The Graying of California

“The state should see more than a 50 percent increase in the population over age 65” between now and 2020, according to the Legislative Analyst’s California Facts for 2011.  

Some 10,000 Baby Boomers are turning 65 every day — and will continue to do so for 19 years. 

About 4.4 million Californians are over 65, 11.5 percent of the population. By 2030, nearly 8.3 million Californians will be over 65, almost 18 percent of the population. 

Over one in every eight — or 12. percent — of the population is over 65 years of age. Persons reaching age 65 have an average life expectancy of an additional 18.6 years, 19.9 years for females and 17.2 years for males, according to a 2010 Profile of Older Americans by the US Department of Health & Human Services.

The same national study notes that the number of  older Americans will increase to 55 million in 2020 — a 36 percent increase for the decade — and crest 72 million in 2030, almost twice their number in 2008.

And those 85 years of age or more will climb nationally from 5.7 million at the beginning of the decade to 6.6 million in 2020, a 15 percent increase for the decade.

Census data shows the five most populous states also have the largest number of people over 65: California, Florida, New York, Texas and Pennsylvania.

Persons over 65 as a percentage of a state’s population  changes the top five to Florida, West Virginia, Maine, Pennsylvania, and Iowa.

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