Did You Know...

• The older population (65+) numbered 38.9 million in 2008, an increase of 4.5 million or 13% since 1998.
• The number of Americans aged 45-64 - who will reach 65 over the next two decades - increased by 31% during this decade.
• Over one in every eight, or 12.8% of the population is an older American.
• Persons reaching age 65 have an average life expectancy of an additional 18.6 years (19.8 years for females and 17.1 years for males).
• Older women outnumber older men at 22.4 million older women to 16.5 million older men.
• Older men were much more likely to be married than older women - 72% of men vs. 42% of women. 42% of older women in 2002 were widows.
• About 31% (11.2 million) of noninstitutionalized older persons live alone (8.3 million women, 2.9 million men).
• Half of older women (50%) age 75+ live alone.
• About 471,00 grandparents aged 65 or more had primary responsibility of their grandchildren who lived with them.
• The median incom of older persons in 2008 was $25,503 for males and $14,559 for females. Households containing families headed by persons 65+ reported a median income in 2008 of $44,188.
• Major sources of income for older people in 2007 were: Social Security (reported by 87% of older persons), income from assets (reported by 52%), private pensions (reported by 28%), government employee pensions (reported by 13%), and earnings (reported by 25%).
• Social Security constituted 90% or more of the income received by 35% of all Social Security beneficiaries (21% of married couples and 44% of non-married beneficiaries).

*Statistics provided by the Administration on Aging's 2009 Profile - principal sources of the data are the U.S. Bureau of the Census, the National Center on Health Statistics, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. To read more on AoA's 2009 profile click here.