NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665
October 7, 1999
The number of North Dakota elderly (age 65 and older) has been going up steadily during the past several decades--increasing by roughly 20 percent per decade since 1930. Meanwhile, the number of children younger than age 10 has been going down rapidly since 1960--dropping by about 14 percent per decade, according to the latest Population Bulletin released from the North Dakota State Data Center at North Dakota State University.
Put another way: In 1930 there were five children ages 9 and younger for every elderly North Dakotan, a ratio of 1 to 5. Beginning in 1992, the number of elderly people surpassed the number of children ages 9 and younger for the first time in North Dakota's history. A 1-to-5 ratio has become a 1-to-0.9 ratio.
"Between 1990 and 1998, the number of children younger than age 5 dropped 14.2 percent," says Richard Rathge, data center director. "In fact, every county in the state, with the exception of Sioux and Rolette counties, showed declines during those nine years. Burleigh and Cass counties showed the smallest declines, with 6.8 percent and 1.9 percent, respectively."
In contrast, the number of North Dakotans age 85 and older rose 26.7 percent between 1990 and 1998, or 3 percent per year on average, Rathge says. The metro areas, along with the western portion of the state, showed the largest increases.
"The shift in our state's distribution of elderly and children has important consequences," Rathge says. "The dramatic decline in youth translates into dwindling school enrollments. It also means that there will be fewer people entering our labor force over time. At the same time, the rising number of seniors will place growing demands on various state services, housing facilities and health providers. We need to recognize these demographic shifts and position ourselves to best address them."
Rathge says information-based technology offers innovative solutions for dealing with these demographic challenges. Examples include distance learning, tele-medicine and Internet-based e-commerce.
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Source: Richard Rathge (701) 231-8621
Editor: Dean Hulse (701) 231-6136
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