Older Population Statistics In the United States
By: Victor Herrera
The population of the United States is quite diverse with all kinds of ethnicities and races. In such a large country there are bound to be many people living in it, almost 332 million people. Out of the U.S population 16.5% are 65 years and older, many talk about the importance of our youth, and why shouldn’t they? They are the future of this country, but I think the older population is being overlooked. There are some interesting statistics about the older population that everyone should know.
Nowadays people 65 and older are in better shape than they used to be. Many people continue to work past that age due to modern health care. Instead of living in assisted homes they live by themselves and some also serve as caregivers for their grandchildren. The American Community Survey estimates that there were around 49.2 million people residing in the U.S. who were 65 and older in 2016.
There are different races and ethnic groups among the older population, most of them being white covering about three-quarters of the population, the rest being Hispanic, Black, Asian, and others. These numbers are understandable due to the fact that most of the population is mainly white. The U.S population is 76.3% White, 13.4% Black or African American, 18.5% Hispanic or Latino, 5.9% Asian, and 0.2% Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander.
Across the board, there is a large income disparity between the female and male populations, and this includes the senior population. Even though some of these older people are retired, there is still a big pay gap between females and their male counterparts. The average annual salary for a male 65 and older was $56,850 in 2016 compared to $41,200 annually for females, which is $15,650 more a year. Maybe this will change in the future now that the stigma of women having to “stay home with the kids” is diminishing.
There is a substantial rate of poverty among the senior population even though it has decreased recently. Females are also more likely to fall into poverty compared to males, with the female population of 65 and older being 11% compared to 7% for males. The U.S. government could give aid to this part of the population and provide better resources to get them back on their feet and decrease these numbers. Curiously, the older Asian population has taken the biggest hit in terms of poverty. The Asian population poverty rate was 12%, and the poverty rate for Asians 85 and older was 18%.
Even though in today’s world we have advanced medical advances that have helped our countries’ health, senior citizens are often overlooked. Sadly government officials and politicians tend to have other priorities, but this part of the population could really use help. These are the people that shaped and are shaping the future of the country so they deserve help and respect.
Sources:
https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2018/acs/ACS-38.pdf
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US
