Disclaimer: General educational research only — not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules differ by state and by family. Talk to an estate planning attorney in your state before you act.
Estate Planning Data & Research → Population 85 and Older by State
People 85 and older are the fastest-growing part of the older population, and the group most likely to need help managing money and medical decisions. That’s when a durable power of attorney, a health care proxy and an up-to-date will matter most, and when it can be too late to sign them.
This page shows the 85-and-older population in every state and D.C. in 2020 and 2025, from the Census Bureau’s Vintage 2025 population estimates.
Incapacity documents and a trust can keep a family out of court if a parent can no longer decide. See how a trust and a will differ.
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Cite this page URL when reusing findings. Not a substitute for official sources or professional advice.
Key findings
- 7,041,036 Americans were 85 or older on July 1, 2025, up 11.4% (+723,154) from 6,317,882 in 2020. That’s 2.07% of the civilian population.
- Fastest growth: Nevada (+24.6%), Alaska (+24.5%), Arizona (+23.9%), Georgia (+21.8%) and South Carolina (+20.5%).
- Slowest: Nebraska (+1.2%), Rhode Island (+1.4%), North Dakota (+2.7%), Pennsylvania and South Dakota (both +3.2%).
- Highest share of the population: Hawaii (3.13%), Florida (2.71%), Maine (2.56%), Pennsylvania (2.51%) and Iowa (2.48%). Lowest: Alaska (1.15%) and Utah (1.27%).
- Largest counts: California (809,992), Florida (633,779), New York (478,142), Texas (461,222) and Pennsylvania (327,495).
Population 85 and older by state
| State | 85+ in 2020 | 85+ in 2025 | Change | Change (%) | Share of population 2025 (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 37,868 | 43,663 | +5,795 | 15.3 | 3.13 |
| Florida | 537,470 | 633,779 | +96,309 | 17.9 | 2.71 |
| Maine | 33,389 | 36,155 | +2,766 | 8.3 | 2.56 |
| Pennsylvania | 317,472 | 327,495 | +10,023 | 3.2 | 2.51 |
| Iowa | 76,501 | 80,343 | +3,842 | 5.0 | 2.48 |
| Connecticut | 85,122 | 90,958 | +5,836 | 6.9 | 2.47 |
| Rhode Island | 26,437 | 26,799 | +362 | 1.4 | 2.41 |
| Vermont | 14,256 | 15,550 | +1,294 | 9.1 | 2.41 |
| New York | 429,141 | 478,142 | +49,001 | 11.4 | 2.39 |
| Massachusetts | 154,456 | 165,591 | +11,135 | 7.2 | 2.32 |
| New Hampshire | 28,639 | 32,441 | +3,802 | 13.3 | 2.29 |
| South Dakota | 20,441 | 21,085 | +644 | 3.2 | 2.26 |
| West Virginia | 38,106 | 39,623 | +1,517 | 4.0 | 2.24 |
| Wisconsin | 127,165 | 133,736 | +6,571 | 5.2 | 2.24 |
| North Dakota | 17,060 | 17,523 | +463 | 2.7 | 2.21 |
| Arizona | 135,140 | 167,460 | +32,320 | 23.9 | 2.2 |
| Minnesota | 116,666 | 128,077 | +11,411 | 9.8 | 2.2 |
| Ohio | 249,220 | 259,049 | +9,829 | 3.9 | 2.18 |
| Oregon | 83,658 | 93,346 | +9,688 | 11.6 | 2.18 |
| Illinois | 252,981 | 275,741 | +22,760 | 9.0 | 2.17 |
| Montana | 22,086 | 24,810 | +2,724 | 12.3 | 2.17 |
| Delaware | 19,347 | 22,783 | +3,436 | 17.8 | 2.16 |
| New Jersey | 190,904 | 206,230 | +15,326 | 8.0 | 2.16 |
| Kansas | 60,901 | 63,246 | +2,345 | 3.9 | 2.14 |
| Michigan | 206,403 | 216,289 | +9,886 | 4.8 | 2.14 |
| Missouri | 123,599 | 133,254 | +9,655 | 7.8 | 2.13 |
| California | 723,698 | 809,992 | +86,294 | 11.9 | 2.07 |
| New Mexico | 39,453 | 43,798 | +4,345 | 11.0 | 2.07 |
| Nebraska | 40,656 | 41,154 | +498 | 1.2 | 2.05 |
| Maryland | 111,600 | 126,255 | +14,655 | 13.1 | 2.02 |
| South Carolina | 91,074 | 109,745 | +18,671 | 20.5 | 1.98 |
| Alabama | 91,077 | 102,135 | +11,058 | 12.1 | 1.97 |
