In 2022, the state with the highest median age of its population was Maine at 45.1 years. Utah had the lowest median age at 32.1 years. View the distribution of the U.S. population by ethnicity here.

Additional information on the aging population in the United States

High birth rates during the so-called baby boom years that followed World War II followed by lower fertility and morality rates have left the United States with a serious challenge in the 21st Century. However, the issue of an aging population is certainly not an issue unique to the United States. The age distribution of the global population shows that other parts of the world face a similar issue.

Within the United States, the uneven distribution of populations aged 65 years and over among states offers both major challenges and potential solutions. On the one hand, federal action over the issue may be contentious as other states are set to harbor the costs of elderly care in states such as California and Florida. That said, domestic migration from comparably younger states may help to fill gaps in the workforce left by retirees in others.

Nonetheless, aging population issues are set to gain further prominence in the political and economic decisions made by policymakers regardless of the eventual distribution of America’s elderly. Analysis of the financial concerns of Americans by age shows many young people still decades from retirement hold strong concern over their eventual financial position.

This statistic represents the percentage of population under 18 years in the United States in 2019, sorted by state. In 2019, about **** percent of Utah's population was under 18 years of age, compared to the national share of **** percent.

In 2021, there were about **** million children under the age of 18 years old in California -- the most out of any state. In that same year, Texas, Florida, New York, and Illinois rounded out the top five states with the most children under 18.

Age dependency ratio, young (% of working-age population) in United States was reported at 26.76 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United States - Age dependency ratio, young (% of working-age population) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on August of 2025.

United States US: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data was reported at 28.799 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 28.857 % for 2016. United States US: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data is updated yearly, averaging 33.422 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 51.329 % in 1961 and a record low of 28.799 % in 2017. United States US: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Age dependency ratio, young, is the ratio of younger dependents--people younger than 15--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Weighted average;

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Working-Age Population Total: From 15 to 24 Years for United States (LFWA24TTUSA647N) from 1955 to 2024 about working-age, 15 to 24 years, population, and USA.

Estimate, Median Age by Sex, Total Population (5-year estimate) in Young County, TX was 40.70000 Years of Age in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Estimate, Median Age by Sex, Total Population (5-year estimate) in Young County, TX reached a record high of 42.60000 in January of 2013 and a record low of 40.30000 in January of 2022. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Estimate, Median Age by Sex, Total Population (5-year estimate) in Young County, TX - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

In 2022, approximately ***** million young people between the ages of 15 to 19 years old lived in the United States. This was a slight increase from the previous year, when ***** million young people aged 15 to 19 lived in the U.S.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset tabulates the United States population distribution across 18 age groups. It lists the population in each age group along with the percentage population relative of the total population for United States. The dataset can be utilized to understand the population distribution of United States by age. For example, using this dataset, we can identify the largest age group in United States.

Key observations

The largest age group in United States was for the group of age 25-29 years with a population of 22,854,328 (6.93%), according to the 2021 American Community Survey. At the same time, the smallest age group in United States was the 80-84 years with a population of 5,932,196 (1.80%). Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2017-2021 5-Year Estimates.

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2017-2021 5-Year Estimates.

Age groups:

• Under 5 years
• 5 to 9 years
• 10 to 14 years
• 15 to 19 years
• 20 to 24 years
• 25 to 29 years
• 30 to 34 years
• 35 to 39 years
• 40 to 44 years
• 45 to 49 years
• 50 to 54 years
• 55 to 59 years
• 60 to 64 years
• 65 to 69 years
• 70 to 74 years
• 75 to 79 years
• 80 to 84 years
• 85 years and over

Variables / Data Columns

• Age Group: This column displays the age group in consideration
• Population: The population for the specific age group in the United States is shown in this column.
• % of Total Population: This column displays the population of each age group as a proportion of United States total population. Please note that the sum of all percentages may not equal one due to rounding of values.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for United States Population by Age. You can refer the same here

In 2023, the median age of the population of the United States was 39.2 years. While this may seem quite young, the median age in 1960 was even younger, at 29.5 years. The aging population in the United States means that society is going to have to find a way to adapt to the larger numbers of older people. Everything from Social Security to employment to the age of retirement will have to change if the population is expected to age more while having fewer children. The world is getting older It’s not only the United States that is facing this particular demographic dilemma. In 1950, the global median age was 23.6 years. This number is projected to increase to 41.9 years by the year 2100. This means that not only the U.S., but the rest of the world will also have to find ways to adapt to the aging population.

