|
Aging in Contra Costa :
The county of Contra Costa, California was incorporated in 1850
as one of the original 27 counties of the state of California, with the city
of Martinez as the county seat. It is one of the nine counties in the San Francisco-Oakland
Bay Area. The county is the ninth most populous county in California, with a
population over 1 million.
Increasing Diversity
Especially in recent years, Contra Costa’s population has become more
diverse with various racial and ethnic minorities increasing faster than the
white population. Today, racial and ethnic minorities make up more than 35% of
the county’s population, compared to less than 20% two decades ago. Hispanics
make up the largest ethnic group, followed by Asians, then African-Americans.
Over the next decade the Hispanic population is projected to increase to around
20% of the population. Increasing diversity will lead to new market opportunities
and entrepreneurial activity; it also will present challenges in meeting the
educational and social needs of the various population groups in culturally appropriate
ways. How the emerging population groups are assimilated will affect the county’s
economic, social, and political landscape.
The Aging of Contra Costa County
2000-2040
Increased diversity and dramatic growth will also characterize Contra Costa’s
aging population. At present, about 25% of the county’s population is between
the ages of 45 and 64. As the leading edge of the "baby boom" generation
enters their retirement years during the coming decade, senior citizens will
be the fastest growing segment of the population. In fact, Contra Costa’s
aging population will more than double over the next 35 years.
In general, the newly retired will have a longer life expectancy, be better
educated and financially well off compared to earlier generations. This should
create new opportunities, as well as demands for housing, recreation, travel,
life-long learning, social services, and health care in the county. Yet a CCEG
survey identified numerous gaps that already exist in meeting older adults’ housing,
transportation, health care, employment, and other quality of life needs. Those
gaps could undermine the opportunities, which is why addressing those gaps must
be a first priority in working toward a more aging-friendly county.
Some of the above information is drawn from the Contra Costa Economic Partnership's
2003 publication, 2003 Performance Index: The Changing Face of Contra Costa County.
Additional demographic information about communities within Contra Costa can
be found at http://www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/depart/cd/demographics.htm
|
