The older population is becoming more racially and ethnically diverse as the overall minority population experiences greater longevity. Racial and ethnic minority populations have increased from 6.9 million in 2006 (19% of the older adult population) to 11.1 million in 2016 (23% of older adults), and are projected to increase to 21.1 million in 2030 (28% of older adults).
The 2017 Minority Aging Statistical Profiles is an annual summary of the most recent statistics on older adults within the African American, American Indian and Alaska Native, Asian American, and Hispanic American populations. Compiled primarily with data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the summary includes topical areas such as centenarians, residence, education, marital status, living arrangements, income and poverty, self-rated health status, chronic conditions, disability status, health insurance, and participation in Older Americans Act (OAA) programs.
Please also see the 2017 Profile of Older Americans, an annual summary of the most recent statistics on the older population, including 15 topical areas (such as population, income and poverty, living arrangements, education, health, and caregiving). Previous years’ publications and data are also available on the website.
***
Notes:
- Principal sources of data for the Profile are the U.S. Census Bureau, the National Center for Health Statistics, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Profile incorporates the latest data available but not all items are updated on an annual basis.
- This report includes data on the 65 and over population unless otherwise noted. The phrases “older adults” or “older persons” refer to the population age 65 and over.
- Numbers in this report may not add up due to rounding.