About one in seven Americans is aged 65 or older, and in 2012, there were approximately 43.1 million older adults, accounting for 13.7% of the nation’s population. According to the US Census Bureau, the US population will grow by 18% between 2010 and 2030, but the population of older adults will grow by 78%. By 2050, it is estimated that there will be almost 86.7 million older adults or 20% of the US population.

At age 65, older adults can expect to live to 84, an additional 19 years. Much of the increase in the proportion of older adults has been attributed to improvements in the detection, treatment and management of infectious diseases, resulting in declining death rates among children and young adults, but there is increasing evidence that there are concomitant increases in longevity among older adults. Regardless, how long one lives after 65 is not as important as how well one lives after 65, an ideal central to successful aging.

Gender

Among older adults there is a higher proportion of women (56%) compared to older men (44%), which represents a ratio of 129 women for every 100 men. Older men are more likely to be married (71%) than older women (45%).

Race and Ethnicity

The older adult population is becoming more racially and ethnically diverse. In 2012, almost one-quarter of older adults were from minority populations.

While key indicators of income, education and access to care among minority populations have improved over the past decade, racial and ethnic disparities by race/ethnicity are apparent among the older adult population. Read more on the Administration of Aging website.