Allen County Demographic Report on the Population of Elders: An Overview of Census 2000 Data

Population / total
Total in 2000 / 331849
Total in 2006 (est.) / 347316
% Growth 2000-2006 / 4.66%
Ages 65 and over in 2000 / 37760
Ages 65 and over in 2006 / 39335
% 65 and over in 2006 / 11.33%
% Growth (65+) 2000-2006 / 4.2%
Population over 85 in 2006 / 5832
Population est. 55-64 2006 / 26085
Spanish Speakers (65+) / 333
Speak little or no Engl. (65+) / 55

In Allen County thetotal population grew considerably during the period from 2000 to 2006, while the population aged 65 years and older in the county grew proportionally at nearly the same rate.

(*Number of seniors ages 65 and over by census tract.)

Income / %
% of ages 65+ living below poverty level / 6.4
% of total population below poverty level / 9.1
Ages 65+ living below 150% of poverty / 15.77
Labor force participation rate for ages 65+ / 16.02
Unemployment rate among labor force participants ages 65+ / 5.05

The percentage of seniors in Allen County that lives below the poverty line issmaller than the percentage of the total population in thecounty as well as the percentage of seniors across Indiana(7.7%) that lives below the poverty line. The labor-force participation rate among seniors in Allen County is much higher than among seniors across the Indiana (13.93%), but unemployment among seniors in the county is also higher than among seniors across the state(3.45%).

The proportion of females to males generally increases in older cohorts.

In Allen County the largest frequency of seniors is in the income category from $5,000 and $9,999, as in most counties in Indiana. *Note that income categories for this graph are larger for those making more than $54,999.

Housing
Households with 1 or more 65+ / 26223
Number of 65+ householders / 24374
% 65+ householders who own (v. rent) / 78.56
% 65+ householders living in housing built before 1960 / 43.8
% 65+ householders who moved in before 1970 / 35.63
Number of 65+ females living alone / 8751
Number of 65+ male living alone / 2548
% of householders living alone / 46.36
% of 65+ householders who pay >35% of income for housing / 22.91

The percentage of senior householders in Allen County who live in older housing is smaller than the percentage of senior householders who live in older housing across Indiana (48.6%) and thepercentage of senior householders in the county who have been living in the same home for over 30 years is also slightly smaller than the corresponding percentage across the state (37.8%).

Grandparents as Caregivers for Grandchildren 18 Years Old and Younger

Tot. / %
Aged 65+ who live with one or more own grandchildren / 860 / 2.42% (of sample)
Aged 65+ having primary responsibility for grandchildren / 260 / *30.23%
Aged 65+ live with, but not responsible for grandchildren / 590 / *68.6%
Aged 55-64 who live with one or more own grandchildren / 1210 / 4.71% (of sample)
Aged 55-64 having primary responsibility for grandchildren / 550 / *45.45%
Aged 55-64 live with, but not responsible for grandchildren / 660 / *54.55%

*Percent of total of those who live with one or more of their own grandchildren. Sample size for 65+ = 35480; sample size for ages 55-64 = 25700.

A majority of householders over 65 years old own their own home rather than rent, while almost one third of all seniors live alone. The percentage of senior householdersin Allen County who own their home is smaller thanthe percentage of senior householders who own their own home across Indiana (82.13%), and the percentage ofhouseholders aged 85 years and olderin the county who own their home is much smaller than the corresponding percentage across the state (70.94). The percentage of seniors who live alone in Allen County is nearly the same as the percentage of all seniors who live aloneacross Indiana (29.11%).

Disabilities among Non-institutionalized Population Aged 60+ / Total number
Sensory / 4540
Physical / 8985
learning/remembering/concentrating / 3025
Self-care disability / 2665
Go-outside-home disability / 6440
Employment disability / 530
Percent of ages 65+ with any disability / 38.2

*Categories are not mutually exclusive. (Source: US Census Summary File 3)