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New Picture of Senior, Boomer Populations in Census
2003 Profile
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Click this graphic for a larger
view of male, female population by age. (Figure 1) |
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Nov. 11, 2005 – This week the U.S. Census Bureau
released the Population Profile of the U.S. for 2003 that looks at
changes since the 2000 census. The bureau also produced a unique graphic
of the population that provides a clear picture of the baby boomer bulge
and the demise of the older population. The population over age 65 did
not grow as fast as the rest of the population but the good news is that
the 85 and older age group expanded more than three times as fast as the
rest of the population.
Below is information from one section of the report
named “Age and Sex Distribution in 2003.” Among its features is also a
map of the U.S. showing the senior citizen population by state. Florida
continues to be the leader with 17 percent of that state’s population
being 65 or older. Alaska holds the bottom spot with just 6 percent of
its people being seniors.
Birthdays can take on different meanings as people
grow older. To a young person, a birthday might mean an opportunity to
get a driver’s license or to vote for the first time. To an older
person, it might mean a retirement party. Many health issues, including
everything from childhood diseases to geriatric conditions, are
associated with age. These and many other life experiences are somewhat
different for the male population than for the female population. The
U.S. Census Bureau’s Population Estimates Program produces age and sex
data for the United States, states, and counties.
Men and Women
Within the total resident population in 2003 (290.1
million), women and girls outnumbered men and boys by 4.7 million—147.8
million compared with 143.0 million. This difference was not spread
evenly throughout the age groups, as illustrated in the age pyramid
shown in Figure 1 at top of page.
Among those under 18, boys outnumbered girls in
2003. From about 40 on, women were the majority. Among people in their
nineties, the ratio of men to women was 36 to 100, reflecting the longer
life expectancy of women than men.
The pyramid bulges in the middle, indicating the
large cohort known as the Baby Boom Generation, who were 39 to 57 in
2003. Other irregularities in the pyramid frequently reflect years with
relatively high or low birth rates.
Age Groups
Between Census Day (April 1, 2000) and July 1,
2003, the population of most 5-year age groups grew. A few groups saw
declines, as illustrated in Figure 2. The largest decline (5.7 percent)
was among the population aged 35 to 39, the age group that the Baby Boom
Generation was leaving. The fastest growing population under 85 was the
population 55 to 59. This age group grew more than 17 percent because
the oldest Baby Boomers were replacing the smaller cohort of people who
were born in the 5-year period before them.
While the total population increased 3.3 percent
between 2000 and 2003, the population 65 and older increased 2.6
percent. A “birth dearth” during the late 1920s and early 1930s was
largely responsible for the slow growth of this group. The population 70
to 74 shrank 3.0 percent, reflecting the entry into this age group of
the small birth cohorts of the early 1930s. Other 5-year age groups
within this older age group saw increases. The population 85 and older
grew by 11 percent.
On July 1, 2003, the median age of the population
was 35.9 years—older than the highest median age ever recorded in a
census (35.3 in Census 2000).
 State
Differences
While 12 percent of U.S. residents were 65 or older
in 2003, the proportions in individual states differed. Florida had the
highest proportion in this age range, 17 percent . West Virginia and
Pennsylvania followed, with proportions above 15 percent. Alaska
anchored the other end of the scale, with 6 percent of its population in
this age range. The proportion of the population that was 65 and older
was also below 10 percent in Utah, Georgia, Colorado, and Texas.
This “dynamic version” of the report is only
available on the Internet and will be updated as new research is
released. The home page for the report can be accessed by
clicking here.
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