Which States Most Popular with Senior Citizens

May 31, 2005 - The states with the highest percentage of senior citizens (65+) might surprise you. Well, not Florida, we all know they are number one. But, the next ten are not exactly your easy living, soak up the sun and surf type states.

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Senior Population Will Grow Faster Than All Others in All States by 2030 April 21, 2005 – Read more... see charts of senior growth by state.

The charts below, based on U.S. Bureau of the Census estimates, show the states ranked by percent of their population that is 65+, states with the most senior citizens, states ranked by growth in senior population and an alphabetical list so you can check your state.

The 65+ Population by State 2003

Ranked by % of Seniors
Numbers	Number	% 65+	Ch. 93 - 03
US (50 States + DC)	35,919,174	12.4%	9.50%
Florida	2,897,383	17.0%	14.30%
Pennsylvania	1,901,764	15.4%	0.40%
West Virginia	277,220	15.3%	0.40%
North Dakota	93,837	14.8%	0.80%
Iowa	433,618	14.7%	0.10%
Maine	188,385	14.4%	10.60%
South Dakota	109,040	14.3%	4.30%
Rhode Island	150,797	14.0%	-2.30%
Arkansas	377,682	13.9%	5.40%
Montana	125,160	13.6%	12.20%
Connecticut	470,689	13.5%	2.20%
Hawaii	169,346	13.5%	20.90%
Nebraska	232,387	13.4%	2.30%
Massachusetts	856,982	13.3%	0.90%
Missouri	759,980	13.3%	3.00%
Ohio	1,516,771	13.3%	3.00%
Alabama	592,181	13.2%	8.60%
Delaware	106,896	13.1%	22.40%
Oklahoma	461,133	13.1%	5.30%
Kansas	353,585	13.0%	0.50%
New Jersey	1,123,842	13.0%	4.80%
New York	2,488,959	13.0%	3.90%
Wisconsin	711,987	13.0%	5.50%
Vermont	80,132	12.9%	16.10%
Arizona	714,467	12.8%	32.40%
Oregon	453,568	12.7%	9.00%
Kentucky	512,381	12.4%	6.40%
Tennessee	726,683	12.4%	12.30%
Indiana	763,059	12.3%	5.30%
Michigan	1,236,501	12.3%	5.40%
South Carolina	511,732	12.3%	19.90%
Mississippi	349,407	12.1%	6.10%
North Carolina	1,016,214	12.1%	17.00%
District of Columbia	67,845	12.0%	-11.90%
Minnesota	609,396	12.0%	7.60%
New Hampshire	154,174	12.0%	15.90%
New Mexico	225,266	12.0%	27.10%
Wyoming	59,963	12.0%	17.70%
Illinois	1,507,377	11.9%	1.80%
Louisiana	524,348	11.7%	7.80%
Idaho	155,652	11.4%	20.60%
Maryland	624,980	11.3%	13.20%
Virginia	833,427	11.3%	17.20%
Washington	690,583	11.3%	13.30%
Nevada	250,787	11.2%	60.50%
California	3,764,870	10.6%	12.80%
Texas	2,175,256	9.8%	18.30%
Colorado	441,371	9.7%	22.80%
Georgia	826,506	9.5%	18.70%
Utah	203,007	8.6%	22.50%
Alaska	40,598	6.3%	50.30%

Ranked by number of Seniors
Numbers	Number	% 65+	Ch. 93 - 03
US (50 States + DC)	35,919,174	12.4%	9.50%
California	3,764,870	10.6%	12.80%
Florida	2,897,383	17.0%	14.30%
New York	2,488,959	13.0%	3.90%
Texas	2,175,256	9.8%	18.30%
Pennsylvania	1,901,764	15.4%	0.40%
Ohio	1,516,771	13.3%	3.00%
Illinois	1,507,377	11.9%	1.80%
Michigan	1,236,501	12.3%	5.40%
New Jersey	1,123,842	13.0%	4.80%
North Carolina	1,016,214	12.1%	17.00%
Massachusetts	856,982	13.3%	0.90%
Virginia	833,427	11.3%	17.20%
Georgia	826,506	9.5%	18.70%
Indiana	763,059	12.3%	5.30%
Missouri	759,980	13.3%	3.00%
Tennessee	726,683	12.4%	12.30%
Arizona	714,467	12.8%	32.40%
Wisconsin	711,987	13.0%	5.50%
Washington	690,583	11.3%	13.30%
Maryland	624,980	11.3%	13.20%
Minnesota	609,396	12.0%	7.60%
Alabama	592,181	13.2%	8.60%
Louisiana	524,348	11.7%	7.80%
Kentucky	512,381	12.4%	6.40%
South Carolina	511,732	12.3%	19.90%
Connecticut	470,689	13.5%	2.20%
Oklahoma	461,133	13.1%	5.30%
Oregon	453,568	12.7%	9.00%
Colorado	441,371	9.7%	22.80%
Iowa	433,618	14.7%	0.10%
Arkansas	377,682	13.9%	5.40%
Kansas	353,585	13.0%	0.50%
Mississippi	349,407	12.1%	6.10%
West Virginia	277,220	15.3%	0.40%
Nevada	250,787	11.2%	60.50%
Nebraska	232,387	13.4%	2.30%
New Mexico	225,266	12.0%	27.10%
Utah	203,007	8.6%	22.50%
Maine	188,385	14.4%	10.60%
Hawaii	169,346	13.5%	20.90%
Idaho	155,652	11.4%	20.60%
New Hampshire	154,174	12.0%	15.90%
Rhode Island	150,797	14.0%	-2.30%
Montana	125,160	13.6%	12.20%
South Dakota	109,040	14.3%	4.30%
Delaware	106,896	13.1%	22.40%
North Dakota	93,837	14.8%	0.80%
Vermont	80,132	12.9%	16.10%
District of Columbia	67,845	12.0%	-11.90%
Wyoming	59,963	12.0%	17.70%
Alaska	40,598	6.3%	50.30%

