Data / Rankings / Population aged 65 and over / US states

US states by share of population aged 65 and over

Maine had the highest share of population aged 65 and over of 51 states in 2020, at 21.9%. Utah had the lowest, at 11.7%. The median was 17.2% and the figure for the United States was 16.9%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest21.9Maine
Lowest11.7Utah
Median17.251 states
United States16.9History

All states, 2020

CSVChart (SVG)

MaineMaine: 21.9 %21.9FloridaFlorida: 21.2 %21.2VermontVermont: 20.7 %20.7West VirginiaWest Virginia: 20.5 %20.5MontanaMontana: 20 %20DelawareDelaware: 19.7 %19.7HawaiiHawaii: 19.5 %19.5New HampshireNew Hampshire: 19.4 %19.4PennsylvaniaPennsylvania: 19.1 %19.1South CarolinaSouth Carolina: 19.1 %19.1OregonOregon: 18.8 %18.8ArizonaArizona: 18.7 %18.7New MexicoNew Mexico: 18.6 %18.6Rhode IslandRhode Island: 18.3 %18.3WisconsinWisconsin: 18.1 %18.1IowaIowa: 18.1 %18.1OhioOhio: 18 %18ConnecticutConnecticut: 18 %18MichiganMichigan: 18 %18WyomingWyoming: 17.8 %17.8South DakotaSouth Dakota: 17.7 %17.7AlabamaAlabama: 17.7 %17.7MassachusettsMassachusetts: 17.6 %17.6ArkansasArkansas: 17.6 %17.6MissouriMissouri: 17.6 %17.6MississippiMississippi: 17.2 %17.2North CarolinaNorth Carolina: 17.2 %17.2TennesseeTennessee: 17.1 %17.1KentuckyKentucky: 17.1 %17.1IdahoIdaho: 16.9 %16.9New YorkNew York: 16.8 %16.8KansasKansas: 16.8 %16.8MinnesotaMinnesota: 16.7 %16.7IndianaIndiana: 16.6 %16.6OklahomaOklahoma: 16.5 %16.5New JerseyNew Jersey: 16.5 %16.5NebraskaNebraska: 16.5 %16.5LouisianaLouisiana: 16.4 %16.4NevadaNevada: 16.4 %16.4IllinoisIllinois: 16.4 %16.4WashingtonWashington: 16.3 %16.3VirginiaVirginia: 16.2 %16.2MarylandMaryland: 16 %16North DakotaNorth Dakota: 15.9 %15.9CaliforniaCalifornia: 15.2 %15.2ColoradoColorado: 15.1 %15.1GeorgiaGeorgia: 14.8 %14.8TexasTexas: 13.5 %13.5AlaskaAlaska: 13.1 %13.1District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia: 12.7 %12.7UtahUtah: 11.7 %11.7
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

Full ranking

RankStates2020 (%)
1Maine21.9
2Florida21.2
3Vermont20.7
4West Virginia20.5
5Montana20
6Delaware19.7
7Hawaii19.5
8New Hampshire19.4
9Pennsylvania19.1
10South Carolina19.1
11Oregon18.8
12Arizona18.7
13New Mexico18.6
14Rhode Island18.3
15Wisconsin18.1
16Iowa18.1
17Ohio18
18Connecticut18
19Michigan18
20Wyoming17.8
21South Dakota17.7
22Alabama17.7
23Massachusetts17.6
24Arkansas17.6
25Missouri17.6
26Mississippi17.2
27North Carolina17.2
28Tennessee17.1
29Kentucky17.1
30Idaho16.9
31New York16.8
32Kansas16.8
33Minnesota16.7
34Indiana16.6
35Oklahoma16.5
36New Jersey16.5
37Nebraska16.5
38Louisiana16.4
39Nevada16.4
40Illinois16.4
41Washington16.3
42Virginia16.2
43Maryland16
44North Dakota15.9
45California15.2
46Colorado15.1
47Georgia14.8
48Texas13.5
49Alaska13.1
50District of Columbia12.7
51Utah11.7

Other periods

About this ranking

Residents aged 65 or over as a percentage of total population. Spain: 1 January, INE annual census. United States: 1 July, Census Bureau population estimates. World Bank figures for other countries and the World refer to mid-year.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the states are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex (cc-est agesex): residents aged 65 and over as a percentage of the total, 1 July; states and the nation summed from counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/counties/asrh/cc-est2025-agesex-all.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

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Rank US states by share of population aged 65 and over using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which state has the highest share of population aged 65 and over?

Maine, with 21.9% in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which state has the lowest share of population aged 65 and over?

Utah, with 11.7% in 2020.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex (cc-est agesex): residents aged 65 and over as a percentage of the total, 1 July; states and the nation summed from counties. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

Population aged 65 and over: other rankings

US states: more rankings