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Traverse, Big Stone and Lincoln counties are among the about two dozen counties in the nation that had at least one-quarter of their populations 65 or older on July 1, 2007.
Traverse was at 28 percent while Big Stone and Lincoln were at 25 percent. Aitkin County in central Minnesota also had a quarter of its population at 65 and over.
Also among the oldest counties in the state were Kittson, Lac qui Parle and Murray.
Rural counties throughout the nation have been struggling for years with declining, aging populations as young people grow up and move away seeking better jobs.
On the flip side, counties with the highest percentage of their population at 5 years old or younger tend to be on the far western edge of the Twin Cities. Wright and Scott counties were the highest at 9 percent.
