- Older adults comprise 16% of the total population of Milwaukee County
The older adult population of Milwaukee County (age 60 or older) totals 153,189 persons. The overwhelming majority of older adults are self-sustaining, vital, and contributing members of the community.
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- Milwaukee County's older adult population declined from 172,415 in 1990 to 153,189 in 2000, a decrease of 19,226 persons or 11.2%. The decrease results from two primary factors: (1) the majority of persons who reached age 60 during the decade were born during the Great Depression when birth rates were low and (2) some older persons moved out of Milwaukee County following retirement.
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- The fastest growing segment of the older adult population is among persons age 85 or older. Since 1950 there has been a 477% increase in persons age 85 or older. The number of person's age 85 or older grew from 2,860 in 1950 to 16,512 in 2000. From 1990 to 2000, this group increased from 14,673 to 16,512 persons, or 12.5%.
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- The number of minority elders in Milwaukee County is growing and has partially offset the decrease among white elderly. While the number of White elders declined from 156,745 in 1990 to 129,931 in 2000, the number of minority elders increase from 15,670 to 23,258. Over the decade, the number of Black or African American elders increased 39.1%, the number of Asian and Pacific Islander elders increased 77.0%, and the number of Hispanic or Latino elders increased 51.5%.
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- Minorities age 65 or older are at greater risk of living in poverty. While the poverty rate for White elders is 6.7%, the poverty rate for Black or African American elders is 20.1%, for American Indian and Alaska Native elders is 25.0%, for Asian elders is 12.1%, for Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander elders is 26.3%, for elders of Some Other Race is 27.4%, and for Hispanic or Latino elders is 19.4%.
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- Nearly one-third of all older adults live alone. In Milwaukee County, more than 47,500 older persons live alone. Older women are more likely to live alone than older men.
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- The largest percentage increases among older adults occurred in selected suburban communities. The largest percentage increases occurred in Brown Deer, Cudahy, Franklin, Greendale, Hales Corners, and Oak Creek while the largest percentage decreases occurred in Milwaukee, Shorewood, and Whitefish Bay.
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