Seniors will comprise more than 20% of U.S. residents in 2030, up from 15% in 2020. By 2034, older adults will outnumber children, according to Census Bureau projections.
Across the U.S., 52 million Americans are 65 years or older, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and a quarter of them live in just three states: California, Florida, and Texas. By comparison, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Wyoming, and Alaska each have fewer than 150,000 senior residents. The size of a state's senior population means a lot in terms of demand for resources like health care, affordable housing, assisted living, in-home and nursing care, and support services, and the quality and availability of those resources help determine where seniors migrate.
With baby boomers moving into old age, fewer babies being born, and longer life expectancies, the senior population of America is on a spectacular rise. The lengthening of the U.S. life expectancy has been particularly dramatic, rising to nearly 79 years from 68 years in 1950.
Stacker compiled a list of counties with the most seniors in Montana using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the highest percentage of residents 65 years or older according to 2020 5-year estimates.
Keep reading to find out which counties have the most seniors in Montana.
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#56. Roosevelt County
- Population aged 65 or older: 11.5%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 33.6%
- Median age: 30.4 years old
--- Median age of males: 29.7 years old
--- Median age of females: 30.9 years old
- Total population: 11,091 people
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#55. Glacier County
- Population aged 65 or older: 11.9%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 31.0%
- Median age: 32.5 years old
--- Median age of males: 31.4 years old
--- Median age of females: 34 years old
- Total population: 13,706 people
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#54. Gallatin County
- Population aged 65 or older: 12.5%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 19.8%
- Median age: 33.4 years old
--- Median age of males: 32.4 years old
--- Median age of females: 34.1 years old
- Total population: 111,401 people
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#53. Big Horn County
- Population aged 65 or older: 12.7%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 33.7%
- Median age: 31.4 years old
--- Median age of males: 28.4 years old
--- Median age of females: 33.6 years old
- Total population: 13,302 people
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#52. Hill County
- Population aged 65 or older: 15%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 27.8%
- Median age: 34.5 years old
--- Median age of males: 33 years old
--- Median age of females: 35.1 years old
- Total population: 16,422 people
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#51. Richland County
- Population aged 65 or older: 15.1%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 25.6%
- Median age: 38 years old
--- Median age of males: 36.8 years old
--- Median age of females: 38.4 years old
- Total population: 11,097 people
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#50. Rosebud County
- Population aged 65 or older: 15.2%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 27.5%
- Median age: 36.5 years old
--- Median age of males: 36.4 years old
--- Median age of females: 36.6 years old
- Total population: 9,065 people
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#49. Blaine County
- Population aged 65 or older: 15.5%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 29.9%
- Median age: 33.5 years old
--- Median age of males: 32.3 years old
--- Median age of females: 34.3 years old
- Total population: 6,698 people
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#48. Missoula County
- Population aged 65 or older: 15.5%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 18.7%
- Median age: 36 years old
--- Median age of males: 35.5 years old
--- Median age of females: 37 years old
- Total population: 119,062 people
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#47. Yellowstone County
- Population aged 65 or older: 17%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 23.4%
- Median age: 38.7 years old
--- Median age of males: 37.9 years old
--- Median age of females: 39.7 years old
- Total population: 160,390 people
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#46. Fallon County
- Population aged 65 or older: 17.1%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 26.2%
- Median age: 35.3 years old
--- Median age of males: 35.4 years old
--- Median age of females: 35.1 years old
- Total population: 2,975 people
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#45. Toole County
- Population aged 65 or older: 18.2%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 19.1%
- Median age: 44.2 years old
--- Median age of males: 41.6 years old
--- Median age of females: 46.8 years old
- Total population: 4,812 people
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#44. Cascade County
- Population aged 65 or older: 18.6%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 22.5%
- Median age: 38 years old
--- Median age of males: 36.5 years old
--- Median age of females: 39.8 years old
- Total population: 81,576 people
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#43. Lewis and Clark County
- Population aged 65 or older: 18.6%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 21.5%
- Median age: 41.3 years old
--- Median age of males: 40.2 years old
--- Median age of females: 42.5 years old
- Total population: 68,714 people
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#42. Silver Bow County
- Population aged 65 or older: 18.9%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 20.4%
- Median age: 40.1 years old
--- Median age of males: 38.4 years old
--- Median age of females: 42.1 years old
- Total population: 34,895 people
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#41. Petroleum County
- Population aged 65 or older: 19.2%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 18.3%
- Median age: 49.6 years old
--- Median age of males: 46.5 years old
