Within the past year, a story in the News-Herald stated that over 40 percent of the population of Cook County is age 65 and over. This assertion was repeated in a question posed to District 1 commissioner candidate Bobby Deschampe in the March 4 edition. This statistic bears correction.
The 2010 U.S. Census data show the Cook County population age 65+ at 20.3 percent, compared to the Minnesota state level of 12.9 percent. The estimates for 2015 show the Cook County population age 65+ at 25.2 percent, with the state at 14.7 percent.
So, yes, it is true that the portion of the population over 65 in Cook County is roughly 1.7 times that of the state as a whole, and that portion of the population is growing faster than the state. But, the 40 percent number quoted is not accurate.
Paul Terrill
Maple Hill
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