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Senior Citizen Facts Provided by Census Bureau for Older American Month

How many seniors are veterans? Employed? Below poverty?

April 25, 2005 – In May, the country will celebrate Older Americans Month with the theme of “Celebrate Long-Term Living.” To promote this year's event older Americans and government agencies that serve them will join with the Administration on Aging on May 4 for a 30-minute walk on the National Mall in Washington DC. AoA will also provide tools and tips for healthy living, refreshments “and more!” The Census Bureau has added their contribution to the event with this list of facts and figures about today's senior citizens.

For more about the month-long celebration click here

Older Americans Month originated with a presidential proclamation in May 1963. It has been proclaimed by presidents every year since then. Last year, President Bush stated, "Older Americans help others to understand the past, and they teach timeless lessons of courage, endurance and love. Through their legacy of patriotism, service, and responsibility, America's seniors also unite families and communities and serve as role models for younger generations."

36.3 million -- The number of people 65 and over in the United States on July 1, 2004. This age group accounts for 12 percent of the total population. Between 2003 and 2004, 351,000 people moved into this age group. – Click for more information

4.9 million -- The number of people 85 and over in the United States on July 1, 2004. – Click for more information

86.7 million -- Projected population of people 65 and over in the year 2050. People in this age group would comprise 21 percent of the total population at that time. – Click for more information

147 percent -- Projected percentage increase in the 65-and- over population between 2000 and 2050. By comparison, the population as a whole would have increased by only 49 percent over the same period. – Click for more information

$108,885 -- Median net worth in 2000 of households with householders 65 and over. In contrast, householders under the age of 35 had a median household net worth of $7,240. – Click for more information

$23,787 -- Median 2003 income of households with householders 65 and over, statistically unchanged, in real terms, from the previous year. – Click for more information

10.2 percent -- Poverty rate for people 65 and over in 2003. – Click for more information

9.7 million -- Estimated number of people age 65 and over who are military veterans. – Click for more information – See 2004-2005 edition, Table No. 513.

4.6 million -- Number of people age 65 and over who are still employed this amounts to 13 percent of all people in this age group. – Click for more information - See 2004- 2005 edition, Table No. 582.

77 percent -- Proportion of people ages 65 to 69 who graduated from high school. Seventy-three percent of people ages 70 to 74 and 68 percent of those 75 and over are also high school graduates. – Click for more information

20 percent -- Percentage of the population ages 65 to 69 who have a bachelor's degree or higher education. Among people ages 70 to 74, 19 percent have achieved this level of education; for those 75 and over, 15 percent are college graduates. – Click for more information

73,000 -- Number of people 65 and over enrolled in college in October 2002. – Click for more information

44 percent -- Percent of women age 65 and over who are widowed, greater than the 41 percent who are married and living with their spouses. Women age 65 and older are three times more likely to be widowed than their male counterparts. Among men in the same age group, 71 percent are married and living with their spouses and only 14 percent are widowed. – Click for more information

65 percent -- Percentage of registered voters ages 65 to 74 who voted in the 2002 Congressional election. Seventy-two percent of people ages 65 to 74 voted in the 2000 presidential election. This age group had the highest rate of voter participation in both the 2000 and 2002 elections. – Click for more information

81 percent -- Proportion of householders age 65 and over who own their homes. This compares with 68 percent for all householders. – Click for more information See 2004-2005 edition, Table No. 951.

3.7 million -- Number of U.S. residents 65 and over in 2004 who were foreign-born. – Click for more information

World: 880,000 -- The unprecedented number of people added each month to the world's population of people 65 and over. More than one-third of the world's oldest people (80 and above) lived in three countries: China (14.8 million), the United States (10.7 million) and India (7.5 million). – Click for more information

Nation: 71 -- Overall, the number of men age 65 and over on July 1, 2003, for every 100 women in this age group. For those in the 65 to 74 age group, the ratio is 83 men for every 100 women. For those 85 and over, it drops to 44 men per 100 women. – Click for more information

64,658 -- Estimated number of centenarians in the United States on August 1, 2004. – Click for more information

17 percent -- Percentage of Florida's population that was 65 and over on July 1, 2004. Florida led all states in this category. West Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Dakota and Iowa followed closely, at 15 percent each. – Click for more information

4.2 percent -- Percentage increase in the number of people age 65 and over in Nevada between July 1, 2003, and July 1, 2004. Alaska closely followed at 3.8 percent. – Click for more information

3.8 million -- Number of people 65 and over living in California on July 1, 2004, the highest total of any state. Florida, with 2.9 million, was the runner-up. – Click for more information

29 percent -- The highest percentage increase among counties in the 65 and over population between 2000 and 2003. This distinction belongs to Douglas, Colo. Following Douglas were Collin, Texas; Prince William, Va.; Fort Bend, Texas; and Henry, Ga. (The findings pertain to counties with minimum populations of 100,000.) The five largest numerical gainers over the period were Los Angeles, Calif.; Clark (Las Vegas), Nev.; Orange (Anaheim), Calif.; Maricopa (Phoenix), Ariz.; and Miami-Dade, Fla. – Click for more information

12.4 million -- Number of people 65 and over who engage in exercise walking, by far the most popular sports activity for this age group, at least six times a year. The next most popular forms of exercise for this age group are exercising with equipment, net fishing and swimming. – Click for more information See 2004- 2005 edition, Table No. 1241.

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