New Census data reports the graying of U.S. population – Herb Weiss

By Herb Weiss, contributing writer on aging issues

The nation’s population continues to gray and this is documented by a series of demographic profiles from the 2020 Census recently released. The release of this updated census data must be a wake-up call to Congress and federal and state officials who oversee aging programs and services.

According to Zoe Caplan, statistician demographer in the U.S. Census Bureau’s Sex and Age Statistics Branch, the U.S. population age 65 and over grew from 2010 to 2020 at the fastest rate since 1880 to 1890. The nation’s over-age-65 population grew nearly five times faster than the total population over the 100 years from 1920 to 2020, says Caplan in a May 25, 2023 posting on the agency’s website.

In her posting, Caplan says that in 2020, a whopping 1 in 6 people in the United States were age 65 and over. In 1920, this statistic was just 1 in 20. 

The 2020 Census reported that the older population increased by 50.9 million, from 4.9 million (or 4.7% of the total U.S. population) in 1920 to 55.8 million (16.8%) in 2020. This represents a growth rate of about 1,000%, almost five times that of the total population (about 200%).

Growth in older population spiked 2010-2020

According to Caplan, the older population has been growing for the past century but the decade before 2020 saw its fastest increase since 1880 to 1890. “From 2010 to 2020, the age 65 and over population experienced its largest-ever 10-year numeric gain — an increase of 15.5 million people. The next largest 10-year numeric increase, 5.7 million between 1980 and 1990, was less than half that size,” she says.

From 2010 to 2020, Caplan stated that the 65 and over population experienced the largest-ever percentage-point increase, from 13.0% to 16.8% of the total population. “Before 2010, it took 50 years (from 1960 to 2010)  for the nation’s older population’s share of the total population to grow by the same number of percentage points,” she said.

The 2020 Census Data reveals that while the nation’s population grew from 2010 to 2020, the size and rate varied by age groups for other age groups. The 65 to 74 age group was the largest of the older cohort groups, with 33.1 million people, representing over half of the age 65 and over population (or 1 in 10 Americans), she said.

“The 65 to 74 age group experienced the largest growth of any older age group the previous decade,” says Caplan, noting that its numbers grew by 11.4 million or (52.5%), increasing from 21.7 mil­lion in 2010 to 33.1 million in 2020.  

Caplan says that the 75-to-84 age group grew at about half that rate (25.1%) but is expected to pick up the pace in the next decade as baby boomers age into this group. Additionally, she noted that the 85-to-94 age group had a relatively slower growth (12.6%) than other older age groups, increasing from 5.1 million to 5.7 million.  The population 95 years and over also expe­rienced a large growth rate (48.6%), increasing from about 425,000 in 2010 to 631,000 in 2020, she added. 

The 2020 date also indicated that for those people age 70 and over, males experienced a larger percentage growth between 2010 and 2020 (42.2%) than females (29.5%). Meanwhile, the percentage of centenarians have grown 50% since 2010, the fastest recent census-to-census percent change for that age group.  

Finally, while the U.S. population age 65 and over population grew, the Census 2020 data indicated that the nation’s population remained relatively young when compared with other nations. Caplan noted that Japan has the largest percentage (28.5%) of older residents.  Many European countries, along with Canada and Hong Kong, have larger percentages of older residents than the United States, says Caplan, noting that the United States ranked 34^th (16.8%) among these places.

Japan had the largest share (28.5%) of older residents. The United States ranked 34th (16.8%) among these places. Many European countries, along with Canada and Hong Kong, had higher shares of older residents than the United States, adds Caplan.

Nation’s median age creeps closer to Age 40

Just last week, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that the nation’s median age increased by 0.2 years to 38.9 years between 2021 and 2022.  Median age is the age at which half of the population is older and half of the population is younger.

“As the nation’s median age creeps closer to 40, you can really see how the aging of baby boomers, and now their children — sometimes called echo boomers — is impacting the median age. The eldest of the echo boomers have started to reach or exceed the nation’s median age of 38.9,” said Kristie Wilder, a demographer in the Census Bureau’s Population Division in a statement released on June 22, 2023.

“While natural change, nationally, has been positive, as there have been more births than deaths, birth rates have gradually declined over the past two decades. Without a rapidly growing young population, the U.S. median age will likely continue its slow but steady rise,” she says.

According to the statement, a third (17) of the states in the country had a median age above 40.0 in 2022, led by Maine with the highest at 44.8, and New Hampshire at 43.3. Utah (31.9), the District of Columbia (34.8), and Texas (35.5) had the lowest median ages in the nation. Hawaii had the largest increase in median age among states, up 0.4 years to 40.7.

No states experienced a decrease in median age. Four states — Alabama (39.4), Maine (44.8), Tennessee (39.1), West Virginia (42.8), and the District of Columbia (34.8) — had no change in their median age from 2021 to 2022.

Can Rhode Island cope with a population growing older?  

“It is no secret that the Rhode Island population is growing older,” says Maureen Maigret, Chair of the Aging in Community Subcommittee of the Long-Term Care Coordinating Council, whose Subcommittee was charged with looking at Rhode Island’s older population, its demographics, services and programs to assist them to age in place in the community along with identifying gaps in services. “We issued a comprehensive report in 2016 showing that persons age 65 and over in Rhode Island would go from 14.4% of the state population in 2010 to 25% by 2040,” she said.  

