Change in Population of Missouri Seniors - Age 65 and Older
Missouri, in recent decades, has ranked among the "older" states in terms of the percent of population age 65 and older. Missouri ranked ninth nationally in 1990, with 14 percent of the population age 65 and older. However, according to the 2000 Census, Missouri ranked 14th nationally with 13.5 percent of the population age 65 and older. That compares with 12.7 percent in that age group nationally.
The Missouri population age 65 and older increased from 717,681 in 1990 to 755,379 in 2000 - an increase of 5.3 percent (37,698). But, as indicated above the percent of seniors in Missouri’s population declined from 1990 to 2000 because the rate of senior population growth only increased by 5.3 percent while Missouri’s population under age 65 increased by 10.0 percent.
Graph 1 shows a significant difference in the rate of population growth between two age groups within the 65 and over cohort: those 85 and older and those age 65-84.
Graph 1
Population 85 and Older
Those Missourians age 85 and older increased from 81,217 in 1990 to 98,571 in 2000 (a 21.4% increase). Missouri follows a pattern occurring throughout the United States in which the population age 85 and older has, among the age cohorts, had the greatest rate of population growth. Because of improved health, nutrition, care facilities, etc. people are generally living longer than in past decades.
| Map 1 click map for larger version 
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As indicated in Table 1 virtually every Missouri county had a substantial increase in population 85 and older. The increases have occurred throughout the state. Map 1 shows that only eight counties failed to have an increase in population 85 and older from 1990-2000. Map 1 also shows that 18 counties had an increase of greater than 40 percent; an additional 30 counties had an increase of between 20 and 40 percent. Table 2 shows that the rate of increase in population 85 and older was very uniform among the 13 regions. Only two of the 13 regions had an increase of less than 10 percent. The regions having the smallest increases in population 85 and older are predominantly rural regions that had a relatively large population 85 and older in 1990.
| Map 2 click map for larger version 
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Population Age 65-84 - Gains and Losses
The pattern of population change during the 1990s was very different for the 65-84 age cohort than for the 85 and older cohort. The Missouri population age 65-84 increased from 636,464 in 1990 to 656,808 in 2000, a net increase of 20,344, but a gain of only 3.2 percent. But that rate of change is deceptive because it is an average of two very different trends in change of the 65-84 population. Very significant increases in the population age 65-84 occurred in suburban and lake-recreation counties as can be observed from Map 2. Concurrently very significant decreases occurred in the population age 65-84 in central city counties and a majority (63) of rural and small city counties.
Map 2 shows three major parts of the state in which the population age 65-84 declined. These were: (1) 14 of 18 counties in Southeast Missouri; (2) a cluster of nine counties south of Kansas City and along the Kansas border, and, the largest cluster, (3) 37 contiguous counties in north Missouri.
Map 2 also identifies 11 counties in which the population age 65-84 increased by more than 20 percent. Those counties are all either metropolitan or in the Branson or Lake of the Ozarks regions. The pattern of change is not uniform within the metro areas as is described in greater detail below.
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OSEDA Regional Grouping of Counties Many demographic factors vary by region within the state of Missouri. For the convenience of our user community, OSEDA prepares tables using three different regional groupings of counties: Extension, Economic Development and Transportation. For each of these groupings, one table summarizes the indicators by regional total and a second table shows values for each county grouped by region. Users may select the county grouping most helpful for their application and understanding. |
The Larger Gains - Metro and Lakes Areas
The St. Louis MSA had a net 1990-2000 increase in the population age 65-84 of 6,427 (3%) but that percentage is misleading. The City of St. Louis had a decline in population age 65-84 of 17,083 (-29.7%) while the six suburban counties had an aggregate increase of 23,510 (15.0%). In fact three St. Louis metro counties, St. Louis, St. Charles and Jefferson had a combined increase of 21,130--nearly 800 more than the net increase of population age 65-84 for the entire state of Missouri (20,344).
Like the St. Louis metro area, the Kansas City MSA had a modest net increase of 5,585 (5.2%), but most of the increase occurred in suburban counties. Jackson County, the location of Kansas City and Independence, had a net decline of 1,390 (-1.9%), while three of the six suburban counties (Cass, Clay and Platte) had a combined increase of 7,089 (28.7%).
