Counties with the most seniors in California
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Counties with the most seniors in California
Seniors will comprise more than 20% of U.S. residents in 2030, up from 15% in 2020. By 2034, older adults will outnumber children, according to Census Bureau projections.
Across the U.S., 52 million Americans are 65 years or older, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and a quarter of them live in just three states: California, Florida, and Texas. By comparison, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Wyoming, and Alaska each have fewer than 150,000 senior residents. The size of a state’s senior population means a lot in terms of demand for resources like health care, affordable housing, assisted living, in-home and nursing care, and support services, and the quality and availability of those resources help determine where seniors migrate.
With baby boomers moving into old age, fewer babies being born, and longer life expectancies, the senior population of America is on a spectacular rise. The lengthening of the U.S. life expectancy has been particularly dramatic, rising to nearly 79 years from 68 years in 1950.
Stacker compiled a list of counties with the most seniors in California using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the highest percentage of residents 65 years or older according to 2020 5-year estimates.
Keep reading to find out which counties have the most seniors in California.
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Armona // Wikicommons
#58. Kings County
– Population aged 65 or older: 10.3%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 27.1%
– Median age: 32 years old
— Median age of males: 32.2 years old
— Median age of females: 31.5 years old
– Total population: 151,090 people
nickchapman // Wikicommons
#57. Kern County
– Population aged 65 or older: 11%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 28.9%
– Median age: 31.9 years old
— Median age of males: 31.3 years old
— Median age of females: 32.5 years old
– Total population: 892,458 people
Mark Miller // Wikimedia Commons
#56. Merced County
– Population aged 65 or older: 11.2%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 29.5%
– Median age: 31.2 years old
— Median age of males: 30.4 years old
— Median age of females: 32 years old
– Total population: 273,661 people
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#55. Tulare County
– Population aged 65 or older: 11.4%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 30.8%
– Median age: 31.2 years old
— Median age of males: 30.5 years old
— Median age of females: 31.9 years old
– Total population: 463,955 people
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#54. San Bernardino County
– Population aged 65 or older: 11.6%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 26.4%
– Median age: 33.6 years old
— Median age of males: 32.6 years old
— Median age of females: 34.7 years old
– Total population: 2,162,532 people
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David Jordan // Wikicommons
#53. Fresno County
– Population aged 65 or older: 12.2%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 28.4%
– Median age: 32.4 years old
— Median age of males: 31.6 years old
— Median age of females: 33.3 years old
– Total population: 990,204 people
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District // Wikimedia Commons
#52. Yuba County
– Population aged 65 or older: 12.4%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 27.5%
– Median age: 33 years old
— Median age of males: 32.3 years old
— Median age of females: 34 years old
– Total population: 77,524 people
Epolk // Wikimedia Commons
#51. Yolo County
– Population aged 65 or older: 12.5%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 21.0%
– Median age: 31.1 years old
— Median age of males: 30.5 years old
— Median age of females: 31.8 years old
– Total population: 218,774 people
Michael Patrick // Wikimedia Commons
#50. San Benito County
– Population aged 65 or older: 12.7%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 25.7%
– Median age: 35.7 years old
— Median age of males: 35 years old
— Median age of females: 36.5 years old
– Total population: 61,547 people
LPS.1 // Wikicommons
#49. San Joaquin County
– Population aged 65 or older: 12.8%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 27.1%
– Median age: 34.4 years old
— Median age of males: 33.3 years old
— Median age of females: 35.6 years old
– Total population: 751,615 people
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Cbl62 // Wikicommons
#48. Imperial County
– Population aged 65 or older: 12.9%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 28.7%
