The Elderly Population of South Florida 1950-1990

Abstract

Florida ranks fourth among the states in population size (Haub and Yanagishita, 1989), behind California, New York and Texas. It ranks first, however, in the proportion of its population aged 65 and over (U .S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, 1986). Nearly 18% of Florida's residents are aged 65 and over as compared with 12% nationally. This makes Florida a bellwether for a nation growing older. With the oldest state population, the trends among its older citizens are often regarded as an indicator of the future for other states.