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White Senior Citizens Declining Rapidly as Percent
of Older Population
Immigration reform highlights changing
population demographics
 April
11, 2006 The large immigration reform marches in the last few days
have heightened awareness of the changing demographics of the U.S.
population. The changes in racial or place of origin backgrounds are
also taking place in the senior citizen age group (65 and over). In
2003, non-Hispanic Whites represented about 83% of the older population
but that percentage is projected by the U.S. Census Bureau to drop to
72% by 2030, and even further to only 61% by 2050.
Projections suggest that by 2030 the non-Hispanic
White percentage will dip to 72% while others will increase. Hispanics
will jump from 6% to 11%, Blacks will climb from 8% to 10%, and Asians
move up from 3 % to 5%.
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All these groups will experience growth in their
older populations; however, the older Hispanic population is projected
to grow the fastest, from just over 2 million in 2003 to nearly 8
million in 2030. These figures include only legal residents.
The older Asian population is also projected to
grow about as fast, from nearly 1 million in 2003 to nearly 4 million in
2030.
Here are some other highlights from the U.S. Census
Bureau regarding ethnic diversity.
Racial and Ethnic Diversity
The older population is predominantly non-Hispanic
White. In 2000, 83.6% of the older population reported they were only
non-Hispanic White, compared with 69.1% of the total population of all
ages. All other race groups and Hispanics represented lower proportions
of the older population than of the total population. Most notably,
older single-race Blacks composed 8.1%.
The
older population became more diverse from 1990 to 2000.
Non-Hispanic Whites represented the majority of the
total older population in 2000 (83.6%), down slightly from 1990 (86.6%).
Older Asians and Hispanics expanded their shares of the older population
more than other groups. Asians made up 1.4% of the total U.S. older
population in 1990, increasing to 2.3% in 2000. Hispanics accounted for
3.7% of the older population in 1990 and 5.0% in 2000.
The increasing diversity of the older population
will continue into the 21st century, according to the interim population
projections that are consistent with Census 2000.
The proportion of non-Hispanic Whites is
projected to decrease to 72% by 2030 and to fall to 61% by 2050.
The proportion of the older population that is
Asian is projected to increase to about 5% in 2030 and nearly 8% in
2050. Similarly, projections suggest that in 2030, Hispanics will
account for nearly 11% of the older population, and by 2050, almost 18%.
Diversity by Race and Hispanic Origin
In 2003, non-Hispanic Whites accounted for
nearly 83% of the older population. Blacks, Asians, and Hispanics
accounted for 8%, 3%, and 6%, respectively.
Projections indicate that by 2030, the
composition of the older population will be more diverse: 72%
non-Hispanic White, 11% Hispanic, 10% Black, and 5% Asian.
In 2000, 13% of the older population spoke a
language other than English at home; among them, more than one-third
spoke Spanish.
The proportion of Spanish speakers among those
who spoke a language other than English at home increased from 28% in
1990 to 38% in 2000.
The older Hispanic population is projected to
grow rapidly, from just over 2 million in 2003 to nearly 8 million in
2030.
 The older Hispanic population is projected to
become larger than the older Black population by 2030.
The older Asian population is also projected to
experience a large increase. In 2003, nearly 1 million older Asians
lived in the United States; by 2030, this population is projected to be
almost 4 million.
The older populations in some groups are
concentrated regionally.
In 2000, almost three-quarters of all older
Hispanics lived in four states: California, Texas, Florida, and New
York. Nearly two-thirds of older Asians lived in the West.
Sex and racial differences in life expectancy at
birth persist. Average life expectancy at birth in 2000 was 80.0 years
for White females, 74.9 years for Black females, 74.8 years for White
males, and 68.2 years for Black males. However, the gender and racial
differences in life expectancy are declining.
The difference in life expectancy between the
Black and White populations stood at 5.7 years in 2000, a decrease from
7.1 years in 1993.
The difference in life expectancy by sex stood at
5.4 years in 2000, a decline from 7.6 years in 1970.
Poverty rates among the older population differ
by race and Hispanic origin. In 2003, older non- Hispanic Whites were
less likely than older Blacks and older Hispanics to be living in
poverty: 8% compared with 24% and 20%, respectively.5 Older non-Hispanic
White and Black women had higher poverty rates than their male
counterparts.
Living arrangements of older people also differ
by race and Hispanic origin. In 2003, older Black, Asian, and Hispanic
women were more likely than non-Hispanic White women to live with
relatives.
Older non-Hispanic White women and Black women
were more likely to live alone (about 40% each) than were older Asian
and Hispanic women (about 20% each). Older Black men lived alone more
than three times as often as older Asian men (30% compared with 8%).
Older Asian men were most likely to live with relatives (23%).
While the educational attainment has risen among
older Americans, substantial educational differences exist by race and
Hispanic origin. In 2003, the proportion who had completed high school
was 76% for non-Hispanic Whites, 70% for Asians, 52% for Blacks, and 36%
for Hispanics.
In 2003, older Asians had the highest proportion
with at least a bachelors degree (29%).
The proportions for others were Whites - 19%,
Blacks - 10%, and Hispanics - 6%.
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