Just How Many Baby Boomers Are There?
Some reports put the number at 79 million, but there were actually 76 million births in the United States from 1946 to 1964. Of the 76 million born, about 4 million had died by the 2000 Census, leaving some 72 million survivors. (December 2002)

Americans Are Living Longer Than Ever
Between 1900 and 2000, life expectancy in the United States increased from 51 to 80 for females and from 48 to 74 for males. Most of the improvements in life expectancy have resulted from reductions in infectious diseases among infants and children. (AmeriStat, December 2002)

Racial and Ethnic Differences in U.S. Mortality
Except at the very oldest ages, black Americans have the highest death rates of any of America's racial and ethnic groups. (AmeriStat, December 2002)

How Much Better Can It Get?
The U.S. Census Bureau's middle series projects life expectancies of 87 years for females and 81 years for men in 2050. Some analysts believe that life expectancy in the United States and other rich nations is approaching a biological limit. No slowdown is apparent yet, however, even in countries with life expectancies well above those in the United States. (AmeriStat, December 2002)

The Changing Age Structure of U.S. Teachers
Over the past two decades, the median age of primary and secondary school teachers increased from 36 to 43. With a large number of teachers approaching retirement age, it is projected that 2 million new teachers will need to be hired in the next decade. (AmeriStat, August 2002)

A Spectator’s Guide to Entitlement Reform
This guide offers suggestions for evaluating the detailed proposals for reforming the social insurance system in the U.S. (May 2002)

Short Work Lives, Long Retirements Make Saving Difficult
Men and women have followed different patterns of years worked and how long they can expect to spend in retirement. As baby boomers retire, the trends will surely continue to change. (Population Today, May/June 2002)

Government Spending in an Older America
The population of the United States is getting older. In 1950, when the baby boom was just getting underway, 8.2 percent of Americans were age 65 or older; now, 12.6 percent are. The U.S. population's aging is the result of two long-term trends: declining fertility rates and increasing longevity. This report presents data and criteria for judging the alternatives for finding the public finances necessary to deal with this new demographic situation. (May 2002)

West Virginia Leads Nation in Social Security Recipients
In 2000, West Virginia had the highest percentage of its population receiving Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) benefits. (AmeriStat, May 2002)

Boomers' Retirement Wave Likely to Begin in Just 6 Years
The first of the baby boomers will turn 65 in 2011. But since the trend among new recipients of Social Security benefits is to begin collecting at age 62, the need to ensure Social Security’s solvency is more urgent than ever. (Population Today, April 2002)