As many begin to trade in their decades worth of 9-to-5 work days for that “trip of a lifetime” and an easier way of living, some older Americans will settle to traditional “retirement-destination” counties (mostly located in the South), which reflect the presence of natural amenities such as mild climates, mountains, coastlines, and lakes, while others will plan to retire to rural, non-metropolitan counties in the Midwest.
Many of these areas experiencing a growth in the older population are being referred to as “elderly counties:” a county with at least 20 percent of its population 65 years or older.
In 2000, the states with the highest numbers of older persons were Florida, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Iowa and North Dakota.
The rural county with the highest percentage of older persons was McIntosh County, N. D., with 34.2 percent elderly, and the urban county reporting the highest percentage of older persons was Charlotte County, Fla., with a 34.2 percent elderly population. The national average of persons 65 years and older living in non-metro “elderly” counties is 22.7 percent and 24.2 percent for metro “elderly” counties.
The location of these elderly counties is surprising. They are not generally in the Sunbelt – or in places with the usual amenities that attract retirees (i.e. “retirement-destination” counties).
Only 24 percent of the counties identified by the Economic Research Service (ERS) as retirement-destination counties are also “non-metro (or rural) elderly” counties. Most elderly, non-metro counties are concentrated in the country’s midsection; almost half (47 percent) are located in the Great Plains.
These counties have grown old through a population “aging in place,” through the out-migration of the younger populations to cities in search of better employment and, in some counties, the migration of elderly in search of a retirement destination.
Many factors contribute to the migration of older people to non-metropolitan areas. Important quality of life considerations such as recreational and cultural amenities, lower housing and living costs, and climate are attractions retirees discover in small remote communities. Money Magazine listed several non-metro areas in its June 2002 issue as the Best Places to Retire. They include Roanoke County, Va., Sheboygan County, Wis., Boulder County, Colo., Dona Ana County (Las Cruces), N.M., and Jackson County (Medford), Ore.
For these communities, the graying of America refers not only to the growing number of older people, but also to their rising income levels and increased purchasing power.
As a group, the elderly have benefited most from the rapid rise in transfer payments and property income in recent years, both of which have become the primary source of income for this population.
Retirement-related transfers include Social Security, government pensions and Medicare. Many of these programs are tied to a price index so payment levels adjust automatically to the rate of inflation.
The major sources of income as reported by the Social Security Administration for older persons in 2000 were Social Security (reported by 90 percent of older persons), income from assets (reported by 59 percent), public and private pensions (reported by 41 percent), and earnings (reported by 22 percent).
An aging population can increase the need for resources, including medical care facilities (which are usually unavailable in rural communities), nursing homes, Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid. The growth of the population age 65 and older has affected every aspect of our society, presenting challenges as well as opportunities to policymakers, families, businesses and health care providers.
However, retirees can:
• increase household income rates for counties
• bring greater economic diversification
• provide a part-time and flexible employment base, and serve as a new type of consumer, who spawns economic growth and development.
For more information, visit:
• www.aoa.gov/aoa/stats/profile/default.htm (A Profile of Older Americans)
• www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2002/cb02ff07.html (The United States Census Bureau)
