Fact Sheet: Aging in the United States
The report “Aging in the United States” by the United States Population Reference Bureau examines recent trends and disparities among adults aged 65 and older in the United States. Baby boomers are reshaping America’s older population; the baby boom generation is expected to be between the ages of 55 and 73 in 2019.
Demographic Shifts
By 2060, the number of Americans aged 65 and up is expected to nearly double, from 52 million in 2018 to 95 million, as older people work longer and become more ethnically and racially diverse. Many parts of the country are aging in place as young people migrate elsewhere.
Positive Developments
The average life expectancy in the United States has increased from 68 years in 1950 to 78.6 years in 2017. The poverty rate among Americans 65 and older has decreased dramatically. In 1990, there was a seven-year gap in life expectancy between men and women; by 2017, the gap had narrowed to five years.
Challenges
Obesity rates among adults aged 60 and up have been rising, and the percentage of divorced women aged 65 and up has risen from 3% in 1980 to 14% in 2018. Demand for elder care will also be fueled by an increase in the number of Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease.
What percentage of the U.S. population is 65 or older?
On July 1, 2015, the number of people aged 65 and older in the United States was 47.8 million, accounting for 14.9 percent of the total population, an increase of 1.6 million from 2014.
How many senior citizens are in the United States?
According to the US Census Bureau, there were 40.3 million U.S. residents 65 years and older in the 2010 Census and 54.1 million as of July 1, 2019.
What age is considered elderly in the US?
The u201celderlyu201d have traditionally been defined as people aged 65 and up.
What percent of US population dies before age 65?
Since 1900, life expectancy has increased by more than 50%, from a little less than fifty years to around seventy-five years in the United States.
What is the largest age group in America?
In 2021, the estimated population of the United States was 329.48 million, with adults aged 25 to 29 accounting for the largest age group, with 11.88 million males and around 11.36 million females.
How many 65 year olds are there in the US?
In the United States today, there are more than 46 million older adults aged 65 and up; by 2050, that number is expected to rise to nearly 90 million.
What city has the most senior citizens?
Note that The Villages, Florida, has the highest median age at 66.4 years, and the New York-Newark-Jersey City metropolitan statistical area has the highest total population of seniors, possibly because it also has the highest population in the country.
What are the odds of living to 70?
Thanks to advances in medicine and changes in lifestyle, Americans today are living longer than previous generations. As shown in the dark green bars, a man who reached 65 had an 81 percent chance of reaching 70, a 41 percent chance of reaching 80, and a 10% chance of reaching 90.
At what age do you start feeling old?
According to the study, the average American begins to feel old at the age of 47, and around 50, the average respondent begins to be concerned about age-related bodily changes. The unstoppable passage of time appears to be a major concern among Americans.
Which group has the highest income in old age?
Asians have the highest median family income, followed by whites, Hispanics, and blacks. NOTE: Family income for people 65 and up is higher than income for people 65 and up because it includes income from all family members, not just a spouse.
How are the elderly treated in the United States?
Poverty, insecure housing, social isolation, and mental health issues all contribute to higher rates of chronic illness, poorer health, increased use of the health-care system, and higher costs. u201cHigh levels of cost sharing, high deductibles, and copays distinguish U.S. seniors,u201d she said.
What percentage of the US population is over 75?
The share of the older population aged 75 to 84 was around 14.3 million, or 29 percent (Table 1), more than double the number and proportion (6.3 million, or 13 percent) of those aged 85 and up.