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U.S. Population Ages as Immigration Fuels Record Growth

Nearly 45 percent of U.S. counties now report more residents over 65 than under 18 as immigration fuels the nation’s largest annual population gain on record.

File photo: a grandfather pushes his granddaughter on a swing.
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A map shows the U.S. states with declining white populations as of July 2024, per the U.S. Census Bureau.
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Overview

  • The number of states where older adults outnumber children rose from three in 2020 to 11 in 2024, highlighting a broad shift toward an older demographic.
  • Census Bureau estimates show those aged 65 and older grew by 3.1 percent to 61.2 million in 2024 while the under-18 population fell by 0.2 percent to 73.1 million.
  • The White population declined by 0.1 percent even as the Asian and Hispanic populations expanded by 4.4 percent and nearly 3 percent, respectively, from 2023 to 2024.
  • About 45 percent of counties and 112 metropolitan areas now have more residents over 65 than under 18, up from 31.3 percent of counties and 58 metros in 2020.
  • Policymakers have introduced a $5,000 “baby bonus” and expanded IVF access to encourage childbirth, and the CBO projects fertility rates to average 1.6 births per woman over the next three decades.