America’s population is getting older, but some states are aging much faster than others.

Using U.S. Census Bureau data compiled by USAFacts, this ranking, via Visual Capitalist’s Dorothy Neufeld, shows how much each state’s population aged 65 and older grew between 2014 and 2024.

Growth in 65-and-Older Populations (2014-2024)

The table below ranks every state by the percentage growth in its population aged 65 and older between 2014 and 2024.

State
Change in 65+ Population (2014–2024)
Total Growth
Alaska
56%
39,425
Idaho
51%
120,188
Delaware
48%
74,383
Utah
48%
140,632
Wyoming
46%
36,760
New Hampshire
45%
93,596
Colorado
44%
300,169
Nevada
44%
175,038
Montana
42%
71,509
South Carolina
42%
319,192
Georgia
41%
513,532
Texas
41%
1,265,419
Vermont
39%
41,969
Arizona
39%
420,852
Washington
38%
382,832
Maine
36%
87,850
Hawaii
36%
82,756
South Dakota
36%
46,219
North Carolina
36%
518,927
Minnesota
35%
275,897
Virginia
35%
401,357
New Mexico
35%
110,140
Florida
34%
1,294,733
Oregon
34%
214,979
Wisconsin
34%
295,892
North Dakota
34%
35,289
Maryland
33%
275,008
Rhode Island
32%
53,451
Massachusetts
31%
317,385
California
30%
1,519,339
Michigan
30%
461,738
New Jersey
30%
392,753
Louisiana
30%
187,508
New York
29%
854,478
Indiana
29%
275,051
Tennessee
29%
285,027
Connecticut
29%
159,449
Nebraska
28%
77,116
Alabama
28%
208,362
Kansas
28%
115,595
Illinois
27%
484,181
Kentucky
26%
172,658
Ohio
26%
474,302
Missouri
25%
235,408
Pennsylvania
25%
530,510
Iowa
25%
121,677
Mississippi
24%
103,194
Oklahoma
23%
129,764
District of Columbia
22%
16,219
Arkansas
21%
96,987
West Virginia
17%
57,493
🇺🇸 U.S. total
34%
14,964,188

Every state added residents aged 65 and older over the decade, but the increase ranged from 17% in West Virginia to 56% in Alaska. Nationwide, the senior population grew 34%.

Many of the fastest-growing senior populations were in the West and Sun Belt, including Idaho (+51%), Utah (+48%), and Texas (+41%). Several of these states began the period with relatively young populations and had experienced rapid population growth through domestic migration. As those residents aged, the number of people 65 and older rose quickly.

Why Alaska Leads

Alaska recorded the nation’s fastest-growing senior population despite not being a traditional retirement destination.

Much of the increase reflects longtime residents aging in place. Many people who moved to Alaska during the oil boom of the 1970s and 1980s are now entering retirement, helping drive the rapid increase in residents aged 65 and older.

Why Growth Was Slower Elsewhere

West Virginia, Arkansas, and the District of Columbia recorded the slowest growth in their senior populations.

A slower growth rate does not necessarily indicate a younger population. States such as West Virginia already had among the nation’s oldest populations in 2014, leaving less room for large percentage gains over the following decade.

To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the best countries to retire in.