Nearly 3 in 10 Manatee County residents are 65 or older. The county has already passed a demographic threshold the rest of the nation isn't expected to reach until 2060.
U.S. Census Bureau 2025 population estimates peg Manatee County's median age at 49.3. Residents 65 and older make up 29.4% of the county's population, Sarasota Magazine reported Tuesday, Sept. 1. That share is roughly 6 percentage points above the 23.4% the Census Bureau projects for the entire United States in 2060.
For Lakewood Ranch, where retirees make up a large share of the community, the data underscores growth already visible in new hospice and senior-housing projects across the area.
Growth Is Fastest Among the Oldest Age Groups
The sharpest increases are at the top of the age ladder. Manatee County's population aged 80 to 84 grew 43.6% between 2020 and 2025. The 85-and-older group rose 26.5% over the same period, reaching 15,909 residents.
Across both Manatee and Sarasota counties, 323,934 residents were at least 65 in 2025. That is 34.2% of the two-county population of 948,158, compared with 22.8% for Florida and 18.9% for the nation.
Among the 294 U.S. counties with at least 250,000 residents, Manatee ranked seventh in median age, share of residents 65 and older, and share 85 and older. Neighboring Sarasota County ranked first in all three categories, with a median age of 57.8.
What the Age Dependency Ratio Reveals
The Census Bureau also tracks an age dependency ratio. It compares the combined population of children and seniors against working-age adults aged 18 to 64. Manatee County's ratio stood at roughly 85 dependents for every 100 working-age residents in 2024, according to the American Community Survey. About 54 of those 85 were seniors and 32 were children.
The ratio does not mean every person over 65 is retired or every working-age adult is employed. It measures age structure and signals potential pressure on the local workforce, caregiving networks and public services.
Hospice and Senior-Housing Providers Expand to Meet Demand
Providers are already following the numbers. VITAS Healthcare, which describes itself as the nation's leading hospice provider, began serving Manatee County on June 8. The company's coverage area includes Bradenton, Palmetto, Parrish and Lakewood Ranch.
"Expanding hospice care in communities like Manatee County is about doing the right thing for patients and families," Patty Husted, VITAS executive vice president, said in a May 12 statement announcing the expansion.
Senior housing is expanding, too. Emerson Lakes, an Erickson Senior Living retirement community under development in Lakewood Ranch, has 319 independent living units planned in its first phase, according to Seniors Housing Business. The community named new leadership in July, including Associate Executive Director Adam Zubowsky and Sales Director Kailey Viray.
A Younger Population Segment Is Growing, Too
The census data isn't all gray hair. Manatee County's population aged 25 to 44 grew 24.7% between 2020 and 2025, outpacing the county's overall growth of 16.6%. Health care ranked among the metro area's leading hiring industries in LinkedIn's 2026 Cities on the Rise analysis. Niche ranked Manatee County 13th in Florida for retirees and 19th for young professionals in its April 2026 rankings.
Manatee Already Exceeds Where the World Is Headed by 2060
The Census Bureau's global aging report projects the worldwide share of people 65 and older will nearly double, from 10.5% in 2025 to 19.6% by 2060. Manatee County, at 29.4%, is already well past that mark.
Upcoming Lakewood Ranch events: Check the Sept. 3-9 community calendar for local happenings.