| Virginia | 150,425 | 173,078 | +22,653 | 15.1 | 1.97 |
| Arkansas | 55,274 | 60,837 | +5,563 | 10.1 | 1.96 |
| Indiana | 124,940 | 134,204 | +9,264 | 7.4 | 1.92 |
| Mississippi | 51,871 | 56,572 | +4,701 | 9.1 | 1.92 |
| North Carolina | 183,165 | 210,994 | +27,829 | 15.2 | 1.9 |
| Washington | 131,536 | 150,667 | +19,131 | 14.5 | 1.89 |
| Wyoming | 9,835 | 11,067 | +1,232 | 12.5 | 1.89 |
| Oklahoma | 70,825 | 77,136 | +6,311 | 8.9 | 1.88 |
| Louisiana | 77,692 | 85,984 | +8,292 | 10.7 | 1.87 |
| Idaho | 31,290 | 37,412 | +6,122 | 19.6 | 1.85 |
| Kentucky | 77,306 | 84,398 | +7,092 | 9.2 | 1.84 |
| Tennessee | 117,817 | 133,326 | +15,509 | 13.2 | 1.83 |
| District of Columbia | 10,202 | 11,617 | +1,415 | 13.9 | 1.68 |
| Colorado | 86,787 | 99,686 | +12,899 | 14.9 | 1.67 |
| Nevada | 43,025 | 53,590 | +10,565 | 24.6 | 1.64 |
| Georgia | 147,715 | 179,950 | +32,235 | 21.8 | 1.6 |
| Texas | 399,823 | 461,222 | +61,399 | 15.4 | 1.46 |
| Utah | 39,784 | 44,850 | +5,066 | 12.7 | 1.27 |
| Alaska | 6,584 | 8,199 | +1,615 | 24.5 | 1.15 |
| United States | 6,317,882 | 7,041,036 | +723,154 | 11.4 | 2.07 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates, civilian population by single year of age and sex (sc-est2025-agesex-civ), July 1, 2020 and July 1, 2025. Age 85 in the file is 85 and older. Sorted by 2025 share.
Documents that matter most at 85
- Durable power of attorney. Lets someone you choose handle money and property if you can’t. It has to be signed while you still have capacity. See the incapacity gap.
- Health care proxy and living will. See end-of-life wishes by state.
- A current will and beneficiary forms. Many wills were written decades earlier. See life events that outdate a will.
- Protection from financial abuse. See the power of attorney abuse watch.
Related: nursing home capacity by state · older adults living alone · turning 65 by state
Methodology
Census Bureau Vintage 2025 state population estimates by single year of age and sex for the civilian population (file sc-est2025-agesex-civ.csv), downloaded Oct. 15, 2026. The 85+ count is the AGE=85 row (85 and over), both sexes. 2020 uses the July 1, 2020 estimate. Percent of population uses the civilian total for each state. Estimates are revised each year.
What this doesn’t measure. Health, dementia, income, living arrangements, or the armed forces population (excluded from civilian estimates).
Frequently asked questions
How many Americans are 85 or older?
7,041,036 as of July 1, 2025 (Census Vintage 2025, civilian population).
Which state has the highest share of people 85+?
Hawaii, at 3.13% of its population.
When should someone sign a power of attorney?
Before it’s needed. A person must have capacity to sign one, and after a dementia diagnosis that window can close.
Is this legal advice?
No. Talk to an estate planning attorney in your state.
Sources
Public-domain government sources only. Fetched 2026-10-15.
Data
- U.S. Census Bureau, State Population by Characteristics: 2020-2025: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/state/asrh/sc-est2025-agesex-civ.csv
- Program page: https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest.html
Cite this data
Family Estate Guide, “Population 85 and Older by State,” October 2026. https://familyestateguide.com/estate-planning-data/age-85-plus-by-state/
You’re welcome to reuse the table with a link back to this page. The underlying government data is public.
Published October 15, 2026 by Family Estate Guide. Data vintage: Census Vintage 2025 population estimates. Editorial standards.