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Seniors fuel growth - and feel its impact

by Judd Wilson Staff Writer
| December 20, 2018 12:00 AM

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U.S. Census Bureau graphic Kootenai County’s senior population grew by 98 percent from 2000-2015, said Idaho Department of Labor regional economist Sam Wolkenhauer.

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English

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Wolkenhauer

COEUR d’ALENE — While growth in the local student population has recently sparked debates about schools and roads, the county’s fastest-growing population is on the other end of the age spectrum.

Growth has its blessings but also its challenges, said Dan English, director of the Area Agency on Aging serving Idaho’s five northern counties.

The influx of new residents into Kootenai County puts pressure on local infrastructure such as roads, said English. Everyone can see it while fighting traffic, he explained. In addition, a growing population has changed the price of housing, “which in turn affects the quality and location of housing options” to both younger and older residents, English said.

“I’m especially concerned about the younger workers who don’t have much of an income yet, as well as seniors who may be struggling to get by on a fixed income,” he said.

In statistics reviewed at the Coeur d’Alene School District’s special levy meeting Monday, Idaho Department of Labor regional economist Sam Wolkenhauer predicted the youth population here would grow slightly in the next seven years. But on the other hand, the senior population will continue to grow by leaps and bounds, he said.

Wolkenhauer’s statistics revealed that the number of Kootenai County residents 65 and older had grown by 98 percent from 2000-2015. Around 57 percent of population growth in the county since 2000 has been among 55 and older residents, he said earlier this fall to Press columnist Steve Cameron.

By comparison, the number of Kootenai County residents aged 0-14 grew just 16 percent from 2000-2015, Wolkenhauer said. That was lower than the statewide average of 20 percent growth in the youth population.

By 2026, the 65 and older age group here will grow by another 24,000, Wolkenhauer said. Idaho’s senior population is growing faster than that of most other states, and Kootenai County’s senior population is growing faster than most other Idaho counties, English said.

Wolkenhauer said the combination of a relatively inexpensive real estate market plus a great quality of life has driven older Americans to migrate to Kootenai County.

“Kootenai County is a beautiful place to retire with a relatively low price of entry for someone retiring and selling a home in the big coastal cities,” Wolkenhauer said.

The retiree population is growing faster thanks to migration, but would still grow considerably without migration. The workforce is more dependent on migration for growth, Wolkenhauer said.

Seniors here may face waiting periods for some services because local agencies have had a hard time finding workers to administer those services, English said.

“Our strong growth combined with low unemployment rates make it difficult for many of our contract providers to find adequate workers. I’ve heard of some people being on waiting lists for services, not because the funds weren’t there to pay for the service, but the service providers don’t have enough workers,” English said.