--- Median age of females: 51.6 years old
- Total population: 464 people
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#40. Dawson County
- Population aged 65 or older: 19.3%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 20.9%
- Median age: 41.7 years old
--- Median age of males: 40.7 years old
--- Median age of females: 44.1 years old
- Total population: 8,824 people
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#39. Flathead County
- Population aged 65 or older: 19.3%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 21.8%
- Median age: 42.2 years old
--- Median age of males: 41.1 years old
--- Median age of females: 43.3 years old
- Total population: 102,001 people
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#38. Custer County
- Population aged 65 or older: 20%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 21.0%
- Median age: 42.5 years old
--- Median age of males: 39.9 years old
--- Median age of females: 44.9 years old
- Total population: 11,563 people
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#37. Powell County
- Population aged 65 or older: 20.5%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 13.5%
- Median age: 46.1 years old
--- Median age of males: 42.8 years old
--- Median age of females: 51.2 years old
- Total population: 6,843 people
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#36. Pondera County
- Population aged 65 or older: 20.6%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 24.1%
- Median age: 41.1 years old
--- Median age of males: 40.4 years old
--- Median age of females: 42 years old
- Total population: 5,911 people
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#35. Garfield County
- Population aged 65 or older: 20.7%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 22.5%
- Median age: 40.1 years old
--- Median age of males: 37.7 years old
--- Median age of females: 43.6 years old
- Total population: 1,051 people
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#34. Chouteau County
- Population aged 65 or older: 21.1%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 22.9%
- Median age: 40.9 years old
--- Median age of males: 40 years old
--- Median age of females: 42 years old
- Total population: 5,731 people
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#33. Liberty County
- Population aged 65 or older: 21.2%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 22.4%
- Median age: 40.1 years old
--- Median age of males: 43.1 years old
--- Median age of females: 39.8 years old
- Total population: 2,455 people
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#32. Jefferson County
- Population aged 65 or older: 21.2%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 21.0%
- Median age: 47.5 years old
--- Median age of males: 47.1 years old
--- Median age of females: 47.9 years old
- Total population: 12,069 people
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#31. Phillips County
- Population aged 65 or older: 21.9%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 23.4%
- Median age: 47.5 years old
--- Median age of males: 44.3 years old
--- Median age of females: 50 years old
- Total population: 4,032 people
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#30. Lake County
- Population aged 65 or older: 22%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 23.5%
- Median age: 42.3 years old
--- Median age of males: 40.7 years old
--- Median age of females: 44.5 years old
- Total population: 30,383 people
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#29. Beaverhead County
- Population aged 65 or older: 22.3%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 17.2%
- Median age: 42.6 years old
--- Median age of males: 44 years old
--- Median age of females: 41.5 years old
- Total population: 9,454 people
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#28. Teton County
- Population aged 65 or older: 22.5%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 24.4%
- Median age: 42.5 years old
--- Median age of males: 43.3 years old
--- Median age of females: 41.1 years old
- Total population: 6,127 people
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#27. Sheridan County
- Population aged 65 or older: 22.5%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 21.1%
- Median age: 43.7 years old
--- Median age of males: 43.1 years old
--- Median age of females: 45.6 years old
- Total population: 3,389 people
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#26. Park County
- Population aged 65 or older: 22.5%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 17.4%
- Median age: 46.5 years old
--- Median age of males: 46.1 years old
--- Median age of females: 46.8 years old
- Total population: 16,513 people
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#25. Judith Basin County
- Population aged 65 or older: 22.8%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 21.0%
- Median age: 53.9 years old
--- Median age of males: 51.8 years old
--- Median age of females: 54.9 years old
- Total population: 1,968 people
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#24. Valley County
- Population aged 65 or older: 22.9%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 22.7%
- Median age: 44.4 years old
--- Median age of males: 42 years old
--- Median age of females: 46.6 years old
- Total population: 7,424 people
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#23. Stillwater County
- Population aged 65 or older: 22.9%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 21.4%
- Median age: 47.5 years old
--- Median age of males: 47.5 years old
--- Median age of females: 47.5 years old
- Total population: 9,562 people
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#22. Broadwater County
- Population aged 65 or older: 23.5%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 19.1%
- Median age: 47.1 years old
--- Median age of males: 46.2 years old
--- Median age of females: 47.9 years old
- Total population: 6,080 people
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#21. Fergus County
- Population aged 65 or older: 23.7%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 21.0%
- Median age: 45 years old
--- Median age of males: 42.8 years old
--- Median age of females: 46.1 years old
