Exploring Senior Demographics of Idaho

Last Updated on April 25, 2024 by Rachel

Introduction

Nestled in the heart of the American Northwest, the state of Idaho boasts a captivating blend of natural beauty, from the majesty of its mountains to the serenity of its lakes and forests. Amidst this scenic backdrop, the Gem State is home to a growing population of seniors aged 65 and over. These senior citizens play a distinctive and integral role in shaping the state’s culture, communities, and its overall identity.

Sex and Age

The total population of seniors in Idaho amounts to 329,530 individuals. This group is fairly balanced in terms of gender, with 47.2% being male and 52.8% female. The median age among seniors in Idaho is 73.0 years, indicating the general age distribution.

Racial Diversity

Regarding racial composition, the majority of seniors in Idaho identify as belonging to a single race, with 95.6% falling into this category. Among these individuals, 91.6% identify as White, 0.3% as Black or African American, 0.9% as American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% as Asian, and 0.0% as Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander. Additionally, 1.8% identify as belonging to some other race. Furthermore, 4.4% of seniors in Idaho identify as belonging to two or more races. Approximately 4.3% of seniors in Idaho identify as Hispanic or Latino, irrespective of their racial background, and 90.9% identify as White alone, not Hispanic or Latino.

Household and Family Structure

The population living in households in Idaho’s senior demographic totals 320,388 individuals. Within this group, the majority, 91.9%, are either householders or spouses, 3.0% are parents, 2.8% are other relatives, and 2.3% are nonrelatives. This last category includes 1.1% who are unmarried partners.

Household Types

The households within this senior demographic reveal that 58.2% are family households. Among family households, 50.1% are married-couple families, and 5.7% are female householder families with no spouse present. Nonfamily households account for 41.8% of the total, with 39.0% of householders living alone.

Marital Status

Analyzing the marital status of individuals aged 15 and over in this demographic, 62.0% are currently married, except for those who are separated. Additionally, 19.0% are widowed, 14.6% are divorced, 0.8% are separated, and 3.7% have never been married.

Educational Attainment

Within the senior population aged 25 and over in Idaho, 6.9% have less than a high school education. A higher percentage, 27.3%, have completed high school, received a GED, or pursued an alternative education. Furthermore, 35.1% have attained some college education or an associate’s degree, while 30.7% have a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Responsibility for Grandchildren

Among the population aged 30 and over in this demographic, 3.7% are living with their grandchildren, with 1.2% being responsible for the care of these grandchildren.

Veteran Status

Among the civilian population aged 18 and over, 17.5% are identified as civilian veterans.

Disability Status

In the civilian noninstitutionalized population, which encompasses 321,655 individuals, 32.8% report having a disability, while 67.2% do not have a disability.

Residence History

Analyzing the residence history of individuals aged 1 year and over, 93.1% have resided in the same house over the past year. For those who moved, 6.8% chose a different house within the United States, with 3.0% moving to a different house within the same county and 3.8% relocating to a different county. Among those who moved to a different county, 1.1% stayed within the same state, and 2.8% crossed state lines. Only 0.1% of this demographic moved abroad.

Place of Birth, Nativity, and Citizenship Status

Within this senior demographic, 315,637 individuals are native-born residents, while 13,893 are foreign-born. Among the foreign-born population, 6.4% entered the United States in 2010 or later, 10.3% arrived between 2000 and 2009, and the majority, 83.2%, came before 2000. In terms of citizenship status, 72.6% are naturalized U.S. citizens, and 27.4% are not U.S. citizens.

Language Spoken at Home

Among those aged 5 years and over, 94.7% speak only English at home. The remaining 5.3% speak a language other than English at home, with 2.2% reporting that they speak English less than “very well.”

This comprehensive overview highlights the demographic characteristics of seniors aged 65 and over in Idaho, offering valuable insights into this important population group.

Employment Status

Examining the employment status of the senior population in Idaho, we find that among the civilian population aged 16 and over (329,530 individuals), 16.5% are in the labor force, indicating their participation in the workforce. Out of those in the labor force, 16.1% are employed, while 0.3% are unemployed, representing 1.9% of the civilian labor force. The majority of seniors, 83.5%, are not in the labor force.

Income

Regarding income, there are 199,472 households within this demographic. Out of these households, 35.1% have earnings, with a mean income of $53,481. A significant portion of seniors, 91.0%, receive Social Security income, with an average income of $25,371. Additionally, 6.2% of households benefit from Supplemental Security Income, with a mean income of $11,407. Cash public assistance income is received by 2.0% of households, with an average income of $3,112. Furthermore, 60.7% of senior households report retirement income, averaging $30,099. Finally, 5.2% of these households receive Food Stamp/SNAP benefits.

Poverty Status

Among the senior population in Idaho, for whom poverty status is determined (321,655 individuals), 8.6% are living below 100 percent of the poverty level, while 8.4% fall within the range of 100 to 149 percent of the poverty level. The majority, 83.0%, have incomes at or above 150 percent of the poverty level.

Housing Tenure and Characteristics

In terms of housing tenure, out of 199,472 occupied housing units, 83.9% are owner-occupied, while 16.1% are renter-occupied. The average household size in owner-occupied units is 1.92, and in renter-occupied units, it is 1.43.

Selected Characteristics

Additional selected characteristics of these housing units reveal that 1.1% have no telephone service available, and 0.5% have 1.01 or more occupants per room.

Owner-Occupied Housing Units

Within the category of owner-occupied housing units (167,289), 78.2% have selected monthly owner costs as a percentage of household income that is less than 30%. The remaining 21.8% of owner-occupied units have monthly costs that are 30 percent or more of their household income.

Owner characteristics include a median housing value of $413,000, with a median selected monthly owner cost of $1,269 for those with a mortgage and $448 for those without a mortgage.

Renter-Occupied Housing Units

In contrast, for renter-occupied housing units (32,183), 47.0% have gross rent as a percentage of household income less than 30%, while 53.0% have gross rent that accounts for 30 percent or more of their income. The median gross rent among this group is $1,031.