How Americans Live as They Age

In plain numbers:

Number of people 65 or older: 35 million

Number of people 85 or older: 4 million

Percentage of the population:

65 or older: 13% (2000 projection)

85 and up: 2% (2000 projection)

Marital status:

Married, 65-74: 66%

Married, 85 and up: 26%

Living with spouse:

Men, 65-74: 77%

Women, 65-74: 51%

Men, 85 and up: 46%

Women, 85 and up: 11%

Living alone:

Men, 65-74: 14%

Women, 65-74: 30%

Men, 85 and up: 29%

Women, 85 and up: 59%

Those who consider themselves in good to excellent health:

65-74: approximately 75%

85 and up: approximately 65%

Living below the poverty line:

65-74: 9%

85 and up: 14%

Nursing home residence:

All persons 65-74: 11/1,000

All persons 85 and up: 192/1,000

Paid employment:

Men, 65-69: 29%

Women, 65-69: 18%

Men, 70 or older: 12%

Women, 70 or older: 6%

Life expectancy:

Percentage of people age 65 expected to reach age 90: 26

Mortality:

Annual death rates, all causes

Men, 65 to 74: 3,190/100,000

Women, 65 to 74: 1,969/100,000

Men, 85 and up: 17,243/100,000

Women, 85 and up: 14,455/100,000

Annual death rates, heart disease

Men, 65 to 74: 1,031/100,000

Women, 65 to 74: 532/100,000

Men, 85 and up: 6,589/100,000

Women, 85 and up: 5,997/100,000

Median net household worth:

Head of household, 65-74: $157,600

Head of household, 75 and up: $132,000

Sedentary lifestyle:

Men, 65 and up: 28%

Women, 65 and up: 39%

Those with moderate or severe memory impairment:

Men, 65-69: 5%

Women, 65-69: 4%

Men, 85 and up: 37%

Women, 85 and up: 35%

Sources: Census Bureau; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Federal Interagency Forum on Aging Related Statistics, “Older Americans 2000: Key Indicators of Well-Being”