Centenarians in the United States, 1990 and beyond

Persons who live to be 100 years-old and older constitute a fascinating cohort. The number of these centenarians continues to grow fairly rapidly in the United States, with less rapid growth evident in various other developed countries. Characteristics of this cohort are studied with great interest in the hope of discovering secrets of longevity and better understanding the aging process. Using data from the 1990 Census of Population, this report examines the number of centenarians enumerated in 1990 and reports projections for the future. In 1990, 37,306 persons were classified as centenarians but later evaluation determined that this number was excessive. The Census Bureau now indicates the number approximates 28,000 U.S centenarians for 1990. The 1990 data show that centenarians were more likely to be women that men and to have lower educational levels than those in younger cohorts. Most centenarians are widowed and around one-half live in nursing homes. Looking to the future, the number of centenarians is projected to increase dramatically and there will be greater racial and ethnic diversity among those surviving to age 100 and above in the decades to come.