Most college students' employment concerns involve getting a job, not deciding when to leave it. Even though retirement may seem far-off to the college crowd, it's less-so than it used to be: A government report called "65+ in the United States: 2005," released late last week, found that Americans are retiring younger, possibly because of their access to Medicare, social security and pensions. "Not too long ago, people, particularly men, worked until they were physically unable to work," Robert Friedland, director of the Center on an Aging Society at Georgetown University, told the Associated Press. "Now, people have a period of time to which they are looking forward." In this installment of "By the Numbers," the Daily explores these and other results of the report, which was compiled by the Census Bureau and commissioned by the National Institute on Aging.
1/2 American males 50 years ago who were still employed at the age of 65 or older1/5 American men of that age today who are still employed
1/3+ Senior citizens who "lived below the poverty level in 1959"1/10 Senior citizens who live at such a level as of 20032020 Year in which Medicare is estimated to become financially insolvent, "according to the trust fund that runs it"2041 Year in which the Social Security program, if unchanged, is expected to go bankrupt
74.1 years American men's life expectancy in 2000...68.2 years ...and in 195079.5 years American women's life expectancy in 2000...71.1 years ...and in 1950
71% Male senior citizens who are married, as of 200041% Female senior citizens who are married, as of 200059% American senior citizens who are women
72% Senior citizens with high school diplomas in 2003 17% Senior citizens who had high school diplomas in 195017% Senior citizens with bachelor's or higher degrees in 20033% Senior citizens with bachelor's or higher degrees in 1950
The information cited above comes from the San Francisco Chronicle, the Associated Press and the U.S. Census Bureau's "65+ in the United States: 2005."
