A two-year study released today shows that older Arkansans, the young and Hispanics will make up larger parts of the state population 12 years from now.

The Arkansas 2020 study, released by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, projects demographic changes over a 20-year period, including shifts in age, gender, race, ethnic, rural and urban populations.

According to the study, the number of Arkansans 55 to 59 years old will increase nearly 50% while the number of children, ages 10 to 14, will increase 7.4% for these groups to tie for the largest percentage of the state population in 2020.

With more than 208,000 in the older group and more than 207,000 in the younger group, each will make up 6.8% of Arkansans 12 years from now.

The study noted that increasing number of older people will require new or expanded social services and greater numbers of Hispanics, many of whom do not speak English, will require the state to hire or train more bilingual workers.

Senator Shane Broadway initiated the study in December 2005 to provide a tool for state agencies to better serve Arkansans.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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