February 7, 2002

North Dakota Population Shows More Elderly Women

According to the 2000 Census, North Dakota had a total of 642,200 persons. Of these persons, half (50.1 percent) were females and half (49.9 percent) were males according to the latest Population Bulletin released from the North Dakota State Data Center at North Dakota State University in Fargo.

While the statewide gender split is even for all persons in North Dakota, differences exist between select age groups. The state has experienced a major change in age structure during the last century with increasing proportions of elderly and declining proportions of youth. While the elderly comprise a growing proportion of both males and females, the proportion of elderly females is growing at a much faster pace.

Before 1960, North Dakota males tended to be slightly older than females, on average. "This was largely due to the relatively young population of the state as a result of the baby boom which began in the late 1940s," said Richard Rathge, director of the State Data Center. The median age of residents in 1960 was 26. However, in the early 1960s, the baby boom ended and young families began leaving the state in significant numbers. Since more of the elderly remained in the state, the gender difference shifted in favor of females because they tend to live longer. This also shifted the median age of women to nearly 38 in 2000 while the median age for men was 35.

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Source: Richard Rathge, (701) 231-8621, richard_rathge@ndsu.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu

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