United States US: Share of Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training: Total: % of Youth Population data was reported at 16.490 % in 2012. This records a decrease from the previous number of 17.130 % for 2011. United States US: Share of Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training: Total: % of Youth Population data is updated yearly, averaging 17.290 % from Dec 2009 (Median) to 2012, with 4 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 17.640 % in 2010 and a record low of 16.490 % in 2012. United States US: Share of Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training: Total: % of Youth Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.World Bank: Employment and Unemployment. Share of youth not in education, employment or training (NEET) is the proportion of young people who are not in education, employment, or training to the population of the corresponding age group: youth (ages 15 to 24); persons ages 15 to 29; or both age groups.; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in November 2017.; Weighted Average;

This map shows median age in the United States by state, county, tract, and congressional district for 2023. Clickable popups on an any area of the within the map range bring up an in-depth breakdown of the age in the selected area. This includes median age in the selected area by gender, population of the selected area that is under 18 years old, population of the selected area that is over 65 years old, and the age dependency ratio (ADR) for the selected area. The ADR is the estimated ratio of the child population (<18) and senior population (65+) to the working-age population (18-64). Higher ratios denote that a greater burden is carried by working-age people. Lower ratios mean more people are working who can support the dependent population.

Graph and download economic data for Civilian Labor Force in Young County, TX (LAUCN485030000000006A) from 1990 to 2024 about Young County, TX; civilian; labor force; TX; labor; household survey; and USA.

This map shows median age in the US by country, state, county, tract, and congressional district for 2023. ArcGIS Online account required for use.The pop-up is configured to show median age, median age by sex, child age (under 18) population, senior age (over 65) population, the age dependency ratio, and population by 5 year age increments. Blending is used at the Tract level to highlight areas of human settlement. Congressional district is turned off by default and can be enabled in the Layers pane.Esri 2023 Age Dependency Ratio is the estimated ratio of the child population (Age 0-17) and senior population (Age 65+) to the working-age population (Age 18-64) in the geographic area. This ratio is then multiplied by 100. Higher ratios denote that a greater burden is carried by working-age people. Lower ratios mean more people are working who can support the dependent population. Read more. See Updated Demographics for more information on Esri Demographic variables.Esri Updated Demographics represent the suite of annually updated U.S. demographic data that provides current-year and five-year forecasts for more than two thousand demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, a subset of which is included in this layer. Included are a host of tables covering key characteristics of the population, households, housing, age, race, income, and much more. Esri's Updated Demographics data consists of point estimates, representing July 1 of the current and forecast years.Esri Updated Demographics DocumentationMethodologyUnderstanding Esri’s Updated Demographics portfolioEssential Esri Demographics vocabularyThis ready-to-use layer can be used within ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Online, its configurable apps, dashboards, Story Maps, custom apps, and mobile apps. This layer requires an ArcGIS Online subscription and does not consume credits. Please cite Esri when using this data. For information about purchasing additional Esri's Updated Demographics data, contact datasales@esri.com. Feedback: we would like to hear from you while this layer is in beta release. If you have any feedback regarding this item or Esri Demographics, please use this survey.

Graph and download economic data for Resident Population in Young County, TX (TXYOUN3POP) from 1970 to 2024 about Young County, TX; residents; TX; population; and USA.

Africa has the youngest population in the world. Among the 35 countries with the lowest median age worldwide, only three fall outside the continent. In 2023, the median age in Niger was 15.1 years, the youngest country. This means that at this age point, half of the population was younger and half older. A young population reflects several demographic characteristics of a country. For instance, together with a high population growth, life expectancy in Western Africa is low: this reached 58 years for men and 60 for women in 2024. Overall, Africa has the lowest life expectancy in the world.

Africa’s population is still growing Africa’s population growth can be linked to a high fertility rate, along with a drop in death rates. Despite the fertility rate on the continent following a constant declining trend, it remains far higher compared to all other regions worldwide. It was forecast to reach 4.02 children per woman, compared to a worldwide average of 2.25 children per woman in 2024. Furthermore, the crude death rate in Africa overall dropped, only increasing slightly during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The largest populations on the continent Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt, and the Democratic Republic of Congo are the most populous African countries. In 2025, people living in Nigeria amounted to over 237 million, while the number for the three other countries exceeded 100 million each. Of those, the Democratic Republic of Congo sustained the fourth-highest fertility rate in Africa in 2023. Nigeria and Ethiopia also had high rates, with 4.48 and 3.99 births per woman, respectively. Although such a high fertility rate is expected to slow down, it will still impact the population structure, growing younger nations.

Graph and download economic data for Population Estimate, Total, Hispanic or Latino, Two or More Races, Two Races Including Some Other Race (5-year estimate) in Young County, TX (B03002020E048503) from 2009 to 2023 about Young County, TX; latino; hispanic; estimate; persons; 5-year; TX; population; and USA.

Context

The United States Census Bureau’s international dataset provides estimates of country populations since 1950 and projections through 2050. Specifically, the dataset includes midyear population figures broken down by age and gender assignment at birth. Additionally, time-series data is provided for attributes including fertility rates, birth rates, death rates, and migration rates.

