The percentage of seniors living in Olds nearly doubles that of the province, according to the second round of census data released by Statistics Canada on May 3.
The total population in Olds increased by 11.5 per cent over the past five years, from 8,235 in 2011 to 9,184. Of that, there are 1,980 residents over 65, or 21.6 per cent of the total population, compared to 11.3 per cent for Alberta. That amounts to a 25 per cent increase over the past five years, and a 42 per cent increase in residents over the age of 85.
The number of children under the age of 15 in Olds has grown proportionally with the total population, from 1,370 in 2011 to 1,530, an increase of 11.7 per cent.
Gender is split almost evenly until the over-65 age group, with 850 men versus 1,130 women. After that, the population of women over 85 (175) nearly doubles that of men (90).
In the last census, age categories only tracked total population over 85 years, however 2016 tracked increments up to 100 years. According to the 2016 data, there are between 5 and 10 women over the age of 100 living in Olds. Census data is rounded randomly to protect people's identities.
The second round of census data also detailed the number and types of dwellings, and shows a 6.5 per cent increase in total dwelling units in Olds. Of the 3,942 private dwellings, 3,698 were occupied, making the average household size 2.4 people.
The next round of census data is due to be released on Aug. 2, and will cover families, households, marital status, and language.
THE NUMBERS
Age group comparisons
Age groups as per cent of total population
Dwellings and population density