– Median age: 32.5 years old
— Median age of males: 31.6 years old
— Median age of females: 33.6 years old
– Total population: 180,580 people
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#47. Stanislaus County
– Population aged 65 or older: 13%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 27.1%
– Median age: 34.3 years old
— Median age of males: 33.1 years old
— Median age of females: 35.2 years old
– Total population: 546,235 people
Uladzik Kryhin // Shutterstock
#46. Santa Clara County
– Population aged 65 or older: 13.5%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 21.9%
– Median age: 37.2 years old
— Median age of males: 36.1 years old
— Median age of females: 38.4 years old
– Total population: 1,924,379 people
Naotake Murayama // Wikicommons
#45. Monterey County
– Population aged 65 or older: 13.6%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 26.2%
– Median age: 34.7 years old
— Median age of males: 34.2 years old
— Median age of females: 35.2 years old
– Total population: 432,977 people
BDS2006 // Wikimedia
#44. Los Angeles County
– Population aged 65 or older: 13.6%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 21.7%
– Median age: 36.7 years old
— Median age of males: 35.6 years old
— Median age of females: 37.9 years old
– Total population: 10,040,682 people
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Jennifer Williams // Wikimedia Commons
#43. Alameda County
– Population aged 65 or older: 13.9%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 20.6%
– Median age: 37.8 years old
— Median age of males: 36.9 years old
— Median age of females: 38.6 years old
– Total population: 1,661,584 people
Public Domain
#42. Madera County
– Population aged 65 or older: 14%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 27.4%
– Median age: 34.1 years old
— Median age of males: 33.2 years old
— Median age of females: 34.9 years old
– Total population: 155,925 people
SD Dirk // Flickr
#41. San Diego County
– Population aged 65 or older: 14.1%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 21.6%
– Median age: 36.1 years old
— Median age of males: 34.8 years old
— Median age of females: 37.5 years old
– Total population: 3,323,970 people
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#40. Sacramento County
– Population aged 65 or older: 14.1%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 23.7%
– Median age: 36.4 years old
— Median age of males: 35.2 years old
— Median age of females: 37.7 years old
– Total population: 1,537,948 people
Finetooth // Wikimedia Commons
#39. Lassen County
– Population aged 65 or older: 14.4%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 16.1%
– Median age: 36.8 years old
— Median age of males: 35 years old
— Median age of females: 44.2 years old
– Total population: 30,600 people
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Daniel Orth // Flickr
#38. Riverside County
– Population aged 65 or older: 14.5%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 25.2%
– Median age: 35.8 years old
— Median age of males: 35 years old
— Median age of females: 36.7 years old
– Total population: 2,437,864 people
CleanWater17 // Wikimedia Commons
#37. Colusa County
– Population aged 65 or older: 14.6%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 27.3%
– Median age: 35.4 years old
— Median age of males: 34.5 years old
— Median age of females: 36.4 years old
– Total population: 21,491 people
Hollywood // Wikimedia Commons
#36. Orange County
– Population aged 65 or older: 14.8%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 22.0%
– Median age: 38.3 years old
— Median age of males: 36.9 years old
— Median age of females: 39.6 years old
– Total population: 3,170,345 people
Pixabay
#35. Santa Barbara County
– Population aged 65 or older: 15.3%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 22.3%
– Median age: 33.8 years old
— Median age of males: 33 years old
— Median age of females: 34.9 years old
– Total population: 444,895 people
clr_flickr from Rocklin, USA // Wikimedia Commons
#34. Mono County
– Population aged 65 or older: 15.3%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 20.7%
– Median age: 39.5 years old
— Median age of males: 38.3 years old
— Median age of females: 40.6 years old
– Total population: 14,395 people
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Ray Bouknight // Wikicommons
#33. Sutter County
– Population aged 65 or older: 15.4%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 25.9%
– Median age: 35.8 years old
— Median age of males: 34.7 years old
— Median age of females: 37.1 years old
– Total population: 96,315 people
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#32. Ventura County
