In this article we did a deep dive using public census information from the U.S. Data Census Website. This website provides a variety of tools to poke and prod at different bits of information to help all of us visualize where do most of our seniors live in the United States.
This article and information can be used to help highlight the regions most impacted by an aging population and understand the specific needs of these communities.
As of the most recent census data the 31st state, California, is the overall winner with a staggering 8,492,450 (only 21.8% of population) people over 60 years old. The number of seniors in California is roughly equivalent to the combined total populations of Nebraska, West Virginia, Idaho, Hawaii, and New Hampshire.
Florida comes in second place with 6,314,895 seniors over 60 years old.
Texas rounds it up to take third place with 5,699,843 people over 60 years old.
If we change our approach and compare U.S. states based on the highest percentage of their population over 60 years old, Maine stands out as the leader. With 30.6% of its population over 60, Maine has a total estimated population of 1,385,340, which means around 423,421 people, approximately 20 times less than California, are seniors (over 60 years old).
Coming in second place we have Vermont with 29.8% of their population over 60 years old bringing them to 193,012 seniors.
Third place is Florida, dropping from second place to third in this new ranking but still with the whopping 6,314,895 elderly people (people over 60) live in Florida.
If we restrict the range to people over age 65 we notice a small change in the data.
At this age range the total population rankings stay the same with California in first place with 6,158,902 seniors over 65. At this range California is down about 2.3 million from the 60+ range.
Then Florida in second place with 4,794,414. With the lowest decline down about 1.5 million from the 60+ range.
And in third place is Texas with 4,037,085. Texas lost about 1.7 million seniors when comparing to the 60+ range.
When we look at the stats compared to population size again we see that Maine comes out on top again with over 22.6% of population over the age of 65.
But now in this scenario Florida and Vermont are now tied at second place in percentage of population over 65 at 21.6% though Florida has 4,794,414 seniors over 65 while Maine only has 312,893.
West Virginia now moves up to third place at 21.2% with 376,162 citizens over 65 years old.
In total population of people over 75 California with its massive population comes out in first with over 2,590,363 (-3,568,539) people over the age of 75, Second is Florida with 2,190,400 (-2,604,014) people over 75.
Finally, in a close win over New York, Texas takes third place with 1,575,930 (-2,461,155) seniors over 75. New York has 1,532,317 people over 75.
In first place Florida overthrows Maine. Coming in with an estimated 9.8% of total population over 75 years old. Almost one in ten people in Florida are over 75 years old!
With 9.2% Maine comes in at the second place with 9.2% of their population being over 75.
And in third place we have a new state entering the mix: Hawaii! Hawaii has 9.1% or 131,613 people over the age of 75.
Wyoming has the least amount of seniors or people over the age of 60 with only 146,340 people over 60 dropping to only 87,960 seniors over 75 years old.
Utah has the lowest percentage of people over the age of 60.
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