NJPS Home ---> NJPS Report ---> Special Topics --->

NJPS: The Elderly

-Download NJPS Report PDF -Download PowerPoint Summary

As noted earlier, 19% of the total Jewish population is elderly, defined as 65 years of age or older, and 9% of the Jewish population is 75 or older. Fifty-four percent of the elderly are women. Relative to the total Jewish adult population, the elderly are slightly under-represented in the Northeast (with 38% of all Jews over 65) and West (19%), equally represented in the Midwest (11%), and over-represented in the South (33%), where many have moved since retirement.

More elderly Jews than other Jews live alone (see Table 17).  One-third of Jews age 65 and over reside by themselves, and among those 75 and over, the proportion increases to 39%.  These rates are substantially higher than adults age 25-34 (22%), 35-44 (17%) and 45-54 (18%), the prime years of marriage and child rearing.  That so many elderly live by themselves is consistent with the movement of children out of their homes and the dissolution of marriages through the death of spouses.  Of all elderly who live alone, 67% are widows or widowers.

Elderly Jews report more health problems than their younger counterparts.  More than one-third of all elderly say their health is poor or fair, nearly three times the rate of those under 65.  At the other end of the scale, elderly Jews are less than half as likely as other Jews to report they have excellent health.  Moreover, more than aquarter of the elderly report that either they or someone else in their household have a health condition that limits employment, education or daily activities.*  In stark contrast, just over 10% of adults under 65 report that they or someone else in their household have such a health condition.

Elderly Jews may be more vulnerable to economic difficulties than other Jews.  Nine percent of elderly Jews live in households with incomes below the federally-defined poverty line, more than double the rate of other adult Jews.*  Almost a fifth (18%) of elderly live in households with incomes of less than $15,000, 15% live in households with incomes of $15,000-25,000, and another 16% live in households with incomes of $25,000-$35,000.  Corresponding rates for other Jewish adults are just half the levels of the elderly.  Elderly Jews living in institutional settings and thus not sampled as part of NJPS may also have low incomes, potentially adding to the number of elderly facing economic difficulties.

Low current income suggests the potential for economic vulnerability.  However, many elderly Jews possess assets accumulated over their lifetimes that may ease their economic situation during later years.  Close to half of all elderly Jews (43%) have total assets over $250,000, and approximately 20% have assets of more than $500,000.      

Lastly, from a specifically Jewish perspective, many older Jews remain actively engaged in the Jewish community (see Table 17).  For example, proportionally more of the elderly than other Jews affiliate with JCCs* and other Jewish organizations aside from synagogues,* and more give to federation campaigns* and other Jewish causes.  In addition, nearly equal proportions of the elderly and other adults volunteer for Jewish organizations,* enroll in adult Jewish education programs,* and live in households that belong to a synagogue.*  Clearly, many Jewish elderly continue to bring their talents and resources to Jewish organizations and communal life.

* Topics with asterisks refer to respondents who answered the survey's long form, representing a population of 4.3 million Jewish adults and children.

Next page: Immigrants