U.S. Census: The number of centenarians is on the rise across America

About two and half people in 10,000 in the United States of America are 100 years or older.

That’s according to a special report published on September 22, 2025 by the U.S. Census Bureau, using data from the 2020 count mandated by the United States Constitution.

“Though a small proportion of the total population, the centenarian population in the United States increased by 50 percent from 53,364 in 2010 to 80,139 in 2020,” reads an information release sent out at 12:07 p.m. today.

The exact number is 2.42 centenarians per 10,000 people, a figure that is up from the 2010 Census when the figure was 1.73 percent per 10,000. Around four-fifths of centenarians are women.

Just over a third live in a household with other people, and another third live alone. About a quarter of the population above 100 years old live in a nursing home.

The 2020 Census also counted 1,933 people over the age of 110, a term known as “super-centenarians.”

In Virginia, centenarians make up 0.02 percent of the population of 8,631,393 or 1,831 individuals. The 2020 population count in the United States was 331,449,281.

“California had the largest number of centenarians (10,623) followed by New York, Florida, and Texas,” reads the report. “At the other end, Alaska had the fewest centenarians (94) followed by Wyoming, Vermont, and Delaware, each having fewer than 200 centenarians statewide.”

Do you have any centenarians in your life?

Before you go: The time to write and conduct research for this article is covered by paid subscribers to Charlottesville Community Engagement. In fact, this particular installment comes from the September 22, 2025 edition of the program. To ensure this research can be sustained, please consider becoming a paid subscriber or contributing monthly through Patreon.