States Where Poverty Impacts Senior Citizens the Most
Poverty is closely associated with poor health outcomes. Medical conditions like kidney disease, liver disease, and emphysema are more prevalent in older adults with lower incomes. Meanwhile, because financial situations can have a big impact on health-related behaviors and choices, many people in poverty who are 65 or older often forego much-needed health care. This new analysis found on TitleMax reveals the states where poverty is impacting senior citizens the most.
New Mexico has the highest percentage of people 65+ years old in poverty.
Data from the U.S. Census Bureau collected in 2018 shows that New Mexico has the highest percentage of people 65 and older in poverty (13.3% of the senior population). New Hampshire (5.5%), Utah (6.1%), and Delaware (6.1%) have the lowest percentages of seniors in poverty.
Around 80% of people ages 65 and older have at least one chronic health condition, and more than 50% have at least two of them, which results in more out-of-pocket expenses.
Here are the 50 U.S. states ranked by their percentage of residents over 65 who are in poverty:
- New Mexico: 13.3%
- Mississippi: 12.4%
- Louisiana: 12.4%
- New York: 11.8%
- Rhode Island: 11.2%
- Texas: 11.1%
- Florida: 10.6%
- California: 10.5%
- North Dakota: 10.3%
- Alabama: 10.3%
- Kentucky: 10.2%
- Georgia: 10.2%
- Arkansas: 10.2%
- West Virginia: 10%
- Nevada: 9.8%
- South Carolina: 9.5%
- Montana: 9.4%
- Vermont 9.3%
- Tennessee: 9.2%
- Massachusetts: 9.1%
- Maine: 9.1%
- South Dakota: 9%
- Michigan: 9%
- Illinois: 8.8%
- Oklahoma: 8.7%
- North Carolina: 8.7%
- Ohio: 8.6%
- Idaho: 8.6%
- Arizona: 8.6%
- Virginia: 8.4%
- Pennsylvania: 8.3%
- Missouri: 8.2%
- New Jersey: 8%
- Kansas: 8%
- Wisconsin: 7.9%
- Oregon: 7.9%
- Indiana: 7.9%
- Connecticut: 7.9%
- Nebraska: 7.6%
- Minnesota: 7.6%
- Colorado: 7.4%
- Wyoming: 7.3%
- Maryland: 7.3%
- Washington: 7.2%
- Iowa: 7.1%
- Alaska: 6.7%
- Hawaii: 6.5%
- Delaware: 6.1%
- Utah: 6.1%
- New Hampshire: 5.5%
In New Jersey, 13.3% of seniors ages 65 and older avoid getting health care due to the cost.
Based on the data, New Jersey is actually the least healthy state for seniors, especially those with lower incomes. Far too many seniors report that they have avoided getting necessary medical care because of the cost. As of now, the average person in the United States spends in excess of $10,000 each year on health care, and this cost is projected to increase over the next 30 years. While the high cost of health care affects people of all ages, it’s particularly problematic for those who are most likely to have chronic health issues.
The states where seniors avoid health care the most due to its cost are New Jersey (13.3%), New Mexico (7.7%), and Tennessee (7.4%). Some of the lowest rates of this practice were found in North Dakota (2.8%), Connecticut (3.1%), and Delaware (3.2%).
Here are the percentages by state of seniors who avoided getting health care due to the cost, based on 2018 statistics from the CDC:
- New Jersey: 13.3%
- New Mexico: 7.7%
- Tennessee: 7.4%
- North Carolina: 7%
- Georgia: 7%
- West Virginia: 6.9%
- New York: 6.9%
- Louisiana: 6.8%
- Michigan: 6.5%
- Kentucky: 6.3%
- Mississippi: 6.1%
- Alabama: 6%
- Alaska: 5.9%
- Nevada: 5.5%
- Illinois: 5.3%
- Virginia: 5.2%
- Florida: 5.2%
- South Carolina: 5%
- Arizona: 5%
- Wyoming: 4.9%
- California: 4.9%
- Texas: 4.8%
- Rhode Island: 4.7%
- Missouri: 4.7%
- Hawaii: 4.7%
- Ohio: 4.6%
- Minnesota: 4.4%
- Arkansas: 4.4%
- Pennsylvania: 4.2%
- Utah: 4.1%
- Iowa: 4.1%
- Oregon: 4%
- Oklahoma: 4%
- Wisconsin: 3.9%
- Maryland: 3.9%
- Indiana: 3.8%
- South Dakota: 3.7%
- Nebraska: 3.7%
- Washington: 3.6%
- Idaho: 3.6%
- Colorado: 3.6%
- Montana: 3.5%
- Kansas: 3.5%
- Vermont: 3.4%
- Maine: 3.4%
- Massachusetts: 3.3%
- New Hampshire: 3.2%
- Delaware: 3.2%
- Connecticut: 3.1%
- North Dakota: 2.8%
