The Graying of

Western North Carolina

Danna Stansbury

Deputy Executive Director

Land of Sky Regional Council

North Carolina’s Aging Population,

National Comparison

9th Total Population

9th Population 60/65+

11th Population 85+

North Carolina’s Aging Population,

Current & Projected

Ages

Current 2033

Percent of

Change

Now-2033

Number

(#)

Percent

(%)

Number

(#)

Percent

(%)

Total 9,861,952 11,856,858 20.2%

60+ 1,969,351 20.0% 3,117,795 26.3% 58.3%

65+ 1,402,321 14.2% 2,411,960 20.3% 72.0%

85+ 164,848 1.7% 309,807 2.6% 87.9%

Baby Boomers 2,357,514 23.9% 1,722,795 14.5% -9.40%

2018 – The State Will be Home to

More Citizens Over 59

Than Those Under 18

-

500,000

1,000,000

1,500,000

2,000,000

2,500,000

3,000,000

3,500,000

2013 2033

2018

85+

0-17

60+

Today – Communities Home to

More People Over 59Than Those Under 18

New

Alexander

AlleghanyAshe

Avery

Buncombe

Burke

Cabarrus

Caldwell

Catawba

Cherokee

Cleveland

Davie

GastonGraham

Haywood

Henderson

Iredell

Jackson

McDowell

Macon

Madison

Mecklenburg

Mitchell

Polk

Rowan

Rutherford

Surry

Swain

Union

Watauga Wilkes

Yadkin

Yancey

Clay

Transylvania

Lincoln

Granville

NashAlamance

Anson

Bladen

Caswell

Chatham

Columbus

Cumberland

Davidson

Durham

Forsyth FranklinGuilford

Harnett

Hoke

JohnstonLee

MontgomeryMoore

Orange

Person

Randolph

Richmond

Robeson

Rockingham

Sampson

Scotland

Stanly

StokesVance

Wake

Warren

Beaufort

Bertie

Carteret

Chowan

Craven

Dare

Duplin

Edgecombe

Gates

Greene

Halifax Hertford

Hyde

Jones

Lenoir

Martin

Hanover

Northampton

Onslow

Pamlico

Pasquotank

Pender

Perquimans

Pitt

Tyrrell

Brunswick

Washington

Wayne

Wilson

Camden

Currituck

Counties with more 60+ than 0-17 (60)

Counties with more 0-17 than 60+ (40)

Buncombe

Henderson

Madison

Transylvania

2025 – Communities Home to

More People Over 59 Than

Those Under 18

New

Alexander

AlleghanyAshe

Avery

Buncombe

Burke

Cabarrus

Caldwell

Catawba

Cherokee

Cleveland

Davie

GastonGraham

Haywood

Henderson

Iredell

Jackson

McDowell

Macon

Madison

Mecklenburg

Mitchell

Polk

Rowan

Rutherford

Surry

Swain

Union

Watauga WilkesYadkin

Yancey

Clay

Transylvania

Lincoln

Granville

NashAlamance

Anson

Bladen

Caswell

Chatham

Columbus

Cumberland

Davidson

Durham

Forsyth FranklinGuilford

Harnett

Hoke

JohnstonLee

MontgomeryMoore

Orange

Person

Randolph

Richmond

Robeson

Rockingham

Sampson

Scotland

Stanly

StokesVance

Wake

Warren

Beaufort

Bertie

Carteret

Chowan

Craven

Dare

Duplin

Edgecombe

Gates

Greene

Halifax Hertford

Hyde

Jones

Lenoir

Martin

Hanover

Northampton

Onslow

Pamlico

Pasquotank

Pender

Perquimans

Pitt

Tyrrell

Brunswick

Washington

Wayne

Wilson

Camden

Currituck

Counties with more 60+ than 0-17 (90)

Counties with more 0-17 than 60+ (10)

Buncombe

Henderson

Transylvania

Madison

Five Counties in the State With

Highest Populations of Citizens

60 & Over

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

Mecklenburg Wake Guilford Forsyth Buncombe

60+ (Current) 60+ (2033)

Land of Sky Region – Projected

Growth in Population 60 & Over

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

80,000

90,000

100,000

Buncombe Henderson Madison Transylvania

Current 2033

Land of Sky Region – Current

Population 65 & Over

White alone

Black or African

American alone

American Indian and

Alaska Native alone Asian alone

Hispanic or Latino Origin (of any race)

Buncombe 94.2% 4.5% 0.1% 0.7% 0.8%

Henderson 97.3% 1.9% 0.2% 0.2% 1.3%

Madison 98.2% 1.6% 0.0% 0.0% 0.8%

Transylvania 97.3% 1.8% 0.4% 0.1% 0.6%

North Carolina 81.6% 15.8% 0.8% 1.1% 1.4%

Land of Sky Region, 2013 –

Economic Status of

Those 65 & Over

In labor forceMedian household

income

Buncombe 15% $37,260

Henderson 14% $40,289

Madison 12% $25,777

Transylvania 15% $43,097

North Carolina 16% $34,117

Our Regional Challenges

Affordable Housing

Employment Opportunities

Transportation

Access to Health Care

Cost of Aging

Access to Resources

Land of Sky Programs

for Older Adults

Area Agency on Aging

Long Term Care Ombudsman

Senior Community Services Employment Program

Family Caregiver Support Program & Project C.A.R.E

Health Promotion & Disease Prevention

Senior Tar Heel Legislature

2016 Legislative Priorities

Senior Tar Heel Legislature

HCCBG Funding

Uniform Adult Guardianship

Strengthen & Fund NC’s Adult Protective Services

Program

Preserve or Restore Optional Medicaid Services

Sustain & Expand Project C.A.R.E.

Land of Sky Programs

for Older Adults

Volunteer Services

Senior Companion Program

Foster Grandparent Program

Retired and Senior Volunteer Program

Waste Reduction Partners

Resources

NC Department of Health & Human Services,

Division of Aging & Adult Services

American Community Survey

Waste Reduction Partners

Land of Sky Regional Council