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Table 1.6
(continued)
% of
Population
% of
Responses
U.S.
April 1
1990 Percent
100.00 248,709,873 100.00
100.00
0.88
1.43
1,959,234 0.80
The population aged 25-34 is composed of young adults
in the prime ages for family and household formation. It is
estimated that this age group peaked in Alaska at 128,401
in 1986. The last part of the “baby boom” has now passed
through this age group and these ages increasingly are
made up of “baby bust” cohorts. The families in this age
group contribute heavily to the number of children under
five years of age. By 1990, the persons in this age category
numbered 113,233, a loss of 11.8% of young householders
since 1986. This age group hit a low of 84,518 in
1999, and has since rebounded slightly to 88,296. As the
“baby boomers” moved out of it, this age group declined
from 23.7% of the state’s population in the early 1980s to
just 13.5% in 2004.
0.70
0.02
0.00
0.01
1.06
0.02
0.01
0.01
1,682,114 0.68
57,152 0.03
23,797 0.01
13,738 0.01
Since 1980, growth in the 35-44 age group has been faster
than average. This age group still contains a portion of the
baby boom generation, defined as individuals born between
1946 and 1964. In-migration of more established families
during the 1980s added to the numbers of this naturally
large population cohort. In spite of overall losses in the
state’s population due to the severe economic recession
in the 1986-87 period, this age group continued to grow,
reaching its highest level of 120,566 persons in 1996. By
2004, the numbers in this age group are falling substantially
as more baby boomers age into the 45-54 age group.
From almost 20% in the mid 1990s, this age group has
declined to 15.9% in 2004.
0.01
0.01
15,730 0.01
13,925 0.01
1,805 0.00
The 45-54 age group now includes the majority of the post
World War II baby boom. This segment of the population
grew in Alaska from 8.5% in 1980 to 16.0% in 2004. As of
July 1, 2004, there were an estimated 105,137 persons 45-
54 years old.
2,432 0.00
--- -- --
0.49
1,569,265 0.79
0.66
0.18
277,120 0.14
0.37
The ages 55-64 have traditionally been the ages at which
some Alaskans have begun to move out of state as a result
of early retirement. This age group’s share of Alaska’s population
has shown small, but steady increases since 1983 as
their numbers have increased by 100 percent. This growth
should continue in Alaska over the next 10 years as the oldest
baby boomers begin to enter their sixties. There were
59,527 persons aged 55-64 in the state in 2004. Persons 65
years old and older numbered 41,582 in 2004. The size of
the population currently 55-64 suggests that the number of
senior Alaskans will continue to increase dramatically in coming
years. Large numbers of persons over age 40 are also
reaching the point in the life cycle where they are beginning
to have older parents to care for. Such care, in some cases,
is more easily provided in Alaska than by long distance in
other states. In-migration of older persons to Alaska, however,
remains a very tiny part of either growth or migration.
This age group has increased from 2.9% of the total in 1980
to 4.1% in 1990, to 6.3% in 2004. The rate of Alaska’s
increase tops that of any other state. In spite of the rapid
rate of increase, Alaska has by far the smallest proportion of
persons 65 and over (6.9%) in the nation. The next smallest
percentage is in Utah (8.5% in 2000). The average percent-
Alaska Population Overview • 2003-2004 Estimates 27