– Population aged 65 or older: 15.6%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 22.9%
– Median age: 38.5 years old
— Median age of males: 37.2 years old
— Median age of females: 39.9 years old
– Total population: 845,599 people
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#31. Solano County
– Population aged 65 or older: 15.7%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 22.2%
– Median age: 38.3 years old
— Median age of males: 36.9 years old
— Median age of females: 40.1 years old
– Total population: 444,538 people
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#30. San Francisco
– Population aged 65 or older: 15.8%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 13.4%
– Median age: 38.3 years old
— Median age of males: 37.9 years old
— Median age of females: 38.7 years old
– Total population: 874,784 people
MARELBU // Wikimedia Commons
#29. Contra Costa County
– Population aged 65 or older: 15.8%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 22.7%
– Median age: 39.9 years old
— Median age of males: 38.5 years old
— Median age of females: 41.1 years old
– Total population: 1,147,788 people
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Craig Howell // Wikimedia Commons
#28. San Mateo County
– Population aged 65 or older: 16.2%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 20.5%
– Median age: 39.8 years old
— Median age of males: 38.4 years old
— Median age of females: 41.3 years old
– Total population: 765,623 people
Trance addict // Wikimedia Commons
#27. Glenn County
– Population aged 65 or older: 16.4%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 26.7%
– Median age: 35.9 years old
— Median age of males: 35 years old
— Median age of females: 37.4 years old
– Total population: 28,060 people
Aaronbrick // Wikicommons
#26. Santa Cruz County
– Population aged 65 or older: 16.4%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 19.1%
– Median age: 38.2 years old
— Median age of males: 37.3 years old
— Median age of females: 39.3 years old
– Total population: 273,170 people
Cory Maylett // Wikimedia Commons
#25. Humboldt County
– Population aged 65 or older: 17.8%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 19.1%
– Median age: 38.9 years old
— Median age of males: 38.3 years old
— Median age of females: 39.5 years old
– Total population: 136,101 people
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#24. Del Norte County
– Population aged 65 or older: 17.8%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 21.7%
– Median age: 40 years old
— Median age of males: 38.8 years old
— Median age of females: 42.1 years old
– Total population: 27,692 people
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#23. Butte County
– Population aged 65 or older: 18.2%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 20.1%
– Median age: 36.9 years old
— Median age of males: 35.6 years old
— Median age of females: 38.2 years old
– Total population: 223,344 people
Stan Shebs // Wikicommons
#22. Napa County
– Population aged 65 or older: 19.2%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 20.6%
– Median age: 41.8 years old
— Median age of males: 40.8 years old
— Median age of females: 43 years old
– Total population: 138,572 people
Doug Olson // Wikimedia Commons
#21. Placer County
– Population aged 65 or older: 19.6%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 22.2%
– Median age: 42.2 years old
— Median age of males: 40.7 years old
— Median age of females: 43.6 years old
– Total population: 391,799 people
Fred Hsu // Wikicommons
#20. Sonoma County
– Population aged 65 or older: 19.6%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 19.6%
– Median age: 42.4 years old
— Median age of males: 40.9 years old
— Median age of females: 44 years old
– Total population: 496,801 people
Frank Schulenburg // Wikimedia Commons
#19. Tehama County
– Population aged 65 or older: 19.8%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 23.9%
– Median age: 40.6 years old
— Median age of males: 39.3 years old
— Median age of females: 42.3 years old
– Total population: 64,176 people
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Basar // Wikicommons
#18. San Luis Obispo County
– Population aged 65 or older: 20.1%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 17.7%
– Median age: 39.5 years old
— Median age of males: 37.8 years old
— Median age of females: 41.6 years old
– Total population: 282,517 people
Doug Kerr // Wikicommons
#17. Shasta County
– Population aged 65 or older: 20.6%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 21.6%
– Median age: 41.7 years old
— Median age of males: 39.9 years old
— Median age of females: 43.7 years old
– Total population: 179,267 people
