Population Aging in the United States

Population Aging in the United States

A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE

The U.S. population is aging. To better understand the increase in the size and proportion of the older population in our society, it is important to know why the population is aging and what we can anticipate in the future. How the United States compares with other countries puts its aging in a broader global perspective. Answers to these questions can help policy makers, the private sector, and individuals better prepare for the challenges and opportunities from population aging.

What is the impact of the Baby Boom generation on U.S. aging?

The United States has been aging steadily over the past century, a trend that increased more rapidly as Baby Boomers turned 65 years old. The impact of the Baby Boom generation (born in 1946-1964) is reflected not only in the overall size of the older population and its growing proportion of the total population from 2011 through 2029, but also in its relative leveling off thereafter once the youngest Boomers reach age 65.

Population (in millions)

90

80

65+ population

70

65+ as a percentage of the total population

Baby Boomers last turn age 65

Percent

25

20

60

first

15

50

40 10

30

20

5

10

0

0

1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050

Are all countries aging at the same pace?

The pace of aging is not the same around the world. Regions vary in the size and projected growth of their populations age 65 and older. Many of the oldest countries are in Europe, a trend that will continue through 2050. The older population in Asia and Latin America will more than double between 2015 and 2050, and will also increase in Northern America.

Percentage of people age 65+

2015

2050

Northern America

22.5% 15.1%

Europe 27.6%

17.4%

World

16.7% 8.5%

Asia

18.9%

7.9%

Africa

18.7%

6.6% 3.4%

7.6%

Latin America and the Caribbean

19.5%

12.5%

Oceania

Where does the United States stand among the world's oldest countries?

Even though the United States will become older by 2050, it will still be a younger population than many countries. In fact, the U.S. ranking among the world's oldest countries, as determined by the percentage of the population age 65 and older, will decline from 34th in 2015 to 56th in 2050. Some Asian countries such as China and South Korea, and Latin American and Caribbean countries such as Chile and Cuba, were less old than the United States in 2015, but are projected to surpass the U.S. in 2050.

2015

1 Japan 26.6% 2 Germany 21.5% 3 Italy 21.2%

33 Hong Kong 15.3% 34 United States 14.9% 41 South Korea 13.0% 42 Cuba 12.9% 52 Chile 10.2% 53 China 10.1%

2050

1 Japan 40.1% 2 South Korea 35.9% 3 Hong Kong 35.3% 15 Italy 31.0% 19 Germany 30.1% 27 Cuba 28.3% 33 China 26.8%

51 Chile 23.2% 56 United States 22.1%

141 Mozambique 2.9%

154 Zambia 2.4% 158 Uganda 2.0% 159 United Arab Emirates 1.0% 160 Qatar 0.9%

153 Qatar 4.2%

157 Uganda 3.4% 158 Mozambique 3.3% 159 Zambia 3.3% 160 United Arab Emirates 3.3%

Note: The list includes countries and areas with a total population of at least 1 million in 2015.

Why is the population aging?

People are having fewer children and also living longer. This leads to population aging ? the disproportionate growth of older age groups.

Japan OLDER

Age

80+

Japan already has a population

concentrated in the middle and

60

older age groups, and the base

will further constrict in the next 40

few decades, leading to a

population distribution in an

20

inverted pyramid shape.

0

Nigeria YOUNGER

Age

80+

Like most Sub-Saharan African

countries, Nigeria will maintain

60

a very young age structure in

the traditional pyramid shape

40

because of high fertility levels.

20

2015

Male Female

2050

Male Female

0

United States

Age

80+

The United States is projected to maintain its mostly rectangular 60 population distribution, with an increasingly heavy top from the 40 Baby Boom generation.

20

Male Female

Male Female

0

Male Female

Male Female

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, International Data Base, decennial censuses, and 2014 National Population Projections.

For more information, see Federal Interagency Forum on Aging Related Statistics (): Older Americans 2016; and U.S. Census Bureau (): An Aging World: 2015, 65+ in the United States: 2010, and The Older Population: 2010.

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download