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.

In 2021, about **** million people aged 65 years or older were living in California -- the most out of any state. In that same year, Florida, Texas, New York, and Pennsylvania rounded out the top five states with the most people aged 65 and over living there.

Graph and download economic data for Population ages 65 and above for the United States (SPPOP65UPTOZSUSA) from 1960 to 2024 about 65-years +, population, and USA.

In 2023, about 17.7 percent of the American population was 65 years old or over; an increase from the last few years and a figure which is expected to reach 22.8 percent by 2050. This is a significant increase from 1950, when only eight percent of the population was 65 or over. A rapidly aging population In recent years, the aging population of the United States has come into focus as a cause for concern, as the nature of work and retirement is expected to change to keep up. If a population is expected to live longer than the generations before, the economy will have to change as well to fulfill the needs of the citizens. In addition, the birth rate in the U.S. has been falling over the last 20 years, meaning that there are not as many young people to replace the individuals leaving the workforce. The future population It’s not only the American population that is aging -- the global population is, too. By 2025, the median age of the global workforce is expected to be 39.6 years, up from 33.8 years in 1990. Additionally, it is projected that there will be over three million people worldwide aged 100 years and over by 2050.

In 2023, there were ********* adults aged 65 and older living in California, the most out of all U.S. states, followed by Florida with over *** million adults aged 65 and older. Both California and Florida have some of the highest resident population figures in the United States.

According to a survey carried out by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation in 2021 in India, Kerala reflected the highest population of old aged people amounting to almost 17 percent. In 2031, this value is projected to go up to almost 21 percent.

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

This data collection contains two files. Table 8 contains data for each state, Table 7 contains data for the U.S. (total) and for the regions and divisions. These files contain annual population estimates for the years 1980-1989. The data for 1980 are from the 1980 Census of Population and Housing taken April 1, 1980. Summaries are given for the total population, and by various age groups by sex. Two separate age groupings are provided. One group is: under 5, 5-14, 15-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65-74, 75-84, and 85 and older. The second age groups are for the population aged: 5-17, 18-24, 25-44, 45-64, 16 and over, 18 and over, 21 and over, and 65 and over. Median age is also given.

This data collection describes the social conditions of the older population of the United States at the turn of the century. Detailed information, extracted from the 1900 United States Census manuscript schedules, is provided on household composition and family structure for each sampled older person. Ecological characteristics of the county of residence, e.g., the percentage of the county's population that is foreign born, are provided for most sampled older persons. In addition, occupational and ethnic characteristics of family heads appearing on the same sampled census page as the older person (on census pages grouped by street location) are reported.

United States US: Population: Female: Aged 65 and Above data was reported at 27,842,737.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 27,037,960.000 Person for 2016. United States US: Population: Female: Aged 65 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 18,235,236.000 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 27,842,737.000 Person in 2017 and a record low of 9,137,507.000 Person in 1960. United States US: Population: Female: Aged 65 and Above 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: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Female population 65 years of age or older. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.; ; World Bank staff estimates using the World Bank's total population and age/sex distributions of the United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Sum; Relevance to gender indicator: Knowing how many girls, adolescents and women there are in a population helps a country in determining its provision of services.

US: Population: Total: Aged 65 and Above data was reported at 50,204,174.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 48,612,690.000 Person for 2016. US: Population: Total: Aged 65 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 30,722,814.500 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 50,204,174.000 Person in 2017 and a record low of 16,487,378.000 Person in 1960. US: Population: Total: Aged 65 and Above 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: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Total population 65 years of age or older. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.; ; World Bank staff estimates using the World Bank's total population and age/sex distributions of the United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Sum;

Preparation of this data collection was funded by grant

90-A-1279 from the United States Department of Health and Human

Services, Administration on Aging. Estimates of the population of persons 60 years old and older were received from the Census Bureau in printed form and were made machine-readable by staff at ICPSR. Other variables contained in this dataset were merged from existing machine-readable census files. The data concerning racial composition of counties were taken from the CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING, 1980 [UNITED STATES]: P.L. 94-171 POPULATION COUNTS (ICPSR 7854). The figures concerning per capita income were taken from the Bureau of the Census, GENERAL REVENUE SHARING, 1978 POPULATION ESTIMATES (ICPSR 7840). Variables include Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) state and county codes, 1978 per capita income of county, and total population of county broken down by sex, race, and age (in four-year increments with a category for persons 75 years old and older).

For more than three decades UCSUR has documented the status of older adults in the County along multiple life domains. Every decade we issue a comprehensive report on aging in Allegheny County and this report represents our most recent effort. It documents important shifts in the demographic profile of the population in the last three decades, characterizes the current status of the elderly in multiple life domains, and looks ahead to the future of aging in the County. This report is unique in that we examine not only those aged 65 and older, but also the next generation old persons, the Baby Boomers. Collaborators on this project include the Allegheny County Area Agency on Aging, the United Way of Allegheny County, and the Aging Institute of UPMC Senior Services and the University of Pittsburgh.

The purpose of this report is to provide a comprehensive analysis of aging in Allegheny County. To this end, we integrate survey data collected from a representative sample of older county residents with secondary data available from Federal, State, and County agencies to characterize older individuals on multiple dimensions, including demographic change and population projections, income, work and retirement, neighborhoods and housing, health, senior service use, transportation, volunteering, happiness and life satisfaction, among others. Since baby boomers represent the future of aging in the County we include data for those aged 55-64 as well as those aged 65 and older.

