Seniors by State per 2010 Census

 Senior citizens protest against cuts to federal safety net programs, including Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid on November 7, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois.

Scott Olson/Getty ImagesThis article lists the United States' senior citizen population (i.e. sixty-five years old and over) by state, as recorded in the 2010 Census.

This data is relevant to national and state elections because historically, more senior citizens vote Republican than vote Democratic. In the 2008 presidential election, senior citizens nationwide heavily favored Republican John McCain over Democrat Barack Obama by a margin of 53% to 45%.

Reported campaign strategists Democracy Corps about the 2008 election in comparison to 2004, "According to the exit polls, while Obama made gains with nearly all groups compared to John Kerry, this did not happen with seniors. They, along with gay and lesbian voters, were the big underperformers for Obama."

However, in the 2012 elections, voters sixty-five years old and over could be upset enough over Republican proposals to cut and/or change Social Security and Medicare benefits to opt to vote for Democratic candidates. States with high concentrations of senior citizens include 2012 battlegrounds Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, and potential battleground states Missouri, Arizona, Montana and Iowa.

State Resident Population
65 Years Old and Over
According to the 2010 Census Very High Level of Senior Citizen Population
1. Florida - 17.3% 2. West Virginia - 16.0% 3. Maine - 15.9% 4. Pennsylvania - 15.4% 5. Iowa - 14.9% 6. Montana - 14.8% 7. Vermont - 14.6% 8. North Dakota - 14.5% 9. Arkansas - 14.4% 9. Rhode Island - 14.4% 9. Delaware - 14.4% 12. South Dakota - 14.3%High Level of Senior Citizen Population
13. Hawaii - 14.3% 14. Connecticut - 14.2% 15. Ohio - 14.1 % 16. Missouri - 14.0% 17. Oregon - 13.9% 18. Michigan - 13.8% 18. Arizona - 13.8% 18. Massachusetts - 13.8% 18. Alabama - 13.8% 22. Wisconsin - 13.7% 22. South Carolina - 13.7% 24. Nebraska - 13.5% 24. New York - 13.5% 24. Oklahoma - 13.5% 24. New Jersey - 13.5%Median Level of Senior Citizen Population
28. New Hampshire - 13.5% 29. Tennessee - 13.4% 30. Kentucky - 13.3% 31. New Mexico - 13.2% 31. Kansas - 13.2% 33. Indiana - 13.0% 34. North Carolina - 12.9% 34. Minnesota - 12.9% 36. Mississippi - 12.8% 37. Illinois - 12.5% 38. Wyoming - 12.4% 38. Idaho - 12.4% 40. Louisiana - 12.3% 40. Maryland - 12.3% 40. Washington - 12.3% 43. Virginia - 12.2% 44. Nevada - 12.0%Low Level of Senior Citizen Population
45. California - 11.4% 46. Colorado - 10.9% 47. Georgia - 10.7% 48. Texas - 10.3% 49. Utah - 9.0% 50. Alaska - 7.7%Other demographic and economic factors that will powerfully influence the 2012 elections, particularly the presidential contest, include: Source - U.S. Census Bureau, Table 16, State Resident Population by Age and State: 2010

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