The U.S. population is growing older… and these aging demographic shifts impact everyone. As more and more Americans age, the healthcare industry will see a massive increase in the need for services, and social safety nets like Social Security will face funding challenges as the number of adults in the labor force decrease, and the number of people getting retirement benefits increase. While these changes present their own set of challenges, they also present the opportunity for the U.S. to address care and infrastructure gaps for older adults.
Population of the United States by Age Group
U.S. Adult Population by Age Groups
| # of People | % of Total Population | |
| Total Population | 340,110,988 | 100% |
| Adults (18+) | 266,978,268 | 78.5% |
| 18 to 24 | 31,363,181 | 9.2% |
| 25 to 44 | 91,993,088 | 27.1% |
| 45 to 64 | 82,442,081 | 24.2% |
| 65 to 69 | 19,489,471 | 5.7% |
| 70 to 74 | 15,955,491 | 4.7% |
| 75 to 79 | 11,993,326 | 3.5% |
| 80 to 84 | 7,306,487 | 2.2% |
| 85+ | 6,435,143 | 1.9% |
Data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Numbers shown are population estimates. 2024 estimates are for residents of U.S. states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia.
Aging Trends & Demographic Shifts in the United States
Median Age
At a Glance
- Median age in 1970: 1
- Median age in 2020:8
What These Trends Mean
The median age is increasing, along with the older adult population. That means a growing number of people will be leaving the workforce, relying on assistance programs like Social Security Retirement Benefits, and increasing demand on the healthcare system.
Fertility Rates, Workforce Participation & Retirement
Birth & Fertility Rates – 1970 vs 2023
| 1970 | 2023 | |
| Crude birth rate | 18 | 11 |
| Fertility rate | 2.5 | 1.6 |
Data from World Bank. Crude birth rate is derived from the number of births per 1,000 people. Total fertility rate (TFR) refers to the average number of live births a woman will have over the course of her life; a TFR of roughly 2.1 is necessary to sustain current population levels.
Other Data at a Glance
- Civilian labor force population: 171,217,000
- Participation rate in labor force: 4%
Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Number of people 65+ on Social Security only (not SSI): 55,535,000
Data from Social Security Administration.
What These Trends Mean
The current fertility rate in the United States is below the replacement rate; in other words, the total population of the country is decreasing. This decrease can lead to a future decline in the number of people participating in the workforce, which can mean less money going towards programs like Social Security Retirement Benefits.
Life Expectancy
Life Expectancy at Birth (Years) – 2022 vs 2023
| 2022 | 2023 | |
| All Sexes | 77.5 | 78.4 |
| Male | 74.8 | 75.8 |
| Female | 80.2 | 81.1 |
Data from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)/National Center for Health Statistics.
What These Trends Mean
After a temporary dip in life expectancy due to the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. life expectancy increased from 2022 to 2023. As life expectancy increases, people will require healthcare and other long-term care services for longer periods of time, increasing demand on these systems.
Challenges Facing Older Americans
What Challenges Do Older Adults Experience?
Older adults in the United States face a wide variety of challenges, including:
- Food security, or concerns over adequate, proper nutrition.
- Housing security, or concerns over stable, affordable housing.
- Healthcare security, or concerns over accessibility of medical and long-term care
- Financial security, or concerns over having the necessary funds to retire and afford necessities.
How Will Aging Demographics Impact the Economy?
Declining fertility rates, lower labor force participation rates, and an increased number of older people relying on Social Security Retirement Benefits means the U.S. economy is headed for economic uncertainty. Social Security payments rely on funding from the current labor force, which means this program—which millions of older adults rely on—will face increasing budget pressures as more people retire (and need Social Security payments) and less people are working (and less people are being born to someday replace the current workforce) to pay into the system. These concerns are exacerbated by inflation and cost of living increases across the country.
To address these concerns, policymakers and institutions will likely need to make several changes to the current system. Potential changes may include:
- Increasing the retirement age.
- Increasing funding for assistance programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
- Introducing incentives for developers to create more housing to address housing shortages among older adults.
How are Aging Demographics Impacting Healthcare Systems?
The population aging is a growing concern among public health officials and policymakers alike, as older patients are much more likely to require healthcare services than younger demographics. The United States is not unique in this regard. The world’s population is steadily growing older, meaning there will be more concentrated efforts on the global stage to address necessary healthcare and other infrastructure needs to handle these demographic changes.
Healthcare systems will face significant challenges as demographics shift and more people will require long-term care services; experts believe roughly 70% of people will need long-term care services at some point in their lifetimes. That means more caregivers, more nurses, more doctors, and more specialists are necessary to address the medical and personal care needs of this older population. Part of addressing this shift may lie in increasing support for job training for new healthcare workers that will be supplying care services to the aging population.
Who is Caring for Older Adults?
Many older adults receive care from family caregivers. According to AARP’s Caregiving in the U.S. 2025 – AARP Research Report, the number of people assuming family caregiving responsibilities for other adults roughly increased from 39.8 million in 2015 to 59 million in 2025. For context, that’s a prevalence of 22.5%, meaning over a fifth of U.S. adults are providing care to an adult relative.
Other senior care providers include senior living communities, offering specialized assisted living services, memory care services, short-term respite care services, and other necessary types of care.
Moving Forward: Opportunities as Demographics Shift
As demographics shift, the United States has the opportunity to change how it views healthy aging, retirement, and social safety nets like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
For starters, part of this demographic shift will require increases in government budgets for senior housing, support programs like SNAP, and more. Senior living communities that can accommodate more residents without sacrificing care are likely to see positive growth in the coming years as more older people require long-term residential care.
Technology sectors may also see growth as the need for healthcare services drives demand and innovation in telehealth, such as virtual doctor appointments. Innovation and investment in assistive devices for seniors can also help address the aging population’s needs.
Aging Demographics FAQs
What do age demographics mean?
Age demographics means breaking down a population by age groups.
What is considered an older demographic?
Many experts consider people who are at least 65 years of age to be “older.”
What are the three types of aging population?
Some experts break down “older adults,” as a demographic, into three subgroups:
- Youngest-old: 65 to 74
- Middle-old: 75 to 84
- Oldest-old: 85+
What is the biggest age demographic in the U.S.?
Millennials (born 1981 to 1996) are currently the largest age group in the United States, having surpassed Baby Boomers (born 1946 to 1964) as the nation’s most populous generation in 2019.
What are the three types of ageism?
According to Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), ageism can be either a conscious or unconscious bias against older adults and can occur on three different levels:
- Individual level (micro-level), where individuals have biases based on age.
- Social network level (meso-level), where individuals of one age group have biases against people from other age groups.
- Institutional and cultural level (macro-level), where a society at large and its institutions have structures in place that present obstacles to older adults.
Why is the population aging important?
An aging population means it’s necessary for individuals, policymakers, and organizations to work together to address concerns about healthcare and caregiving infrastructure, the labor force and economy, housing security, and food security.
What are the aging demographics in the U.S.?
The population of the United States is growing older, signaling a greater need for quality senior care services, including long-term care services. Addressing these aging demographic shifts will require long-term collaboration between individuals, organizations, and policymakers alike to ensure elders receive the care they need, when they need it, and with dignity.
Disclaimer: Each person’s situation is unique. This article is for general informational purposes only. It does not substitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have about a medical condition.