- Total population: 11,167 people
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#20. Deer Lodge County
- Population aged 65 or older: 24.2%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 13.8%
- Median age: 49 years old
--- Median age of males: 46.3 years old
--- Median age of females: 51.5 years old
- Total population: 9,153 people
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#19. Wibaux County
- Population aged 65 or older: 25.1%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 25.3%
- Median age: 50.5 years old
--- Median age of males: 51.6 years old
--- Median age of females: 48.7 years old
- Total population: 1,037 people
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#18. Wheatland County
- Population aged 65 or older: 25.6%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 20.7%
- Median age: 46.9 years old
--- Median age of males: 46.7 years old
--- Median age of females: 47 years old
- Total population: 2,138 people
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#17. Carbon County
- Population aged 65 or older: 25.6%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 17.8%
- Median age: 51.1 years old
--- Median age of males: 50.3 years old
--- Median age of females: 51.4 years old
- Total population: 10,689 people
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#16. Golden Valley County
- Population aged 65 or older: 25.6%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 17.4%
- Median age: 55 years old
--- Median age of males: 56.8 years old
--- Median age of females: 52.8 years old
- Total population: 814 people
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#15. Ravalli County
- Population aged 65 or older: 25.8%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 19.1%
- Median age: 49.3 years old
--- Median age of males: 48.3 years old
--- Median age of females: 50.5 years old
- Total population: 43,424 people
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#14. McCone County
- Population aged 65 or older: 26%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 20.8%
- Median age: 49.4 years old
--- Median age of males: 43.5 years old
--- Median age of females: 49.8 years old
- Total population: 1,826 people
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#13. Daniels County
- Population aged 65 or older: 26.2%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 21.0%
- Median age: 51.4 years old
--- Median age of males: 48.5 years old
--- Median age of females: 54.5 years old
- Total population: 1,705 people
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#12. Powder River County
- Population aged 65 or older: 26.3%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 15.4%
- Median age: 50.2 years old
--- Median age of males: 49.8 years old
--- Median age of females: 50.9 years old
- Total population: 1,634 people
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#11. Carter County
- Population aged 65 or older: 26.3%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 19.2%
- Median age: 53.3 years old
--- Median age of males: 53.4 years old
--- Median age of females: 53.2 years old
- Total population: 1,305 people
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#10. Musselshell County
- Population aged 65 or older: 27.4%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 19.2%
- Median age: 51.5 years old
--- Median age of males: 50.8 years old
--- Median age of females: 52.3 years old
- Total population: 4,682 people
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#9. Sweet Grass County
- Population aged 65 or older: 27.7%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 20.8%
- Median age: 46.8 years old
--- Median age of males: 45.6 years old
--- Median age of females: 47.6 years old
- Total population: 3,676 people
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#8. Mineral County
- Population aged 65 or older: 28.4%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 19.0%
- Median age: 52.3 years old
--- Median age of males: 51.9 years old
--- Median age of females: 52.6 years old
- Total population: 4,330 people
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#7. Lincoln County
- Population aged 65 or older: 28.7%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 18.4%
- Median age: 52.5 years old
--- Median age of males: 52.4 years old
--- Median age of females: 52.7 years old
- Total population: 19,845 people
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#6. Madison County
- Population aged 65 or older: 29.3%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 15.5%
- Median age: 53.1 years old
--- Median age of males: 54 years old
--- Median age of females: 52.9 years old
- Total population: 8,530 people
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#5. Granite County
- Population aged 65 or older: 29.8%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 17.3%
- Median age: 54.6 years old
--- Median age of males: 54.5 years old
--- Median age of females: 54.7 years old
- Total population: 3,325 people
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#4. Treasure County
- Population aged 65 or older: 30.1%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 11.6%
- Median age: 57.8 years old
--- Median age of males: 60.1 years old
--- Median age of females: 57.2 years old
- Total population: 614 people
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#3. Sanders County
- Population aged 65 or older: 30.9%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 17.6%
- Median age: 54.5 years old
--- Median age of males: 53.6 years old
--- Median age of females: 55.2 years old
- Total population: 11,804 people
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#2. Meagher County
- Population aged 65 or older: 32.3%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 18.4%
- Median age: 56.3 years old
--- Median age of males: 55.5 years old
--- Median age of females: 58.6 years old
- Total population: 1,795 people
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#1. Prairie County
- Population aged 65 or older: 32.4%
- Population aged 18 and younger: 23.1%
- Median age: 52.5 years old
--- Median age of males: 56.2 years old
--- Median age of females: 49.9 years old
- Total population: 1,162 people