Querying BigQuery tables

You can use the BigQuery Python client library to query tables in this dataset in Kernels. Note that methods available in Kernels are limited to querying data. Tables are at bigquery-public-data.census_bureau_international.

Sample Query 1

What countries have the longest life expectancy? In this query, 2016 census information is retrieved by joining the mortality_life_expectancy and country_names_area tables for countries larger than 25,000 km2. Without the size constraint, Monaco is the top result with an average life expectancy of over 89 years!

standardSQL

SELECT age.country_name, age.life_expectancy, size.country_area FROM ( SELECT country_name, life_expectancy FROM bigquery-public-data.census_bureau_international.mortality_life_expectancy WHERE year = 2016) age INNER JOIN ( SELECT country_name, country_area FROM bigquery-public-data.census_bureau_international.country_names_area where country_area > 25000) size ON age.country_name = size.country_name ORDER BY 2 DESC /* Limit removed for Data Studio Visualization */ LIMIT 10

Sample Query 2

Which countries have the largest proportion of their population under 25? Over 40% of the world’s population is under 25 and greater than 50% of the world’s population is under 30! This query retrieves the countries with the largest proportion of young people by joining the age-specific population table with the midyear (total) population table.

standardSQL

SELECT age.country_name, SUM(age.population) AS under_25, pop.midyear_population AS total, ROUND((SUM(age.population) / pop.midyear_population) * 100,2) AS pct_under_25 FROM ( SELECT country_name, population, country_code FROM bigquery-public-data.census_bureau_international.midyear_population_agespecific WHERE year =2017 AND age < 25) age INNER JOIN ( SELECT midyear_population, country_code FROM bigquery-public-data.census_bureau_international.midyear_population WHERE year = 2017) pop ON age.country_code = pop.country_code GROUP BY 1, 3 ORDER BY 4 DESC /* Remove limit for visualization*/ LIMIT 10

Sample Query 3

The International Census dataset contains growth information in the form of birth rates, death rates, and migration rates. Net migration is the net number of migrants per 1,000 population, an important component of total population and one that often drives the work of the United Nations Refugee Agency. This query joins the growth rate table with the area table to retrieve 2017 data for countries greater than 500 km2.

SELECT growth.country_name, growth.net_migration, CAST(area.country_area AS INT64) AS country_area FROM ( SELECT country_name, net_migration, country_code FROM bigquery-public-data.census_bureau_international.birth_death_growth_rates WHERE year = 2017) growth INNER JOIN ( SELECT country_area, country_code FROM bigquery-public-data.census_bureau_international.country_names_area

Update frequency

Historic (none)

Dataset source

United States Census Bureau

Terms of use: This dataset is publicly available for anyone to use under the following terms provided by the Dataset Source - http://www.data.gov/privacy-policy#data_policy - and is provided "AS IS" without any warranty, express or implied, from Google. Google disclaims all liability for any damages, direct or indirect, resulting from the use of the dataset.

See the GCP Marketplace listing for more details and sample queries: https://console.cloud.google.com/marketplace/details/united-states-census-bureau/international-census-data

States report information from two reporting populations: (1) The Served Population which is information on all youth receiving at least one independent living services paid or provided by the Chafee Program agency, and (2) Youth completing the NYTD Survey. States survey youth regarding six outcomes: financial self-sufficiency, experience with homelessness, educational attainment, positive connections with adults, high-risk behaviors, and access to health insurance. States collect outcomes information by conducting a survey of youth in foster care on or around their 17th birthday, also referred to as the baseline population. States will track these youth as they age and conduct a new outcome survey on or around the youth's 19th birthday; and again on or around the youth's 21st birthday, also referred to as the follow-up population. States will collect outcomes information on these older youth at ages 19 or 21 regardless of their foster care status or whether they are still receiving independent living services from the State. Depending on the size of the State's foster care youth population, some States may conduct a random sample of the baseline population of the 17-year-olds that participate in the outcomes survey so that they can follow a smaller group of youth as they age. All States will collect and report outcome information on a new baseline population cohort every three years. Units of Response: Current and former youth in foster care Type of Data: Administrative Tribal Data: No Periodicity: Annual Demographic Indicators: Ethnicity;Race;Sex SORN: Not Applicable Data Use Agreement: https://www.ndacan.acf.hhs.gov/datasets/request-dataset.cfm Data Use Agreement Location: https://www.ndacan.acf.hhs.gov/datasets/order_forms/termsofuseagreement.pdf Granularity: Individual Spatial: United States Geocoding: FIPS Code

Graph and download economic data for Population Estimate, Total (5-year estimate) in Young County, TX (B03002001E048503) from 2009 to 2023 about Young County, TX; TX; estimate; persons; 5-year; population; and USA.