It’s no secret that an aging population will be the source of major demographic challenges in the coming years.
Visualizing Age in the U.S.
We’ve previously compared the population pyramids of China and India, but today we’re going to key in on the U.S. using a similar type of animation.
Credit: Reddit user milamiso
By 2050, the U.S. population will close in on 400 million people.
As with most demographic data, viewing changes in the composition of this population through a visual lens helps to provide perspective.
Aging Population
One of the biggest differences in this particular chart can be seen in the 65+ year region. In the 1980s, only a small portion of the population fits there – but by the end, it’s becoming quite crowded.
In more numerical terms – the number of Americans aged 65+ is projected to jump from 46 million today to over 98 million by 2060, and the 65+ age group’s share of the total population will rise to nearly 24%. This is mainly a function of a big generation (Baby Boomers) hitting their later years, and improved life expectancy and healthcare.
According to the Population Reference Bureau, aging Baby Boomers could mean a massive 75% increase in number of Americans requiring nursing home care, from 1.3 million in 2010 to 2.3 million in 2030.
Social Security and Medicare expenditures will also increase from 8% to 12% of GDP by 2050.
Fewer Babies
Another factor in the population equation is also lower fertility rates.
U.S. Fertility Rate (births per woman)
Article by Jeff Desjardins, Visual Capitalist