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P a g e
2. Why Is This Plan Important?
The populations of Chesapeake, the Commonwealth of Virginia, the U.S., and the world are all
growing older due to increasing life spans along with rapidly declining birth rates. In the U.S.,
the added impact of the Baby Boomer generation also contributes significantly to the increase
in the older population.
Population aging will shape local, regional, national and international economies and
policymaking unlike any other demographic shift witnessed to date.
1
In the Chesapeake area, between 2012 and 2040, the Welden Cooper Population Center
projects a growth of 114.5% in the number of those aged 65 and older compared to an
increase of 39.4% in the city’s population overall.
2
As shown in the chart and table below,
over the next two decades both the number and the proportion of older adults in Chesapeake
are projected to increase at greater rates than in Virginia or the U.S. as a whole
.
Projected Population
US (1,000s)
Virginia
Chesapeake
Number of persons aged 65+ in 2012
40,229 1,062,505
25,446
Proportion of persons aged 65+ in 2012
13.00%
25.3%
11.1%
Number of persons aged 65+ in 2040
79,719
2,990,547
54,588
Proportion of persons aged 65+ 2040
21.0%
28.4%
17.1%
Growth rate in number of persons aged 65+ from 2012 to 2040
98.2%
181.5%
114.5%
Growth rate in proportion of persons aged 65+ from 2010 to 2030
61.5%
12.4%
146.0%
Growth rate in population overall
22.5%
28.6%
39.4%
Not only is the proportion of the older populating growing, but the overall distribution of the
population by age is significantly changing. In society, the working age population supports
0
10000
20000
30000
40000
50000
60000
2012
2020
2030
2040
Population 65+ 2014 to 2040
17% of the
population
11% of the
population
