According to a 2010 U.S. Census bureau brief (The Older Population: 2010), at 40.3 million, the elderly population (people age 65 or older) is larger than it has ever been, accounting for 13% of the U.S. population. The 15.1% growth rate of the elderly population since the 2000 census was faster than the U.S. population growth rate of 9.7%.
While elderly females continue to outnumber elderly males, elderly males are closing the gap by increasing at a faster rate than elderly females. In 1990, there were 82.7 men age 65 or older for every 100 women in this age group. This compares to 90.5 men per 100 women, as of 2010. From 2000 to 2010, the number of elderly males rose by 3 million, to 17.4 million, while the number of elderly females increased by 2.3 million, to 22.9 million.
The bureau advises “that as larger numbers of males and females reach age 65 years and over, it becomes increasingly important to understand this population as well as the implications population aging has for various family, social, and economic aspects of society.”
See the Census Bureau brief for more information.
