Culture
40 is the new 35: U.S. median age higher than ever, says census
The country’s median age in 2022 increased to 38.9, marking a significant increase from the median age in 2000, which was 35.5 years, and from the 1980s, when it was 30 years
June 23, 2023 8:57am
Updated: June 23, 2023 8:57am
The median age in the United States is the highest it has ever been, reaching a record high of almost 40 years old in 2022, according to new data released on Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The country’s median age in 2022 increased to 38.9, marking a significant increase from the median age in 2000, which was 35.5 years, and from the 1980s, when it was 30 years. In the past year alone, the median age has increased by 0.2 years.
“As the nation’s median age creeps closer to 40, you can really see how the aging of baby boomers, and now their children — sometimes called echo boomers — is impacting the median age,” Kristie Wilder, a demographer with the Census Bureau’s Population Division said in a press release.
“While natural change nationally has been positive, as there have been more births than deaths, birth rates have gradually declined over the past two decades,” she added. “Without a rapidly growing young population, the U.S. median age will likely continue its slow but steady rise.”
When comparing the median age among the 50 states, about a third of the states had a median age of over 40 years, according to the Census Bureau data. Maine had the highest median age at 44.8 years, followed by New Hampshire at 43.3 years.
Utah, on the other hand, had the lowest median age at 31.9 years, followed by the District of Columbia at 34.8 and Texas at 35.5. Most states saw their populations grow older between 2021 and 2022, with Hawaii seeing the greatest increase.
The increase in the median age is mainly being driven by two factors: people are living longer and are having fewer kids, according to demographers.
According to experts, a growing median age can pose future challenges for the nation’s workforce, economy, and social programs—problems that are being seen in several European and Asian nations. However, while the median age of the American population is increasing, it remains relatively younger compared to Europe, which stands at 44 years.
