This report brings together and analyzes data on selected topics related to the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the older population in the United States. The report covers, for older persons, age, sex, and race; geographic distribution and residential mobility; mortality, survival, and health; and various social and economic characteristics, including marital status and living arrangements, educational attainment, work status, and income.

The data come from the 1980 Census of Population, the Current Population Survey, the Census Bureau program of population estimates and projections, the vital statistics registration system, the National Health Survey, Social Security records, and other national data sources.