Life After Fifty - Demographics

Thanks to a host of factors, including advances in medicine and technology, there are more Americans living longer than before. According to the 2000 census there are 35 million older adults in the United States, representing 12.4% of the total population. These numbers are expected to double by 2030, when it is projected that one in five Americans will be 65 or older. Senior population trends have been astounding in the past 100 years. From 1900 to 2000, the number of older Americans increased eleven-fold or 1100%!

The increase in seniors is not just limited to the United States; there is also a senior population explosion in many other countries. In 2000, approximately 605 million people worldwide were 60 years or older. By 2050, that number is expected to be close to 2 billion. At that time, seniors will outnumber children 14 and under for the first time in history!