Percentage of the Population Age 65 and Over by Year, New Mexico and U.S., 1990 to 2019
Indicator Report Data View Options
Why Is This Important?
The age distribution of a population is related to several health measures, such as the prevalence of chronic disease and the demand for family planning and immunization services. Younger populations, that is, those with a higher percentage of children and young adults, have different needs for health services than those with older populations. Without increases to the health, long-term care, and support systems for older populations in New Mexico, this dramatic shift in New Mexico's demographics may endanger the health of our older adults and especially those older adults living in rural communities.
Definition
The percentage of the population that is older adults.
Data Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, CDC WONDER Online Database
(http://wonder.cdc.gov) - New Mexico Population Estimates: University of New Mexico, Geospatial and Population Studies (GPS) Program.
(http://gps.unm.edu/)
How the Measure is Calculated
| Numerator: | Number of older adults (age 65 and over) in the population. |
| Denominator: | Total number of persons in the population. |
Data Issues
All population estimates apply to July 1 of the selected year. These estimates are considered the most accurate estimates for the state of New Mexico and should match those found on the University of New Mexico Geospatial and Population Studies website. Estimates include decimal fractions. Census tract population estimates were summed to produce County and Small Area population estimates. Population estimate totals may vary due to rounding. Population estimates for previous years are occasionally revised as new information becomes available. When publishing trend data, always be sure that your rates for earlier years match current rates on NM-IBIS that have been calculated with the most up-to-date population estimates.Health Topic Pages Related to: Population Demographic Characteristics - Age 65+
Community Health Resources and Links
- Healthy People 2030 Website
- The Guide to Community Preventive Services
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
- County Health Rankings
- Kaiser Family Foundation's StateHealthFacts
Medical literature can be queried at the PubMed website.