The median age in the United States renewed a historic record, rising to 38.9 years in 2022, according to a Thursday report by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The median age increased by 0.2 years in 2022. While no state recorded a decrease in median age over the past year, 47 states reported some growth in this metric, the Vintage 2022 Population Estimates report states.
Although the number of births exceeded deaths in 2022, it did not significantly impact the overall aging pattern of the population. A third of the states in the nation had a median age above 40 in 2022, the report finds. (RELATED: Amish Projected To Overtake The Current US Population In 215 Years, If Growth Rates Continue)
America is getting older.
The nation’s median age increased by 0.2 years to 38.9 years between 2021 and 2022, according to the latest Vintage 2022 #PopulationEstimates.
Explore more #CensusData highlights from this week’s release: https://t.co/gmEyeZY8Sr pic.twitter.com/FbFWHjY8QY
— U.S. Census Bureau (@uscensusbureau) June 22, 2023
“Without a rapidly growing young population, the U.S. median age will likely continue its slow but steady rise,” Kristie Wilder, a demographer in the Census Bureau’s Population Division, said.
Maine recorded the highest median age at 44.8 years, while Utah had the lowest at 31.9 years. Hawaii saw the most significant increase in median age — 0.4 years — pushing its population’s median age to 40.7 years.
The U.S. population also became more racially diverse. While the white population remained relatively steady in 2022, other racial and ethnic groups experienced growth. The Asian population saw the most rapid increase, growing 2.4% within a year. Both the Hispanic and Pacific Islander populations rose by nearly 2%, while the black and American Indian populations each expanded by approximately 1%, the U.S. Census Bureau reported.