U.S. Census Bureau Facts for Features: Older Americans Month - May 2016

WASHINGTON, April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- President Kennedy first celebrated older Americans by designating May 1963 as Senior Citizens Month. After a meeting with the National Council of Senior Citizens, Kennedy encouraged all Americans to pay tribute to older people across the country. Every President since has issued a formal proclamation during or before the month of May in support of older Americans. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter's proclamation changed the name to Older Americans Month. This month continues to be a time to celebrate those 65 and older through ceremonies, events and public recognition.

46.2 million
The number of people who were 65 and older in the United States on July 1, 2014. This group accounted for 14.5 percent of the total population. The 65 and older population grew from 44.7 million in 2013.
Source: 2014 Population Estimates
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2014/PEPAGESEX
http://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2015/cb15-113.html

98.2 million
Projected population of people 65 and older in 2060. People in this age group would comprise
nearly one in four U.S. residents at that time. Of this number, 19.7 million would be 85 or older.
Source: 2014 National Population Projections, Table 3
http://www.census.gov/population/projections/data/national/2014/summarytables.html

2.4 million
Projected number of baby boomers in 2060. At that time, the youngest baby boomers would be 96 years old.
Source: Population Estimates and Projections
http://www.census.gov/prod/2014pubs/p25-1141.pdf

2033
The year in which, for the first time, the population 65 and older would outnumber people younger than 18 in the U.S.
Source: 2014 National Population Projections
http://www.census.gov/population/projections/data/national/2014.html

Income and Poverty

$36,895
The 2014 median income of households with householders 65 and older.
Source: Income and Poverty in the United States: 2014, Table 1
http://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2015/demo/p60-252.pdf

10%
The percent of people 65 and older who were in poverty in 2014.  
Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2014, Table 3
http://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2015/demo/p60-252.pdf

$170,516
The median net worth for householders age 65 and older in 2011.
Source: Survey of Income and Program Participation, Net Worth and Asset Ownership of Households: 2011
http://www.census.gov/people/wealth

14.4%
The supplemental poverty rate for those age 65 or older, equating to 6.6 million people. Excluding Social Security would leave approximately half of this population in poverty.
Source: The Supplemental Poverty Measure: 2014, Table 2
https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2015/demo/p60-254.pdf

Serving Our Nation 

9.4 million
Estimated number of people 65 and older who were veterans of the U.S. armed forces in 2014.
Source: 2014 American Community Survey, Table B21001
http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_14_1YR_B21001

Jobs

21.5%
Labor force participation rate for men 65 and older in 2014, significantly higher than the rate for women 65 and older at 13.7 percent.
Source: 2014 American Community Survey, Table B23001
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/14_1YR/B23001

5.2 million
Number of full-time, year-round workers 65 and older with earnings in 2014. 
Source: Current Population Survey, Historical Income Tables: People, Table P-32
http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/income/data/historical/people/

Business Owners

3,470,646
Number of responding business owners 65 and older, which is 15.6 percent of the responding business owners in firms with and without paid employees in 2012.
Source: 2012 Survey of Business Owners, Table SCBO08
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/SBO/2012/00CSCBO08

875,633
Number of responding business owners 65 and older, which is 15.9 percent of the responding business owners in firms with paid employees in 2012.
Source: 2012 Survey of Business Owners, Table SCBO08
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/SBO/2012/00CSCBO08  

1,132,051
Number of responding women business owners 65 and older, which is 13.2 percent of the responding women business owners in firms with and without paid employees in 2012.
Source: 2012 Survey of Business Owners, Table SBO08
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/SBO/2012/00CSCBO08

Education

81.9%
Proportion of people 65 and older in 2014 who had completed high school or higher education.
Source: 2014 American Community Survey, Table S1501
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/14_1YR/S1501

24.8%
Percentage of the population 65 and older in 2014 who had earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: 2014 American Community Survey, Table S1501
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/14_1YR/S1501

Marital Status and Living Arrangements

57.6%
Percentage of people 65 and older who were married in 2015.
Source: Families and Living Arrangements, Table A1
http://www.census.gov/hhes/families/data/cps2015A.html

