65 and Older Population Grows Rapidly as Baby Boomers Age

The U.S. Census Bureau released estimates showing the nation’s 65-and-older population has grown rapidly since 2010, driven by the aging of Baby Boomers born between 1946 and 1964. The 65-and-older population grew by over a third (34.2% or 13,787,044) during the past decade, and by 3.2% (1,688,924) from 2018 to 2019. The growth of this population contributed to an increase in the national median age from 37.2 years in 2010 to 38.4 in 2019, according to the Census Bureau’s 2019 Population Estimates.

“The first Baby Boomers reached 65 years old in 2011,” said Dr. Luke Rogers, chief of the Census Bureau’s Population Estimates Branch. “Since then, there’s been a rapid increase in the size of the 65-and-older population, which grew by over a third since 2010. No other age group saw such a fast increase. In fact, the under-18 population was smaller in 2019 than it was in 2010, in part due to lower fertility in the United States.”

In 2019, over half (29) of the states had a median age older than 38.4 years, including all nine states in the Northeast. Eleven states were in the South, six were in the Midwest, and three were in the West. Since 2010, the nation’s under-18 population declined by 1.5%, from 74,182,279 to 73,039,150.

In 2019, one in five people in Maine, Florida, West Virginia and Vermont were age 65 or older. Maine had the largest share (21.2%) of population in that age group, followed by Florida (20.9%), West Virginia (20.5%) and Vermont (20.0%). Utah had the lowest percentage (11.4%) of population age 65 and older followed by Washington, D.C. (12.4%), and Alaska (12.5%). Utah also had the lowest median age (31.3 years) in 2019, up 2.1 years from 29.2 in 2010. North Dakota was the only state whose median age declined (1.7 years) between 2010 and 2019. In 2019, North Dakota’s median age was 35.3 years.

Of the 3,142 counties in the United States in 2019, 57.3% (1,799) had a median age between 40.0 and 49.9 years; 34.2% (1,076) had a median age between 30 and 39.9; 6.8% (215) had a median age 50 or older; and 1.7% (52) had a median age younger than 30 years. Between 2010 and 2019, the median age increased in 83.2% (2,614) of counties. During this period, the median age dropped in 15.9% (500) of counties and stayed the same in 28 or 0.9% of counties. In 2019, Sumter County, Florida, had the highest median age (68.1 years), and Madison County, Idaho, had the lowest median age (23.3 years).

A Changing Nation

As the nation has continued to gray, it has also grown more racially and ethnically diverse. References below to the race and ethnicity compositions are for race-alone-or-in-combination groups or Hispanics of any race unless otherwise specified.

The American Indian or Alaska Native Population

•     The American Indian or Alaska Native population was 6,945,552 in 2019, growing by 806,930 (13.1%) since 2010.
•     The median size of the American Indian or Alaska Native population in U.S. counties was 415 in 2019.
•     In 2019, the median age for this population was 31.3 years, up from 28.8 in 2010.
•     Los Angeles County, California, had the largest American Indian or Alaska Native population (229,594) in 2019. Arizona’s Maricopa County experienced the biggest jump (4,226 or 2.6%) in this population between 2018 and 2019 as well as between 2010 and 2019, when it increased by 36,025 (27.7%).
•     Of counties with 20,000 or more residents in 2019, the American Indian or Alaska Native population grew fastest in Clark County, Nevada, increasing by 3.2% (1,597) between 2018 and 2019. Clark County had the fastest-growing American Indian or Alaska Native population between 2010 and 2019.

The Asian Population

•     The Asian population in the United States was 22,861,985 in 2019, representing an increase of 5,185,297 or 29.3% since 2010.
•     The median size of the Asian population in counties in 2019 was 255.
•     In 2019, the median age of the Asian population was 35 years, up from 32.9 in 2010.
•     Los Angeles County, California, had the largest Asian population (1,716,196) in 2019, as well as the largest numeric increase (180,084 or 11.7%) in the population from 2010 to 2019. King County, Washington, experienced the largest numeric increase of 20,779 or 4.3% in this population between 2018 and 2019.
•     Of counties with 20,000 or more people in 2019, the Asian population grew the fastest in Forsyth County, Georgia, increasing by 10% (3,660) between 2018 and 2019. The population in Forsyth County also had the largest percentage growth since 2010, increasing by 230.2% or 27,977 between 2010 and 2019.

