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yesterday

U.S. Population Aging Accelerates as Immigration Bolsters Growth

Hispanic and Asian arrivals have offset a drop in under-18s

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

  • Americans aged 65 and older increased by 3.1 percent from 2023 to 2024 while the under-18 population fell by 0.2 percent, according to Census Bureau figures.
  • The number of metro areas where older adults outnumber children rose from 58 in 2020 to 112 in 2024, representing nearly one third of all metropolitan regions.
  • Eleven states now have more residents aged 65 and over than residents under 18, up from three in 2020, with the trend strongest in rural and less populated areas.
  • The Hispanic population in the U.S. grew by 9.7 percent from April 2020 to July 2024 and the Asian population rose by 13 percent, driven largely by immigration.
  • Policymakers are discussing incentives to boost birth rates and proposals to modify immigration policies to address the widening age imbalance.