The population age 65-84 in the Springfield-Branson Region increased by 8,190 (18.4%) from 1990-2000. Increases in that age cohort occurred in all seven region counties but 81 percent of this increase occurred in Greene, Christian and Stone counties. Springfield is a major health care, service and shopping center with easy access to major recreation opportunities and the region is continuing to attract the recently retired population from other places and states.
Boone County in the Central Region is also a metropolitan county. It’s population age 65-84 increased from 8,315 in 1990 to 10,009 in 2000 - a 20.4 percent increase. Columbia is a major regional medical center that is an attraction to the senior population. In addition, the Columbia Chamber of Commerce has been recruiting retirees from other parts of the state and nation as a part of the local economic development plan.
There are two other metro areas in Missouri - St. Joseph (Buchanan/Andrew counties) and Joplin (Newton/Jasper counties). The population age 65-84 declined by 840 in the St. Joseph metro area (-6.1%). This decline is consistent with the decline in population age 65-84 throughout north Missouri (Map 2). On the other hand, the senior population increased by 686 (3.7%) in the Joplin area. That increase is consistent with the increase of senior population throughout southwest Missouri.
In addition to the Branson area the Lake of the Ozarks area has been attracting significant numbers of retirees over the past two decades. The nine county Lake of the Ozarks-Rolla region had an increase in population age 65-84 during the 1990s of 4,009 -- 14.6 percent increase. However, 44.7 percent (1,793) of the nine county region’s increase occurred in Camden County. The population age 65-84 in Camden County increased by 37.8 percent. Three other region counties, Morgan, Pulaski and Phelps had increases of 17.1, 16.9 and 10 percent respectively. Along with Camden those three counties accounted for 78 percent of the region’s growth in population age 65-84.
The Losses - Inner Cities and Rural Areas
As indicated in Table 3, four of Missouri’s 13 DED regions experienced a net decline of population age 65-84 and an additional five had a gain of less than 3.6 percent. A total of 63 counties experienced a decline in population age 65-84 during the 1990s. Even in regions that had a net gain, several of the counties within those regions experienced losses.
The most uniformly consistent losses of senior population occurred throughout rural north Missouri. That includes the North Central, Northeast and Northwest Regions. Those three regions had a combined loss of 6,216 from 1990-2000 - a 10 percent decline. All but one of the 31 counties in these three regions experienced a net loss of senior population during the 1990s even when the small gains of population age 85 and older are added in. These regions are unlikely to gain senior population in the coming decade, since each of the regions had very little gain in population age 55-64.
Implications of Gains and Losses of Senior Population
Gains and losses of population in any age group have implications for communities and regions, but that is especially the case with regard to the senior population. Not only does change in the senior population have implications for housing and other services, but senior income, savings and entitlements have direct economic implications for gaining and/or losing communities, counties and regions.
Generally, among older people, their entitlements and other economic and social resources accompany them wherever they may choose to reside. It is well established that the net worth of older persons, especially those from age 65 to 80, is the highest of any age group.
The entitlements of older persons also play an especially important role. It is well established and will be reported in this section at a later time that Medicare payments are the economic foundation of many of the states smaller hospitals. As the number of people entitled to Medicare increases, hospital revenues will increase as well; the reverse is equally true.
Many additional features of regional profiles have important implications for the social, economic and demographic implications of changes in senior citizen population. As these features are added, we will establish links to the various related sections.
| Detailed Tables of Population Change | ||
The following links provide detailed tables of Senior Population age 65 and Over in Missouri, 1990-2000. They are available in both HTML and Adobe Acrobat(PDF) formats. All Missouri Counties |
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| Change in Senior Population in Missouri, 1990-2000 - By County with State Totals | HTML | |
| Regional Tables | ||
| UO/E Regions | ||
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Change in Senior Population in Missouri, 1990-2000 - By UM Extension Region |
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| Change in Senior Population in Missouri, 1990-2000 - By County Within UM Extension Region | HTML | |
| DED Regions | ||
| Change in Senior Population in Missouri, 1990-2000 - By DED Region | HTML | |
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Change in Senior Population in Missouri, 1990-2000 - By County Within DED Region |
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| MoDOT Regions | ||
| Change in Senior Population in Missouri, 1990-2000 - By DOT District | HTML | |
| Change in Senior Population in Missouri, 1990-2000 - By County Within DOT District | HTML | |
This file last modified Friday May 08, 2009, 14:28:25
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