U.S. Older Population Grew at Fastest Rate Since 1880 (U.S. Census Bureau)

Tier 1: Established: peer-reviewed research or government health authority
Publisher: U.S. Census Bureau · Published: May 25, 2023 · Accessed: September 1, 2026

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Claims this source supports

• The U.S. population age 65 and over reached 55.8 million, or 16.8% of the population, in 2020 - about 1 in 6 people.
• From 2010 to 2020, the 65-plus population posted its largest-ever 10-year numeric gain: an increase of 15.5 million people; the next largest 10-year increase (5.7 million between 1980 and 1990) was less than half that size.
• The older population grew nearly five times faster than the total population over the 100 years from 1920 to 2020.