Medina County's senior population on the rise, according to latest Census Bureau estimates

The number of seniors in Medina County has continued to increase since 2020, according to the latest estimates from the Census Bureau. The Census Bureau had the following 2024 population estimates for Medina County: Ages 9 and younger is about 19,400. Ages 10 to 19 is around 22,700. Ages 20 to 39 is approximately 41,200. Ages 40 to 59 is just over 49,000. Ages 60 and older is nearly 52,400. "The birth rate is also slowing," Medina County Senior and Adult Services Director Laura Toth said. "There are many more seniors in Medina County than there are children under the age of 18 even." Approximately 28.5 percent of Medina County residents were 60 or older in 2024. Seniors make up about 25.5 percent of Ohio's population and slightly more than 24 percent of the United States population. "I think we're right along with, or maybe even ahead of where we were predicting, the aging population is going," Toth said. "We knew that over 30 percent of Medina County would be over the age of 60 by 2030." There were around 46,900 people who were 60 or older in Medina County in the 2020 Census, which was almost 26 percent of the total population. The percent change for the 60-plus population from 2020 to 2024 was almost 12 percent. "There's plenty of people that have been born and raised and are continuing to live their lives in Medina County, but there are a couple of other factors," Toth said. "I think we have really good wraparound services, so that makes people want to move here. I think people come and move where their children are since a lot of times people want to age close to family." In 2024, 43.8 was the median age of Medina County residents. It is the 15th-highest median age for all 88 counties in Ohio. "We're an aging place," Toth said. "That's why we do things like look for levy funds and look for people to help us out and support seniors in the community because help is definitely needed." There are programs for seniors in Medina County that allow them to age in place, she said. For instance, there are home-delivered meals if seniors are unable to cook for themselves and transit subsidies which allow seniors to travel to medical appointments and the grocery store. "Everybody wants to be able to age in place, and some people need a little more help to do that," Toth said. "That's why organizations like ours exist. It's a good problem, and it's a solvable problem. We really do have good support in the county." There are also social programs available for seniors in Medina County, so they are not socially isolated, she said. "We want people to be out and to keep them active," Toth said. "We have social activities, educational opportunities, trips and exercise classes. All of those things that we want to be involved with at any age to keep us active, to keep our brain going and keep us happy in our communities." Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.