Urban Science· 2026Q1
Spatial Differentiation of Population Aging in a Rapidly Aging Latin American Region: Evidence from the Maule Region, Chile, 1992–2024
- 0citations
- Q1SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
The Maule Region, Chile, experienced a significant increase in its Aging Index (AI) to 83.9 by 2024, surpassing the national average (79.0), driven primarily by growth in the population aged 65+ (83.6%) and contraction in those under 15 (16.4%).
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Key points
- Maule Region's Aging Index reached 83.9 in 2024, exceeding Chile's national average of 79.0.
- Growth of the 65+ population (83.6%) and contraction of the <15 population (16.4%) drove the regional AI increase.
- Provincial and commune aging trajectories showed significant heterogeneity.
- Specific communes (Hualañé, Licantén) were identified as High-High clusters for aging in 2024.
- Aging was consistently higher among women, and the oldest-old comprised over a quarter of older adults in the most aged areas.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Population aging is a defining demographic transformation in Latin America, yet its subnational spatial dynamics remain insufficiently understood. We examined population aging in the Maule Region of Chile from 1992 to 2024 using official census data at provincial and commune levels. The Aging Index (AI) was complemented by absolute age-group counts, logarithmic component decomposition, intercensal growth rates, dispersion measures, β-convergence, Global Moran’s I, Local Indicators of Spatial Association, sex-specific AI, dependency ratios, and oldest-old shares. By 2024, the regional AI reached 83.9, exceeding the national value of 79.0. Regional intercensal AI growth increased across successive periods, whereas provincial and commune trajectories were heterogeneous. Growth of the population aged ≥65 years accounted for 83.6% of the regional logarithmic increase in AI between 1992 and 2024, while contraction of the population aged <15 years accounted for 16.4%. Global spatial autocorrelation varied non-monotonically, with no significant temporal change; Hualañé and Licantén were FDR-significant High–High clusters in 2024. Absolute territorial dispersion widened, relative inequality was non-monotonic, and β-convergence was not statistically significant. Aging was consistently higher among women, and the oldest-old represented more than one-quarter of older adults in the most aged territories. These findings show that rapid regional aging can coexist with marked local heterogeneity and persistent spatial differentiation.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Urban Science, 2026 · DOI ↗
Continue with a free account
Ask the paper: 3 free questions a day about this paper; save it, get its citation, new summaries every day for your field. Takeaways are Premium.
Continue free on the webSign in with Google or Apple; no card needed. You come back to this paper.
On your phone:
Field: Demography
DemographySocial Sciences