Number of Nursing Homes vs. Percentage of Seniors by State
As the baby boomers approach retirement, approximately 16.42% of the US population will become seniors. [1] To put it in other words, nearly one out of every six persons you see is more than 65 years old. In the United States, it is anticipated that there will be more than 90 million older adults by 2050. As the demand for nursing homes grows this demographic change underscores the necessity of these facilities. Due to chronic illnesses the health of the older generation differs dramatically from that of the rest of the population, prompting an increase in the need for long-term healthcare facilities. In this article, we will take a look at the number of nursing homes in each state and its correlation with the demographics of that state.
The Number of Nursing Homes by State
Figure 1: Number of Nursing Homes by State
Looking at Figure 1 above, it is evident that California and Texas are in the lead with the most number of certified nursing homes by state, with 1,184 and 1,210 respectively. The Rocky Mountain Region has the fewest facilities, while the Midwest has the highest percentage of long-term healthcare services, with half of the top 10 states (Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Michigan) in this region.
The Percentage of Seniors by State
Figure 2 below, which represents the percentage of seniors in the population of each state, depicts quite a different situation. Maine ranks as the oldest state, with 20.6 percent, followed by Florida and West Virginia. California, on the other contrary, remains a young state, placing 45th with 14.3 percent of the population being seniors. Even more unexpected, Texas is the third-youngest state, trailing behind only Alaska and Utah.
Figure 2: Percentage of Seniors by State [2]
The reason why the Midwest and Northeast have such a high percentage of seniors is due to the fact that elders usually prefer to reside in suburban and rural areas, whereas younger generations frequently seek career opportunities in larger and denser urban centers.
References
Aging in America - Assets.prb.org. https://assets.prb.org/pdf11/aging-in-america.pdf.
“Which U.S. States Have the Oldest Populations?” PRB, https://www.prb.org/resources/which-us-states-are-the-oldest/.
By Rosetta Hu