All the Older Single Ladies in Poverty

[hfojvt]

22. "a rapidly growing group"

Maybe a VERY SMALL rapidly growing group

In 2010 there were 21.8 million females over age 65 in the US. 42.4% of them were married and living with their spouse. Only 4.5% of them had never married. 39.9% of them were widowed, and 11.1% of them divorced and 2.1% of them separated.

So women over age 65 living alone was 12.56 million people or about 4% of the US population.

Rapidly growing?

1990 - 10.4 million
2000 - 10.98
2005 - 11.6
2010 - 12.56

US population
2000 - 281 million
2010 - 310 million

So in that decade they grew from 3.9% of the population to 4.1%.

Not exactly an earth-shattering increase.

Also, when it comes to "extreme poverty" how much of that is nursing home residency? Presumably such a resident has their living expenses taken care of (often by medicaid which would not count as income).

I guess not more than 5% since statistics show only 4.7% of the people over age 65 living in group quarters.