Some of the report highlights:
- Maine has a larger and more sharply growing share of the older
population (age 55 and older). The proportion of the states
population that is 55 years or older has increased from 19 percent
in 1950, to 24 percent in 2000, and 27 percent in 2005.
- In 2015, one in three Maine residents are projected to be 55 years
or older and by 2030, older persons will comprise 39 percent of all
the residents of Maine.
- The older population is projected to be the source of all
population growth in Maine during the 30 years between 2000 and
2030.
- Maines population is getting older at
a higher rate than the nation. In 2005, the median age of Maine
residents was 41, compared to the median age of 36 for the rest of
the country. In Maine, the median age is projected to be 43 in 2015
and 47 in 2030.
- At the same time, the state has seen a sharp decline in birth
rate. Between 1990 and 2004, the birth rate in Maine declined by 25
percent, compared to a 15.8 percent decline in the rest of the
nation.
- While teens and young adults in Maine are more likely to
participate in the labor market than their counterparts in the
region and in the nation, the rate of labor force participation
among those aged 55 and above is below that of the nation as a
whole.
As part of this Initiative, business leaders will meet with public
officials in Portland Wednesday to discuss a variety of issues
including: pension policies that limit workers
ability to mix work and retirement income, workforce development
programs that do not serve older workers, and the need for the
workplace to accommodate an older workforce.
The Council plans to host meetings around the region in the coming
months, examining the status of older workers in each state and
engage public and private leaders in discussion of the issues.
The New England Council, founded in 1925, is an alliance of large
and small companies, colleges and universities, nonprofit and other
agencies, dedicated to promoting economic development and a high
quality of life in the six-state region.