How many senior citizens are there in the US?

With senior citizens in the United States living longer and better, older adults are among the fastest-growing age groups. While the term "senior citizen" is subjective, most people relate retirement with attaining senior status, and most people retire between 60 and 70. However, most people consider age 65 to be the magic number.

There are about 62 million seniors aged 65 and older living in the United States, which is about 18% of the total US population. This number is expected to increase to 80.8 million by 2040, which will be an estimated 23% of the US population; this means that nearly 1 in every 5 people will be a senior.

At what age do you become a senior citizen?

The age when someone is considered a senior can vary across countries and cultures. In the United States, a person is considered a senior citizen from age 65, which is the age when seniors become eligible for various benefits, including Social Security and Medicare. The US Census Bureau also considers people who are age 65 and older as part of the "older population" for its data collection and reporting purposes.

In Canada, the age of seniorhood is considered to be 65, although the eligibility requirements for various government assistance programs start from age 55 onwards. Additionally, certain government and private institutions may have their own criteria for determining who is a senior, and the age requirements can vary.

Which states have the highest percentage of senior citizens?

California and Florida have the highest population of seniors in the United States, with a senior population of 5.9 million and 4.6 million respectively as of 2021. California has the highest number of seniors, while Florida has the highest percentage of seniors, followed by Maine, West Virginia, Vermont, and Pennsylvania.

Florida is home to many seniors due to its warm weather, lots of sunny days, favorable taxes, and many retirement communities like The Villages. The senior population in Florida represents about 19.3% of the total population in the state. Maine has the highest Median age at 44.3 years compared to Florida’s 41.8 years.

On the other hand, several states have the lowest population of senior citizens. These states include Utah, Alaska, and Texas. While Texas is a large state with a high population, it has a lower percentage of seniors compared to other states.

What city in the U.S. has the most senior citizens?

The Villages, Florida is considered the largest retirement community in the United States, and it has been ranked as the fastest-growing metropolitan area in the country. While The Villages is not an officially designated city, it is a US census-designated place that is spread across three counties in Florida i.e. Lake, Sumter, and Marion. This retirement community has a high concentration of seniors aged 65 and over, with a median age of 66.4 years.

Apart from The Villages, other cities in Florida with a higher percentage of seniors include North Port, Palm Coast, Tamarac, Walnut Creek, and Port Charlotte. Cities outside Florida that have a high percentage of seniors include Scottsdale (Arizona), Sun City (Arizona), Georgetown (Texas), Hemet (California), and Santa Fe (New Mexico).

Which country has the most seniors?

Japan has among the highest proportion of seniors age 65 and older in the world, but it was overtaken by Monaco, a country in Europe. Monaco's senior population accounts for 36% of its total population, while the proportion of seniors in Japan accounts for 29% of its population. Japan has one of the highest life expectancies in the world at 85.3 years, mainly due to the country's good healthcare, diet, and lifestyle.

In Europe, countries like Monaco, Italy, Spain, Bulgaria, Portugal, Croatia, Greece, Germany, and Serbia have among the highest senior populations. Most countries in Europe are grappling with a shrinking younger population and an aging workforce, which explains the higher concentration of seniors.

Defining milestones for senior citizens

Social Security benefit

Seniors can start receiving Social Security benefits as early as age 62, or they can delay taking benefits until age 70. To receive the full benefits, you can wait until you attain the full retirement age, which ranges from 66 to 67, depending on your date of birth. Delaying taking benefits further until age 70 will increase the monthly Social Security checks you will receive. However, there is no benefit to delaying benefits after age 70.

Accessing Medicare benefit

Age 65 is important to seniors because that is the age when Medicare kicks in. Generally, you can enroll in Medicare for the first time as early as three months before your 65^th birthday. You will be automatically enrolled in Medicare Part A, and you can also opt to enroll for Medicare Part B.

Once you are enrolled for Medicare Part A and B, you can decide whether you want to explore Part C and D. Be aware that Medicare is a paid program, and you will be required to pay monthly premiums and deductibles, which may vary based on the programs you choose.

Receiving senior discount

Senior citizens are eligible to get senior discounts at a variety of places, including restaurants, grocery stores, movie theatres, insurance companies, online retail stores, internet service providers, and phone companies. Most of these senior discounts are available to people ages 50 to 65.

Retiring from work

Once you reach retirement age and step away from your regular day job, your family will consider you to have reached senior citizen status. Most seniors retire to pursue a passion, travel around the world, or venture into business to earn an extra income. Since you are no longer restricted to a fixed routine, you will have a lot of freedom to pursue the things you have always wanted to do.