THE ELDERLY POPULATION: CENSUS 2000Two recent reports from the United States Census, The Older Population in the United States:2002 and The Population 65 Years Old and Older, show the following: MEN vs WOMEN 1. As the population ages, the ratio of men to women declines from 92 for every 100 women at ages 55-64 to 46 men per 100 women at ages 85 and older. 2. Older men are more likely than older women to be in the civilian labor force. For example, of men aged 55-59, 77 percent were in the labor force compared to 64 percent of women. However, by age 65+, 18 percent of men were in the labor force compared to 9.8 percent of women. DIVERSITY Diversity declines as the population ages. For example, non-Hispanic whites represent 42.1 percent of the 55-64 age cohort compared to 50.6 percent Hispanics. However, at ages, 85 and over, non-Hispanic whites represent 21.6 percent of the population and Hispanics 14.7 percent. POVERTY The following chart indicates how the proportion of those living below the poverty line increases with age and more so for men than women:
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