Older Adults Outnumber Children in 45% of US Counties 2024

New data from the U.S. Census Bureau reveals a significant demographic shift, with older adults now outnumbering children in nearly 45 percent of U.S. counties in 2024, up from 31.3 percent four years earlier. This trend is particularly pronounced in rural areas and has expanded to 11 states, including Montana, Oregon, and Pennsylvania, where older populations surpass those under 18. The overall population of adults aged 65 and older increased by 3.1 percent to approximately 61.2 million, while the population under 18 declined slightly to about 73.1 million, contributing to a rising national median age, now at a record 39.1 years. Several metropolitan areas with over one million residents, such as Cleveland, Providence-Warwick, and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, have also seen older adults outnumber children for the first time. Experts warn this aging trend poses challenges for healthcare and caregiving systems, as the labor force struggles to keep pace with the growing number of retirees. Despite children still outnumbering older adults nationally, the gap is rapidly closing as baby boomers age into retirement, especially in less populated regions.