Support for Health Equity datasets and tools provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS) through their Health Equity Initiative.

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.

A public-use microdata sample focusing on the older population created from the 1990 census. This sample consists of 3 percent of households with at least one member aged 60 or older. Although, the highest age presented is age 90, this allows analysis of data on the very old for most states with a reasonable degree of reliability. Since data for all members in households containing a person 60 years and over will be on the file, users will be able to analyze patterns such as living arrangements and sources of household income from which older members may benefit. Additionally, users will be able to augment the PUMS-O sample with a PUMS file. The Census Bureau has issued two regular PUMS files for the entire population. One PUMS file will contain 1 percent of all households; the other PUMS file will contain 5 percent of all households. Both files have most sample data items, and differ only in geographical composition. The 1-percent file contains geographic areas that reflect metropolitan vs. non-metropolitan areas. The 5-percent file shows counties or groups of counties as well as large sub-county areas such as places of 100,000 or more. The geography on the 5-percent PUMS file matches that of the PUMS-O file. Since data for different households are present on the two files, users can merge the PUMS-O file with the 5-percent PUMS to construct an 8-percent sample. However, weighted averages must be constructed for any estimates created because each sample yields state-level estimates. Thus, it is possible to analyze substate areas even for the very old. In states where the geographic areas identified on the PUMS-O and the 5-percent PUMS are coterminous with State Planning and Service Areas (used by service providers in relation to the Older Americans Act), the Planning and Service Areas are identified. * Dates of Study: 1990-2000 Links: 1980: http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/ICPSR/studies/08101 2000: http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/ICPSR/studies/04204

United States US: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Old data was reported at 23.470 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 22.796 % for 2016. United States US: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Old data is updated yearly, averaging 18.473 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 23.470 % in 2017 and a record low of 15.162 % in 1960. United States US: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Old 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, old, is the ratio of older dependents--people older than 64--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;

This is an extract of the decennial Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) released by the Bureau of the Census. Because the complete PUMS files contain several hundred thousand records, ICPSR has constructed this subset to allow for easier and less costly analysis. The collection of data at ten year increments allows the user to follow various age cohorts through the life-cycle. Data include information on the household and its occupants such as size and value of dwelling, utility costs, number of people in the household, and their relationship to the respondent. More detailed information was collected on the respondent, the head of household, and the spouse, if present. Variables include education, marital status, occupation and income.

This data collection describes the social conditions of the older population of the United States in the late nineteenth century. Variables include personal characteristics such as age, sex, marital status, race, birthplace, number of children, and occupation of sampled older persons. Detailed information, extracted from the 1880 United States Census manuscript census schedules, is provided on household composition and family structure. In addition, occupational and ethnic characteristics of family heads appearing on the same sampled census page as the older person (on census pages grouped by street location) are reported. The data collection consists of three independent samples: (1) a national sample, (2) a Southern urban sample, and (3) a Southern Black sample. Older Blacks are over-represented in the Southern urban and Southern Black samples in order to focus on their family experiences in the urban and rural South.

This is a special extract of the 2000 Census 5-Percent Public Use Microdata Samples (PUMS) created by the National Archive of Computerized Data on Aging (NACDA). The file combines the individual 5-percent state files for all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico as released by the United States Census Bureau into a single analysis file. The file contains information on all households that contain at least one person aged 65 years or more in residence as of the 2000 Census enumeration. The file contains individual records on all persons aged 65 and older living in households as well as individual records for all other members residing in each of these households. Consequently, this file can be used to examine both the characteristics of the elderly in the United States as well as the characteristics of individuals who co-reside with persons aged 65 and older as of the year 2000. All household variables from the household-specific "Household record" of the 2000 PUMS are appended to the end of each individual level record. This file is not a special product of the Census Bureau and is not a resample of the PUMS data specific to the elderly population. While it is comparable to the 1990 release CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING, 1990: [UNITED STATES]: PUBLIC USE MICRODATA SAMPLE: 3-PERCENT ELDERLY SAMPLE (ICPSR 6219), the sampling procedures and weights for the 2000 file reflect the methodology that applies to the 5-percent PUMS release CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING, 2000 [UNITED STATES]: PUBLIC USE MICRODATA SAMPLE: 5-PERCENT SAMPLE (ICPSR 13568). Person variables cover age, sex, relationship to householder, educational attainment, school enrollment, race, Hispanic origin, ancestry, language spoken at home, citizenship, place of birth, year of immigration, place of residence in 1985, marital status, number of children ever born, military service, mobility and personal care limitation, work limitation status, employment status, occupation, industry, class of worker, hours worked last week, weeks worked in 1989, usual hours worked per week, temporary absence from work, place of work, time of departure for work, travel time to work, means of transportation to work, total earnings, total income, wages and salary income, farm and nonfarm self-employment income, Social Security income, public assistance income, retirement income, and rent, dividends, and net rental income. Housing variables include area type, state and area of residence, farm/nonfarm status, type of structure, year structure was built, vacancy and boarded-up status, number of rooms and bedrooms, presence or absence of a telephone, presence or absence of complete kitchen and plumbing facilities, type of sewage facilities, type of water source, type of heating fuel used, property value, tenure, year moved into house/apartment, type of household/family, type of group quarters, household language, number of persons in the household, number of persons and workers in the family, status of mortgage, second mortgage, and home equity loan, number of vehicles available, household income, sales of agricultural products, payments for rent, mortgage and property tax, condominium fees, mobile home costs, and cost of electricity, water, heating fuel, and flood/fire/hazard insurance.