Maine

HOUSEHOLD TYPES OF THE AGED

In 2000, 64 percent of Americans over 65 lived with one or more related family members. Of those not living in family households, most lived alone. In fact, 28.2 percent of Americans 65 and older lived alone in 2000. This may indicate a need for better social networks for the aged population.

About 4.7 percent of aged Americans lived in institutionalized group quarters, which include nursing homes, mental hospitals, and correctional facilities. Stewart County, Georgia had the highest proportion of institutionalized aged people with one in every five persons in the county living in institutionalized group quarters.

The remaining 3.1 percent of aged Americans lived in non-family households or non-institutionalized group quarters, which include college dormitories, military barracks, group homes, missions, and shelters.

Household Type of the Aged, 2000
Number Percent
Population Age 65 and over 183,642 100.00%
In Households 172,449 93.90%
Family Households 110,669 60.26%
Householder 59,142 32.21%
Spouse 41,850 22.79%
Parent 4,683 2.55%
Other relative 4,332 2.36%
Non-relative 662 0.36%
Non-family Household 61,780 33.64%
Householder, Non-family Household, Living Alone 56,431 30.73%
Householder, Non-family Household, Two or More Persons 2,963 1.61%
Non-relative in Non-family Household 2,386 1.30%
In Group Quarters 11,193 6.10%
Institutionalized 8,644 4.71%
Non-institutionalized 2,549 1.39%

* Relationship of persons in family households is determined by relationship to the householder.

Source: Census 2000 analyzed by the Social Science Data Analysis Network (SSDAN).

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