsylvania 1.9 million, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, and New Jersey each had well over 1 million (Figure 6).

Only 7.0% of minority race and Hispanic populations were 65+ in 2005 (8.4% of African-Americans,** 8.8% of Asians and Pacific Islanders,** 7.5% of American Indians and Native Alaskans,** 5.4% of Hispanics), compared with 15.1% of non-Hispanic whites.**

Most persons 65+ lived in metropolitan areas in 2005 (79.8%). About 50% of older persons lived in the suburbs, 29% lived in central cities, and 20% lived in nonmetropolitan areas.

The elderly are less likely to change residence than other age groups. From 2004 to 2005 only 4.2% of older persons moved as opposed to 13.4% of the under 65 population. Most older movers (51.6%) stayed in the same county and 72.1% remained in the same state. Only 25.5% (of the movers) moved out-of-state.

(Data for this section and for Figure 4 were compiled primarily from the Census Population Estimates for 2005 as well as other Internet releases of the U.S. Bureau of the Census including tables from the March 2005 Current Population Survey, Annual Social and Economic Supplement)

Figure 4: Persons 65+ as a Percentage of Total Population - 2005

Figure 5: Percentage Increase in Population 65+ -- 1995 to 2005

font-family: Arial; color: white">Figure 6: The 65+ Population by State:2005
Numbers	Number of Persons	Percent of All Ages	Percent Increase from 1995 to 2005	Percent Below Poverty 2005
US Total (50 States + DC)	36,790,113	12.4%	9.4%	10.1%
Alabama	603,733	13.2%	8.4%	13.1%
Alaska	44,026	6.6%	47.5%	9.1%
Arizona	758,181	12.8%	31.4%	8.1%
Arkansas	384,450	13.8%	6.2%	14.5%
California	3,868,574	10.7%	11.9%	8.2%
Colorado	465,096	10.0%	23.3%	8.6%
Connecticut	474,150	13.5%	1.5%	7.5%
Delaware	112,214	13.3%	22.9%	7.5%
District of Columbia	67,208	12.2%	-11.6%	17.6%
Florida	2,993,160	16.8%	13.9%	10.3%
Georgia	870,422	9.6%	20.8%	13.0%
Hawaii	174,538	13.7%	16.8%	9.3%
Idaho	163,917	11.5%	22.8%	8.7%
Illinois	1,530,074	12.0%	2.2%	8.7%
Indiana	777,506	12.4%	5.7%	8.0%
Iowa	435,220	14.7%	0.2%	8.0%
Kansas	357,005	13.0%	0.5%	7.9%
Kentucky	525,764	12.6%	7.7%	13.5%
Louisiana	531,581	11.8%	7.4%	15.6%
Maine	192,664	14.6%	11.5%	11.0%
Maryland	644,560	11.5%	13.0%	7.9%
Massachusetts	852,826	13.3%	-0.6%	10.0%
Michigan	1,258,494	12.4%	4.6%	8.6%
Minnesota	623,241	12.1%	8.3%	8.4%
Mississippi	358,393	12.3%	7.6%	15.7%
Missouri	773,171	13.3%	4.0%	9.1%
Montana	128,834	13.8%	12.3%	9.1%
Nebraska	233,550	13.3%	1.9%	8.7%
Nevada	273,136	11.3%	56.6%	8.3%
New Hampshire	163,105	12.5%	18.4%	6.9%
New Jersey	1,129,356	13.0%	3.4%	8.7%
New Mexico	234,902	12.2%	26.5%	12.5%
New York	2,515,064	13.1%	4.0%	12.8%
North Carolina	1,054,098	12.1%	16.4%	12.1%
North Dakota	93,650	14.7%	0.0%	14.1%
Ohio	1,529,430	13.3%	2.2%	8.4%
Oklahoma	468,968	13.2%	5.6%	11.2%
Oregon	469,906	12.9%	10.2%	7.9%
Pennsylvania	1,892,847	15.2%	-1.0%	9.0%
Rhode Island	149,775	13.9%	-3.7%	7.8%
South Carolina	534,980	12.6%	20.6%	11.5%
South Dakota	110,530	14.2%	4.7%	12.5%
Tennessee	749,951	12.6%	13.3%	13.1%
Texas	2,271,845	9.9%	19.3%	12.7%
Utah	216,021	8.7%	24.1%	6.5%
Vermont	81,982	13.2%	15.9%	10.0%
Virginia	865,103	11.4%	17.4%	9.8%
Washington	720,874	11.5%	14.1%	8.7%
West Virginia	278,368	15.3%	0.2%	11.6%
Wisconsin	721,633	13.0%	5.3%	7.7%
Wyoming	62,037	12.2%	16.8%	8.0%
Puerto Rico	489,819	12.5%		44.3%

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AoA - Statistics - A Profile of Older Americans 2006 - Income

Last Modified: 11/23/2010 7:58:16 AM