24.4%
Percentage of people 65 and older in 2015 who were widowed.
Source: Families and Living Arrangements, Table A1
http://www.census.gov/hhes/families/data/cps2015A.html

Computer and Internet Use

71%
The percentage of those 65 and older who reported living in homes with computers in 2013. Additionally, 62.4 percent accessed the internet through a high-speed internet connection.
Source: Computer and Internet Use, Table 2
http://census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2014/acs/acs-28.pdf

Voting

59.4%
Percentage of citizens 65 and older who reported casting a ballot in the 2014 elections.
Source: Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2014, Table 2
http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/socdemo/voting/publications/p20/2014/tables.html

Homeownership

79.3%
Percentage of householders 65 and older who owned their homes as of fourth quarter 2015.
Source: Current Population Survey/Housing Vacancy Survey, Table 19
http://www.census.gov/housing/hvs/data/histtabs.html

Services for the Older Population

4,815
Number of continuing care retirement communities in 2012. These businesses employed 423,627 workers and generated $27.6 billion in revenues. In 2007, there were 5,373 such establishments, employing 416,402 people and producing $24.7 billion in revenues. These establishments provide a range of residential and personal care services with on-site nursing care facilities for the elderly and other people who are unable to fully care for themselves and the elderly and other people who do not desire to live independently. Individuals live in a variety of residential settings with meals, housekeeping, social, leisure and other services available to assist residents in daily living.
Source: 2012 Economic Census Geographic Area Series (NAICS 623311)
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ECN/2012_US/62A2/0100000US/naics~623311

25,964
Number of business establishments providing services for the elderly and people with disabilities in 2012. These businesses employed 901,359 workers and generated $34.1 billion in revenues. In 2007, there were 20,433 such establishments, employing 621,545 people and producing $25.3 billion in revenues. Senior citizens centers are among the establishments in this industry.
Source: 2012 Economic Census Geographic Area Series (NAICS 624120)
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ECN/2012_US/62A2/0100000US/naics~624120

On the Map

19.1%
Percentage of Florida's population that was 65 and older in 2014, followed by Maine (18.3 percent). Alaska had the lowest percentage (9.4 percent) followed by Utah (10.0 percent).
Source: 2014 Population Estimates
http://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2015/cb15-113.html

52.9%
Percentage of the population in Sumter, Fla., that was 65 and older in 2014, which led all of the nation's counties. Chattahoochee County, Ga., had the lowest at 4.1 percent.
Source: 2014 Population Estimates
http://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2015/cb15-113.html

118,891
The estimated July 1, 2015, population of The Villages, Fla., metro area. The Villages, a metro area located to the west of the Orlando metro area, was the nation's fastest-growing metro area between July 1, 2014, and July 1, 2015, with its population increasing by 4.3 percent. The metro area is home to one of the largest age-restricted retirement communities in the world.
Source: 2015 metro area population estimates 
http://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2016/cb16-43.html
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2015/GCTPEPANNR.US24PR

Centenarians

53,364
The number of people age 100 and older counted by the 2010 Census.
Source: Centenarians: 2010
http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/reports/c2010sr-03.pdf

20.7
For every 100 centenarian women, the number of centenarian men in 2010.
Source: Centenarians: 2010
http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/reports/c2010sr-03.pdf

43.5%
In 2010, percentage of centenarian men who lived with others in a household, the most common living arrangement for this group. For their female counterparts, the most common living arrangement was residing in a nursing home (35.2 percent).
Source: Centenarians: 2010
http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/reports/c2010sr-03.pdf

3.29
Number of centenarians per 10,000 people in North Dakota in 2010. North Dakota was the only state with more than three centenarians per 10,000 people.
Source: Centenarians: 2010
http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/reports/c2010sr-03.pdf

Following is a list of observances typically covered by the Census Bureau's Facts for Features series:

Editor's note: The preceding data were collected from a variety of sources and may be subject to sampling variability and other sources of error. Facts for Features are customarily released about two months before an observance in order to accommodate magazine production timelines.

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