Research: Rural Seniors

Rural Senior Research

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Seniors in Rural America

Rural America accounts for a significant portion of the country’s elderly population. In 2010, 25.5% of the nation’s Seniors lived in rural areas, comprising 15.5% of the rural population.

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Senior Demographic Overview

Senior 65+ Overview

Extreme Rural Rural Suburban Urban
Gender 54.3% Female, 51.7% Male 51.7% Female, 48.3% Male 57% Female, 43% Male 56.1% Female, 43.9% Male
Average Income $43,279 Per Year $48,402 Per Year $43,108 Per Year $47,238 Per Year
Race 88.6% White
10.4% African American
0.37% Asian
0.65% Other		 90.6% White
2.3% African American
0.38% Asian
6.7% Other		 83.9% White
12.1% African American
2.3% Asian
1.7% Other		 73.5% White
9.7% African American
9% Asian
7.7% Other
Ethnicity 98.4% Non-Hispanic
1.6% Hispanic		 93.9% Non-Hispanic
6.1% Hispanic		 94.5% Non-Hispanic
5.5% Hispanic		 86.9% Non-Hispanic
13.1% Hispanic
Average Number of People in Household Two One One One
Source: Simmons Market Research

Growing Senior Demographic

  • As of 2017, there were 50 million 65+ Seniors in the US, but by 2022 this number is expected to exceed 60 million, over 18% growth in five years.
  • Seniors currently make up about 20% of the adult population, but as Baby Boomers continue to age, the population will be more heavily skewed toward Seniors.
  • For the group aged 75+, women lead significantly at 58.9% to 41.1%.
  • By 2022, Seniors will make up 23% of the adult population - making Seniors a large and important target demographic for marketers.
Source: Mintel Reports

SENIORS ARE AN IMPORTANT DEMOGRAPHIC IN RURAL AREAS

What are they buying?

Top Product Necessities for Seniors

At 75+ the need for products that improve quality of life dramatically increases. These products include: reading glasses, hearing aids, and walking support products.

Source: Mintel Reports

Most Purchased Medical Equipment

The most frequently purchased medical equipment in Rural counties tracks the pattern of common illnesses in Rural America, including Seniors.

Extreme Rural Rural Suburban Urban
Blood glucose monitor 99 156 83 94
Blood pressure monitor 119 105 96 94
Cholesterol monitor 23 117 82 134
Finger pulse oximeter 87 110 84 112
Pedometer 132 48 84 116
Other devices 112 71 70 126
Source: Simmons Market Research. Simmons Market Research is based on National Average which is represented by 100

SENIORS ARE AN IMPORTANT DEMOGRAPHIC IN RURAL AREAS

What are they buying?

Senior Buying Facts

  • American Seniors make up 70% of all disposable income in the U.S., and are responsible for roughly half of the purchases made in the U.S.. That adds up to about $2.3 trillion per year.
  • Online shopping is still favored by the younger generation, but 41% of Baby Boomers prefer online shopping to offline shopping.
Source: Top Baby-Boomer Shopping Habits Retailers Can’t Afford to Ignore, Marianne Willson

Senior Buying Habits

How is the Senior demographic buying? Here are 3 things to understand:

  • Online presence
    • 50% of people ages 52-70 spend about 11 hours online per week.
    • Activities include: news, social media, research, and shopping (in that order). Seniors, especially Rural Seniors, research products online before going in-store to buy. 84% of Seniors still prefer to buy products in-store.
  • Interest in health
    • 80% of Seniors identify health as a top priority.
    • Rural Seniors pay attention to their health and place some importance on creating a healthier lifestyle. Products that promote health are something that Seniors will look closer at.
  • Online presence
    • 12% of Seniors look for help from others when making a purchase.
    • Seniors are more demanding than any other generation, and more so in rural communities where access to stores is limited. They look for exceptional customer service to ensure they are not only getting the right product for their needs, but also have access to help when they need it.
Source: Top Baby-Boomer Shopping Habits Retailers Can’t Afford to Ignore, Marianne Willson

Senior Coupon Usage

Seniors in Rural America index higher in coupon usage than in urban areas of America. Having a discount, offer, or low price point call-out is essential to marketing copy targeted towards Seniors.
Extreme Rural Rural Suburban Urban
Newspaper Insert 194 125 88 132
Printed at Register 106 118 77 106
Magazine Insert 116 142 118 127
Retail Store Website 144 10 42 100
In-Store Circulation 127 116 78 93
In or On Package Inserts 139 46 75 116
Peeled off Package 150 122 78 137
Shelf Coupons 125 129 70 135
Source: Simmons Market Research. Simmons Market Research is based on National Average which is represented by 100

Spending Allocation

Although Seniors’ income is lower than the national average of $97,300, their net worth and free time leaves them open to shopping more.
Source: : Mintel Reports