Senior citizens were the biggest drivers of Bexar County’s population increase since 2010

The number of Bexar County residents age 70 to 74 rose by nearly 60 percent between 2010 and 2019, according to new census data.

The 59.6 percent surge — more than 24,000 people — represented the county’s highest growth rate, followed by residents age 65 to 69. That category increased by 49.9 percent (nearly 28,000 people) over the same period.

The median age in Bexar County in July 2019 was 34, well below the nationwide median age of 38.4.

On ExpressNews.com: Bexar County’s population becoming more diverse, latest census figures show

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates revealed that the nation as a whole is graying, driven by aging Baby Boomers born between 1946 and 1964. The 65-and-older population grew by 34.2 percent — 13,787,044 people — during the past decade.

“The first Baby Boomers reached 65 years old in 2011,” said Dr. Luke Rogers, chief of the Census Bureau’s Population Estimates Branch.

“Since then, there’s been a rapid increase in the size of the 65-and-older population, which grew by over a third since 2010. No other age group saw such a fast increase. In fact, the under-18 population was smaller in 2019 than it was in 2010, in part due to lower fertility in the United States,” he said.

The census data also showed that in Bexar County, the numbers of Hispanic, black and Asian residents are each growing at faster rates than non-Hispanic whites.

Hispanic residents accounted for 60.7 percent of the population last year, followed by non-Hispanic whites (27.1 percent), non-Hispanic blacks (7.4 percent), and non-Hispanic Asians (3.7 percent).

In total, the county’s population reached the 2 million mark in 2019.

Click here for a detailed analysis of the latest Bexar County demographics.