The Black or African American Population

•     The national Black or African American population was 48,221,139 in 2019, representing an increase of 5,004,079 (11.6%) since 2010.
•     The median size of the Black or African American population for counties in 2019 was 1,208 people.
•     In 2019, the median age for the Black or African American population was 32.3, up from 30.6 in 2010.
•     Cook County, Illinois, had the largest Black or African American population, which was 1,276,728 in 2019. Arizona’s Maricopa County had the largest numeric increase (13,277 or 4%) in this population between 2018 and 2019. The largest increase in Black or African American population since 2010 was in Harris County, Texas, where it grew by 158,289 (19.2%).
•     Of counties with 20,000 or more people in 2019, the Black or African American population grew fastest in Kaufman County, Texas, growing by 17.3% (3,020) between 2018 and 2019. Montgomery County, Texas, experienced the largest increase (78.9% or 17,604) in its Black or African American population over the past decade.

The Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander Population

•     The Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander population was 1,612,424 in 2019, up 21% or 279,895 since 2010.
•     The median size of the Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander population for counties in 2019 was 36.
•     In 2019, the median age of the Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander population was 29.6 years, up from 26.4 in 2010.
•     Honolulu County, Hawaii, had the largest Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander population (244,496) in 2019. Clark County, Nevada, had the largest numeric population growth (1,583) among this group between 2018 and 2019.
•     Nevada’s Clark County had the fastest-growing Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander population (4.2% or 1,583) between 2018 and 2019 among counties with 20,000 or more residents in 2019.

The White Population

•     The White population was 258,646,488 in 2019, an increase of 10,570,492 (4.3%) since 2010.
•     The median size of the White population for counties in 2019 was 22,417 people.
•     In 2019, the median age of the White population was 39.5 years, up from 38.4 in 2010.
•     Los Angeles County, California, had the largest White population at 7,371,934 people in 2019. Arizona’s Maricopa County had the largest increase in its White population (1.6% or 61,269) between 2018 and 2019. Since 2010, Maricopa County’s White population grew by 14.5% or 486,545, which was the largest growth of any county in the nation.
•     Williams County, North Dakota, had the fastest growth (5.5% or 1,741) in its White population between 2018 and 2019 among counties with 20,000 or more people in 2019. Williams County’s also had the fastest growth in its White population since 2010, growing by 57.5% or 12,269 people.

The Hispanic Population (Any Race)

•     The Hispanic population was 60,572,237 in 2019, up 20% or 10,093,626 since 2010.
•     The median size of the Hispanic population for counties in 2019 was 1,133 people.
•     In 2019, the median age for the Hispanic population was 29.8 years, up from 27.3 in 2010.
•     Los Angeles County had the largest Hispanic population (4,881,970) in 2019. Arizona’s Maricopa County had the largest growth (2.5% or 34,358) among this population between 2018 and 2019.
•     Of counties with 20,000 or more people in 2019, the Hispanic population had the fastest growth from 2018 to 2019 in Kaufman County, Texas, increasing by 10.8% (3,093). Since 2010, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, had the fastest growth, increasing by 103.5% (22,250).

For additional information about population changes by age and for each race or Hispanic origin group, view our detailed tables. This is the last release of the 2019 population estimates. Previous estimates included national, county, metro area, city and town total population and components of change. Visit population projections for information on how the national population is projected to change through 2060.

Unless otherwise specified, the statistics refer to the population who reported a race alone or in combination with one or more races. Censuses and surveys permit respondents to select more than one race; consequently, people may be one race or a combination of races. The detailed tables show statistics for the resident population by “race alone” and “race alone or in combination.” The sum of the populations for the five race-alone-or-in-combination groups adds to more than the total population because individuals may report more than one race. The federal government treats Hispanic origin and race as separate and distinct concepts. In surveys and censuses, separate questions are asked on Hispanic origin and race. The question on Hispanic origin asks respondents if they are of Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin.

Starting with the 2000 Census, the question on race asked respondents to report the race or races they consider themselves to be. Hispanics may be of any race. Responses of “some other race” from the 2010 Census are modified in these estimates. This results in differences between the population for specific race categories for the modified 2010 Census population versus those in the 2010 Census data.