Population of Older Adults Now Comparable to Population of Children

Over the past two decades, the U.S. has experienced a profound demographic shift: the population of adults aged 65 and older is now nearly equal to the number of children. Since 2004, the number of older adults has grown steadily while the child population has declined. This convergence presents new challenges and opportunities for how communities allocate resources and plan for the future. It’s a powerful signal that societal priorities may need to adjust to support a changing age structure.