US EditionOlder adults outnumber children in almost half of US counties: Census data
- On June 26, 2025, the U.S. Census Bureau published the Vintage 2024 Population Estimates, revealing that in 2024, the number of residents aged 65 and older exceeded those under 18 in almost 50 percent of U.S. counties.
- This demographic shift results from a steady increase in the population aged 65 and older, declining births this decade, and a narrowing gap between children and older adults.
- From 2020 to 2024, older adults grew 13.0% to 61.2 million while children under 18 declined 1.7% to 73.1 million, with 1,411 counties now having more older adults than children.
- Experts like Karen Guzzo and Siobhan O’Keefe link falling birth rates to economic instability and people’s inability to meet childbearing goals, warning this threatens Social Security’s sustainability.
- These trends increase pressure on social systems and have shaped recent policies like expanded IVF access and prioritizing communities with higher marriage and birth rates.
7 Articles
7 Articles
Older adults outnumber children in almost half of US counties: Census data
Older adults now outnumber children in almost half of the counties in the U.S., new data released Thursday from the Census Bureau shows. About 45 percent of the nation’s more than 3,100 counties reported more residents 65 years or older than those under the age of 18 in 2024, according to a press release. This…
65+ population steadily increasing across the country, while number of children is declining: US Census
The older population in the United States is steadily increasing, while the share of children is declining, according to the Vintage 2024 Population Estimates released on Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau.
America’s Boomer Population Grows As Birth Rates Fall
The American population is becoming older, with the proportion of baby boomers increasing while birth rates are declining, according to the newly released Vintage 2024 Population Estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau. The population aged 65 and older increased by 3.1 percent, to 61.2 million, while the population of those under age 18 decreased by 0.2 percent, to 73.1 million, from 2023 to 2024, the data revealed. Why It Matters America’s aging po…
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