Irvine’s strength is its people. The City is the success it is today because of the more than 223,000 hard-working and community minded citizens who have chosen Irvine as their home. Irvine’s population has grown significantly over the past 40 years, with population increases averaging 20 percent per year between 1970 and 1980. Between 1980 and 1990, the average increase dropped to 8 percent per year; and since 1990, the annual increase has averaged 2 percent per year. Because Irvine is a relatively new City and started with a young population base, only 12.7 percent of Irvine’s population was in the over-55 category in 1990. By the year 2020, however, 28 percent of the City’s population is expected to be over 55.