Ranked by % Gain of Seniors 93-03
Numbers	Number	% 65+	Ch. 93 - 03
US (50 States + DC)	35,919,174	12.4%	9.50%
Nevada	250,787	11.2%	60.50%
Alaska	40,598	6.3%	50.30%
Arizona	714,467	12.8%	32.40%
New Mexico	225,266	12.0%	27.10%
Colorado	441,371	9.7%	22.80%
Utah	203,007	8.6%	22.50%
Delaware	106,896	13.1%	22.40%
Hawaii	169,346	13.5%	20.90%
Idaho	155,652	11.4%	20.60%
South Carolina	511,732	12.3%	19.90%
Georgia	826,506	9.5%	18.70%
Texas	2,175,256	9.8%	18.30%
Wyoming	59,963	12.0%	17.70%
Virginia	833,427	11.3%	17.20%
North Carolina	1,016,214	12.1%	17.00%
Vermont	80,132	12.9%	16.10%
New Hampshire	154,174	12.0%	15.90%
Florida	2,897,383	17.0%	14.30%
Washington	690,583	11.3%	13.30%
Maryland	624,980	11.3%	13.20%
California	3,764,870	10.6%	12.80%
Tennessee	726,683	12.4%	12.30%
Montana	125,160	13.6%	12.20%
Maine	188,385	14.4%	10.60%
Oregon	453,568	12.7%	9.00%
Alabama	592,181	13.2%	8.60%
Louisiana	524,348	11.7%	7.80%
Minnesota	609,396	12.0%	7.60%
Kentucky	512,381	12.4%	6.40%
Mississippi	349,407	12.1%	6.10%
Wisconsin	711,987	13.0%	5.50%
Michigan	1,236,501	12.3%	5.40%
Arkansas	377,682	13.9%	5.40%
Indiana	763,059	12.3%	5.30%
Oklahoma	461,133	13.1%	5.30%
New Jersey	1,123,842	13.0%	4.80%
South Dakota	109,040	14.3%	4.30%
New York	2,488,959	13.0%	3.90%
Ohio	1,516,771	13.3%	3.00%
Missouri	759,980	13.3%	3.00%
Nebraska	232,387	13.4%	2.30%
Connecticut	470,689	13.5%	2.20%
Illinois	1,507,377	11.9%	1.80%
Massachusetts	856,982	13.3%	0.90%
North Dakota	93,837	14.8%	0.80%
Kansas	353,585	13.0%	0.50%
Pennsylvania	1,901,764	15.4%	0.40%
West Virginia	277,220	15.3%	0.40%
Iowa	433,618	14.7%	0.10%
Rhode Island	150,797	14.0%	-2.30%
District of Columbia	67,845	12.0%	-11.90%

Stats in Alpha Order
Numbers	Number	% 65+	Ch. 93 - 03
US (50 States + DC)	35,919,174	12.4%	9.50%
Alabama	592,181	13.2%	8.60%
Alaska	40,598	6.3%	50.30%
Arizona	714,467	12.8%	32.40%
Arkansas	377,682	13.9%	5.40%
California	3,764,870	10.6%	12.80%
Colorado	441,371	9.7%	22.80%
Connecticut	470,689	13.5%	2.20%
Delaware	106,896	13.1%	22.40%
District of Columbia	67,845	12.0%	-11.90%
Florida	2,897,383	17.0%	14.30%
Georgia	826,506	9.5%	18.70%
Hawaii	169,346	13.5%	20.90%
Idaho	155,652	11.4%	20.60%
Illinois	1,507,377	11.9%	1.80%
Indiana	763,059	12.3%	5.30%
Iowa	433,618	14.7%	0.10%
Kansas	353,585	13.0%	0.50%
Kentucky	512,381	12.4%	6.40%
Louisiana	524,348	11.7%	7.80%
Maine	188,385	14.4%	10.60%
Maryland	624,980	11.3%	13.20%
Massachusetts	856,982	13.3%	0.90%
Michigan	1,236,501	12.3%	5.40%
Minnesota	609,396	12.0%	7.60%
Mississippi	349,407	12.1%	6.10%
Missouri	759,980	13.3%	3.00%
Montana	125,160	13.6%	12.20%
Nebraska	232,387	13.4%	2.30%
Nevada	250,787	11.2%	60.50%
New Hampshire	154,174	12.0%	15.90%
New Jersey	1,123,842	13.0%	4.80%
New Mexico	225,266	12.0%	27.10%
New York	2,488,959	13.0%	3.90%
North Carolina	1,016,214	12.1%	17.00%
North Dakota	93,837	14.8%	0.80%
Ohio	1,516,771	13.3%	3.00%
Oklahoma	461,133	13.1%	5.30%
Oregon	453,568	12.7%	9.00%
Pennsylvania	1,901,764	15.4%	0.40%
Rhode Island	150,797	14.0%	-2.30%
South Carolina	511,732	12.3%	19.90%
South Dakota	109,040	14.3%	4.30%
Tennessee	726,683	12.4%	12.30%
Texas	2,175,256	9.8%	18.30%
Utah	203,007	8.6%	22.50%
Vermont	80,132	12.9%	16.10%
Virginia	833,427	11.3%	17.20%
Washington	690,583	11.3%	13.30%
West Virginia	277,220	15.3%	0.40%
Wisconsin	711,987	13.0%	5.50%
Wyoming	59,963	12.0%	17.70%

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