What Is the Baby Boomer Population in the Us

This story is function of an occasional series on the important community benefits that come from responding to the 2020 Census.

Infant boomers have changed the face of the U.Southward. population for more than seventy years and go along to practice and then as more enter their senior years, a demographic shift often referred to as a "gray tsunami."

The 2020 Demography will provide the most up-to-date count of the baby boom generation, now estimated at about 73 one thousand thousand.

"Data from the 2020 Census will show the impact of the infant boomers on America'south population historic period construction."

— Wan He, head of Aging Research Programs for the Population Division of the U.S. Census Agency

Born subsequently World War II, from 1946 to 1964, the oldest boomers will turn 74 next year. When the last census was taken in 2010, the oldest had non even turned 65.

Since then, about 10,000 a day have crossed that age threshold and by 2030, all boomers volition exist at least age 65.

"Data from the 2020 Census will show the bear on of the babe boomers on America's population historic period structure," said Wan He, caput of Aging Research Programs for the Population Partition of the U.Due south. Census Bureau.

Why Knowing Where Boomers Are Matters

Knowing about the number of people age 65 and older is of import for tribal, local, land and federal lawmakers. They volition apply 2020 Census statistics to assist decide how to spend billions of dollars annually in federal funds on critical public services for the next 10 years.

Everyone uses roads, hospitals and emergency services but some state and federal programs target specifically older populations — such equally money for senior citizen centers, job-preparation programs, and Medicare Function B wellness insurance.

"The census is really important to the states in the aging community," said John Haaga, of the National Found on Aging in Washington, D.C. "It's our merely way to figure out how things are different beyond the country, what areas are aging faster, where elderly disabled people alive, or where older people are concentrated, similar Appalachia or West Virginia, because immature people are leaving for the cities." Older people are remaining backside there.

Other states, such as Florida, have large older populations because people are moving there to retire, according to Haaga.

Past using Census Bureau statistics and its geographic information system, analysts and community planners can get a refined moving picture of where older Americans live and how close they are to the services they need. That helps lawmakers or business people make up one's mind where to open up health clinics or senior citizen centers, among other services.

"Yous can start to look at specifics like how many older people are living alone who are more than x miles from an adult day care center." Haaga said. "You can answer questions of access and how to ameliorate it."

Enter the Infant Boomers

At an estimated 73 million, this generation is the 2d-largest age grouping afterward their children, the millennials, born from 1982 to 2000.

"As boomers historic period through their 60s, 70s, 80s and increasingly across, the 'big bulge' of the boomer generation volition contribute to the overall aging of the U.Due south. population in coming decades," said Stella Ogunwole, a demographic statistician with the Census Bureau.

"The older population is condign even more than pregnant," she said.

The number of people age 65 and older in the United States has grown chop-chop over most of the 20th century, from 3.1 million in 1900 to 35 million in 2000.

In 2018, there were 52 million people age 65 and older, according to the Census Bureau'due south Vintage Population Estimates. Their share of the population grew as well, from 12.4% in 2000 to 16.0% in 2018.

Just crumbling boomers are not the only reason the nation's population is getting older overall. Longer lives — in part due to better health care — and tape low birth rates among young women are also major factors, according to Haaga.

The total fertility rate of U.S. women is now 1.7 children per adult female, below the two.1 children needed to replace the population.

Life expectancy at age 65 went from 11.9 years (1900-1902) to 19.1 years in 2010, according to An Aging Globe, a Demography Bureau report co-authored by Wan He.

Older adults are projected to outnumber children under historic period xviii for the offset time in U.S. history by 2034, according to Census Agency projections.

"The mismatch between one-time and young volition have implications across the coming years," said Dr. Grace Whiting, president and CEO of the National Brotherhood of Caregivers.

"We aren't having plenty children to take care of us in our old historic period," she said. "Wait at my family: my in-law was one of half dozen children, my husband and I were one of ii, and we don't take kids. Extrapolate that out, and that's what's happening nationwide."

Whiting's concern points to the increasing need for caregiver and health services for people over historic period 65, many of whom employ services whose funding depends on decisions fabricated based on demography data.

Federal Programs Help People Over Age 65

Lawmakers and planners employ census statistics to assist decide how to spend on programs that assist improve the quality of life for all people age 65 and older.

Medicaid, the health insurance program for depression-income people including those age 65 and older, is the largest federal program that uses demography statistics to determine funding. In 2015, Medicaid received $312 billion, co-ordinate to a 2017 report from the Census Bureau.

The Supplemental Diet Help Program (SNAP) spent $71 billion in 2015. SNAP is the 2nd-largest program that uses census statistics to classify funds.

Third is Medicare Part B, at $70.3 billion, which is function of the Medicare health insurance program for all people over 65 years onetime, no affair their income.

These programs are just a few of the reasons why it is of import for people age 65 and older to answer to the 2020 Census.

They can respond online, by phone or past post.

Programs that assistance older people live better lives include:

Social Services Block Grants

Adult day care, community middle lunches, home-delivered meals, protection and remedy from abuse — both physical and financial — are all funded past Social Services Block Grants.

The funding levels for these services are adamant, in part, from statistics produced by the Demography Bureau. The federal funding plan for social services grants gives states money to spend on a wide variety of programs.

In 2015, the plan granted $i.6 billion, according to the Census Bureau, and ten% of the grants were aimed at the needs of vulnerable and elderly adults, according to the Social Services Cake Grant 2016 focus report. (The SSBG is part of the U.Due south. Section of Health and Human Services.)

In 2016, 42 states spent $284 1000000 to provide help for about 950,000 people age 65 and older, including intervention services, emergency medical services, emergency shelters, and counseling.

I of the largest programs under SSBG that is aimed at the elderly is for people suffering from abuse or neglect, including maltreatment, lack of adequate nutrient or shelter, or fiscal abuse. Sadly, one in 10 older adults experience some form of abuse, according to the Census Bureau.

Farmers' Market Program

Getting healthy food is a key concern for low-income older people.

The Senior Farmers' Marketplace Nutrition Program (SFMNP) provides depression-income seniors with coupons that they tin substitution for eligible foods (fruits, vegetables, honey and fresh-cutting herbs) at farmers' markets, roadside stands, and community supported agriculture (CSA) programs.

The SFMNP is administered by land agencies such as Departments of Agriculture or Aging, and federally recognized tribal governments. Non all states operate the SFMNP statewide. In 2016, an estimated 816,000 seniors used the program.

Job Training

The Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) is a work-based job-training program for older individuals. Two-thirds of participants are women and near half are from a racial or ethnic minority, co-ordinate to the SCSEP. Veterans and qualified spouses are given priority for enrollment.

Participants get work experience in nonprofit and public agencies, including schools, hospitals, day care centers and senior centers.

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Source: https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2019/12/by-2030-all-baby-boomers-will-be-age-65-or-older.html#:~:text=The%202020%20Census%20will%20provide,on%20America's%20population%20age%20structure.%E2%80%9D&text=Born%20after%20World%20War%20II,will%20turn%2074%20next%20year.