National figures from CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (FastStats), for the most recent years available: 2024 unless noted.
Health and daily life (adults 65 and older, not in institutions)
| Measure | Share |
|---|---|
| In fair or poor health | 24.3% |
| Any difficulty with self-care | 9.4% |
| Diagnosed arthritis | 47.8% |
| Flu vaccine in the past 12 months | 67.1% |
| Ever had a pneumonia (pneumococcal) vaccine | 64.7% |
Obesity and high blood pressure (August 2021–August 2023)
Measured in people not living in institutions; high blood pressure means measured high blood pressure or taking medication for it.
| Obesity | Hypertension | |
|---|---|---|
| Men 60–69 | 37.8% | 72.8% |
| Men 70 and older | 38.4% | 72.6% |
| Women 60–69 | 43.2% | 64.8% |
| Women 70 and older | 36.0% | 76.6% |
Life expectancy at 65
| Further years expected | |
|---|---|
| Both sexes | 19.7 |
| Men | 18.4 |
| Women | 20.8 |
Deaths
In 2024, 2,341,600 adults aged 65 and older died.
| Age | Deaths per 100,000 |
|---|---|
| 65–74 | 1,772.9 |
| 75–84 | 4,264.0 |
| 85 and older | 13,834.0 |
Leading causes of death at 65 and older:
- heart disease;
- cancer;
- stroke (cerebrovascular diseases);
- chronic lower respiratory diseases;
- Alzheimer disease.
Further NCHS reports on older adults
- Vaccinations Among Adults Age 65 and Older: United States, 2024
- Unintentional Fall Deaths in Adults Age 65 and Older: United States, 2023
- Chronic Conditions in Adults Age 85 and Older: United States, 2022–2023
- Characteristics of Older Adults Who Met Federal Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans: United States, 2022
- Dental Care Among Adults Age 65 and Older: United States, 2022
- Diagnosed Dementia in Adults Age 65 and Older: United States, 2022
- Dementia Mortality in Adults Age 65 and Older: United States, 2018–2022
- Alcohol-Induced Deaths Among Adults Ages 65 and Older: United States, 2019–2020
- Drug Overdose Deaths in Adults Ages 65 and Older: United States, 2000–2020
- Mortality in Adults Age 65 and Older: United States, 2000–2019
Related FastStats pages cover adult day services centres, Alzheimer disease, home health care, hospice care, influenza, nursing home care, oral and dental health, and residential care communities.
Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, "FastStats: Older Adult Health." https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/older-american-health.htm
- The figures come from the National Health Interview Survey (2019–2024), the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (August 2021–August 2023), Mortality in the United States, 2024, and the National Vital Statistics System via CDC WONDER.
- Rewritten in hubnx's own words.
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Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from www.cdc.gov
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