According to Maigret, the US Census 2021 estimates shows the state’s 65 and over population is now at 18% and some its communities have already reached 20%. “Our older population is also becoming more diverse. White older adults went from 93.4% in 2010 to 86.4% in 2021 (RI Healthy Aging Data Report.) while Hispanic older adults increased from 3.8% to 6.5%. Our Subcommittee continues to work to implement recommendations we made in nine different areas important for aging in the community,” adds Maigret, noting that she has been working with advocates and legislative champions to implement and put them into law or practice.

“We have made some significant progress in expanding home care for those not impoverished enough to be on Medicaid, to expand respite services for caregivers and this year to fund the Office of Healthy Aging and Disability Resource Center. But we still have much more work to do,” says Maigret.

“I am especially concerned that studies show some 80% of persons age 65+ will not be able to afford two years of home care and many may need more than that. So that is something we need to address by changes in Medicaid and Medicare providing support for unpaid family caregivers who provide enormous amounts of long-term care to loved ones in need.  We also be providing more funding for local senior center programs that are shown to promote health and reduce social isolation with its negative health outcomes,” says Maigret.

Maigret says that funding for the Village Common of RI that, an organization that provides trained and vetted volunteers in local villages to provide supports such as transportation to medical appointments, grocery shopping, friendly visits, minor home tasks — all types of supports to help older adults remain in their own homes, should also be allocated. “More communities are interested in starting these types of volunteer programs of mutual support but funding is needed to support the infrastructure,” she advises.  

Maigret expresses concern that so many older Rhode Islanders are economically insecure. Twenty seven percent of older households are living on less than $25,000/year yet it costs an older Rhode Island couple in good Health renting their home about $41,448 annually to meet basic living expenses (Elder Index). “Economic insecurity is a special problem for older women who comprise 56% of the state’s 65 and over population and are more likely to live alone,” she says noting that their average Social Security checks amounts to $11,584 compared to $14,578 for men, and mean personal income for women is about $25,000 less than older males.

Maigret encourages state leaders to pay attention to these “age-related” demographics as they consider budget and policy priorities. And she would like to see each of the state’s communities assess their age-friendliness, like Newport, Cranston and Providence have done.” Other communities should follow Pawtucket’s lead of promoting fitness for older adults by creating  adult outdoor exercise area adjacent to its senior center or in local parks.

Addressing the State’s Shrinking Health Care Workforce

“The main focus in addressing issues related to meeting the needs of the state’s growing older population is to address the critical need for a robust healthcare workforce,” says John Gage, President & CEO of the Rhode Island Health Care Association.  “Reimbursement must support appropriate staffing levels at livable wages throughout the long-term care continuum – home care, assisted living residences and nursing facilities,” he says. 

“As the generations shift, there will be a greater need for long-term care supports and services with a shrinking workforce.  Sustainable funding is essential to the ability to provide this care, and it has never been more evident than today,” warns Gage.  “In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, current statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that Rhode Island’s nursing home workforce is down some 20% from pre-pandemic levels,” he says, stating a detailed analysis of the workforce for hospitals and nursing homes indicates that  nursing home RNs have declined by 16.5%, LPNs by 18.3% and CNAs by 25.4%.  It is estimated that, nationwide, recovery of the nursing home workforce will not occur until 2027 based on the small, incremental improvements quarter over quarter, adds Gage.

“Presently, 17% of our neighbors are aged 65 and older, and nearly a quarter (24%) are age 60 and above!  Recognizing this trend, we are actively engaged in anticipating and meeting the needs of our growing population of older adults in our state,” says Director Maria Cimini, of the Rhode Island’s Office of Healthy Aging. “At numerous State and non-profit spaces, we are present to ensure that the needs of older adults are central to discussions surrounding  health care, housing, transportation, education, accessible communities, and caregiving,” she adds.

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“We embrace the opportunity presented by the recently passed Legislative Commission to Study the Services and Programs for Older Adults to collaborate with Rhode Islanders working with seniors. Together, we will share our experience with aging populations, promote valuable resources, and identify what we all need to make RI a great place to grow up and grow old,” says Cimini.

For a copy of the 2020 Census Brief, “The Older Population: 2020,” go to https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/2020/census-briefs/c2020br-07.pdf.

For a copy of the LTCCC’s Aging in Community Subcommittee June 2016 Report, “Aging in Community” go to  https://www.rilegislature.gov/Reports/AiC%20Full%20Final%20Report%206.13.16.pdf.

For a copy of the LTCCC’s Aging Community Subcommittee December 2016 Strategic Plan, “Aging in Community, go to https://www.rilegislature.gov/Reports/Building%20an%20Age-Friendly%20Community.pdf.

For a copy of Rhode Island Healthy Aging Data 2020 Report, go to

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Herb Weiss, LRI -12, is a Pawtucket-based writer who has covered aging, health care and medical issues for over 43 years.  To purchase his books, Taking Charge: Collected Stories on Aging Boldly and a sequel, compiling weekly published articles, go to herbweiss.com.