FLORIDA’S SENIORS BY THE NUMBERS
While sometimes it seems like Florida is getting younger and more international, and it is, there is still a huge and growing number of seniors here. While you probably already know this, I think the numbers might surprise you. They surprised me. I am going to rattle off some good ones: Florida is the number 1 destination in the U.S. for seniors, with 112,000 moving to Florida from other states in 2013. Palm Beach County is one of twelve counties in the U.S. to have 250,000 residents who are 65 or older. 1 in 20 Floridians is 80 or older, which is 1 million people out of almost 19 million. By 2030 the Florida senior population will double to almost 10 million. These people vote, drive, pay taxes and are a big economic force. Plus regardless of their age, they must feel like they get younger just by coming here because there are always older people than them. In Florida being 70 or 80 is like being 60 somewhere else. It is like Jay Z said, 30 is the new 20 but times 2 or 3 here. And they are a look at the future, where we will all go if we should live long enough. When I first moved to Florida I thought that the seniors were both dangerous (driving) and maddening (ever wait in a line behind one?). But once the recession hit in 2008 I realized how important they were to the economy and how helpful they can be. Could there be an election without them? Both voting and manning the voting locations? How many of them are unofficial caretakers of children here? Yes typically those are their grandchildren but without them how would the parents work who cannot afford childcare? Yes the elderly fill many roles here and there is so much more they can do. And with retirement becoming a thing of the past, they will. Seniors here are more active and busy than seniors anywhere else in the country I bet. Partly due to the weather and lifestyle but also the amount of opportunities here. Have you ever seen an elderly person working at a supermarket anywhere else in the country? And most are doing so because they want to, not because they need the money. For us younger Floridians it is just another reason to never leave. I guess you can tell that I love Florida! As always thanks for reading and have a great day.
Florida can’t care for all of its frailest seniors
Yet the elderly are still pouring into Florida — far outpacing other states
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