DimiTalen // Wikimedia Commons
#16. El Dorado County
– Population aged 65 or older: 21.2%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 19.9%
– Median age: 46.3 years old
— Median age of males: 45.2 years old
— Median age of females: 47.4 years old
– Total population: 190,345 people
Binksternet // Wikimedia Commons
#15. Mendocino County
– Population aged 65 or older: 22.1%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 21.3%
– Median age: 43.4 years old
— Median age of males: 42.2 years old
— Median age of females: 44.8 years old
– Total population: 87,110 people
Kglavin // Wikimedia Commons
#14. Marin County
– Population aged 65 or older: 22.3%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 20.0%
– Median age: 47.1 years old
— Median age of males: 45.6 years old
— Median age of females: 48.4 years old
– Total population: 259,441 people
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CFang // Wikimedia Commons
#13. Lake County
– Population aged 65 or older: 22.8%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 21.0%
– Median age: 45.3 years old
— Median age of males: 43.4 years old
— Median age of females: 47.1 years old
– Total population: 64,276 people
Chuck Abbe // Wikimedia Commons
#12. Inyo County
– Population aged 65 or older: 23.3%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 20.8%
– Median age: 45.3 years old
— Median age of males: 43.9 years old
— Median age of females: 46.9 years old
– Total population: 17,930 people
Chmee2 // Wikimedia Commons
#11. Siskiyou County
– Population aged 65 or older: 25.2%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 20.2%
– Median age: 47.7 years old
— Median age of males: 46.2 years old
— Median age of females: 49.4 years old
– Total population: 43,516 people
Bobak Ha’Eri // Wikimedia Commons
#10. Tuolumne County
– Population aged 65 or older: 26.1%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 16.6%
– Median age: 48.7 years old
— Median age of males: 45.4 years old
— Median age of females: 51.5 years old
– Total population: 54,147 people
Bobak Ha’Eri // Wikimedia Commons
#9. Amador County
– Population aged 65 or older: 27%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 15.3%
– Median age: 49.9 years old
— Median age of males: 47.2 years old
— Median age of females: 53.7 years old
– Total population: 39,023 people
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Scott Burley // Wikimedia Commons
#8. Modoc County
– Population aged 65 or older: 27.4%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 19.7%
– Median age: 47.6 years old
— Median age of males: 46.9 years old
— Median age of females: 47.8 years old
– Total population: 8,853 people
Frank Schulenburg // Wikimedia Commons
#7. Nevada County
– Population aged 65 or older: 27.4%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 17.1%
– Median age: 50.5 years old
— Median age of males: 48.4 years old
— Median age of females: 52.7 years old
– Total population: 99,417 people
Kenneth Green // Wikimedia Commons
#6. Plumas County
– Population aged 65 or older: 27.7%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 16.8%
– Median age: 51.9 years old
— Median age of males: 51.8 years old
— Median age of females: 52.2 years old
– Total population: 18,844 people
Almonroth // Wikimedia Commons
#5. Trinity County
– Population aged 65 or older: 28%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 17.2%
– Median age: 52.4 years old
— Median age of males: 52.5 years old
— Median age of females: 52.3 years old
– Total population: 12,541 people
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#4. Calaveras County
– Population aged 65 or older: 28%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 16.6%
– Median age: 52.8 years old
— Median age of males: 51 years old
— Median age of females: 53.7 years old
– Total population: 45,828 people
EPoelzl // Wikimedia Commons
#3. Mariposa County
– Population aged 65 or older: 28.2%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 16.4%
– Median age: 51.8 years old
— Median age of males: 50.7 years old
— Median age of females: 53.6 years old
– Total population: 17,319 people
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#2. Sierra County
– Population aged 65 or older: 28.2%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 15.3%
– Median age: 54 years old
— Median age of males: 49 years old
— Median age of females: 55.1 years old
– Total population: 2,898 people
Susan Popielaski // Wikimedia Commons
#1. Alpine County
– Population aged 65 or older: 29.1%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 21.7%
– Median age: 47.6 years old
— Median age of males: 48.7 years old
— Median age of females: 42.3 years old
– Total population: 1,159 people
