'Grey' invasion swells population

The county's elderly population is set to jump by a quarter by 2031

North Yorkshire has one of the fastest growing populations in the UK due to an influx of older people, research shows.

Between 1981 and 2006 the population in the area covered by Radio York jumped 15.7% - putting it in the top third of the BBC's 45 local radio station areas.

Outside the city of York, the rise was 21% - reflecting a "grey flight" of older people from urban to rural areas.

The BBC's Changing UK report shows that in 2006 21.5% of the county's residents were of pensionable age.

The findings in the report, which was compiled by experts at Sheffield University, are echoed in population data from North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC).

Retirement destination

It said one of the main drivers of population growth in the county was migration from other parts of the UK for retirement.

The council projects that from 2007-2031 the county's population will increase by another 24%, with the biggest growth in the oldest age group.

"The reason here is because people are living longer, but also because of inward migration," an NYCC spokeswoman said.

"We have an influx of elderly people into the county because, quite simply, it's a nice place to spend your retirement."

By 2019, the number of people aged over 65 is projected to rise from its current level of 111,700 to 155,500, or almost a quarter (24%) of the total population.

By contrast, the number of young people under 18 will account for 21%.

The Changing UK survey also shows that the percentage of children under five years old in the Radio York area is just 4.9% - the second lowest in the country.