Nationwide, children still outnumber older adults, but the gap is narrowing as baby boomers continue to age into their retirement years, Lauren Bowers, chief of the Census Bureau’s Population Estimates Branch, said in a prepared statement.
“The number of states and counties where older adults outnumber children is on the rise, especially in sparsely populated areas,” she said.
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
By 2035, the United States will — for the first time ever — be a country comprised of more older adults than children, said AARP Ohio.
AARP Ohio says most people 50 and older want to stay in their homes and communities for as long as possible, and the state needs communities that are livable and desirable for people of all ages.
“When communities invest in being age-friendly, they don’t just help older adults,” said Jenny Carlson, state director for AARP in Ohio. “They become vibrant, inclusive places to live, work and thrive for every Ohioan.”
The numbers
In 25 Ohio counties, there are more older residents than there are children, says 2024 Census population estimates. This includes Cuyahoga County (home to Cleveland); Stark County (home to Canton); and Summit County (home to Akron).
No local county has more seniors than children, but some are getting close to that point, including Greene, Clark, Champaign and Preble counties.
Nineteen percent of Greene County’s population is 65 and older, while 20% of its residents are under the age of 18, Census data say. In Clark County, 21% of residents are seniors, compared to 22% who are children.
Children account for 22% of Champaign and Preble counties’ residents, while seniors are 20% and 21% of their populations, respectively.
Seniors make up 19% of residents in Montgomery County, 20% in Miami County, and 17% in Butler and Warren counties. Children are 22% of the population in Montgomery County and 23% in Miami, Butler and Warren counties.
Trends
As recently as 2020, less than a third of U.S. counties had more seniors than children. Four years later, nearly 45% of counties across the nation have more old folks than kids.
The U.S. Census says most of these counties have small populations and are located outside of metropolitan and urban areas.
Citing Census projections, AARP Ohio says there will be 78 million Americans age 65 and older by 2035, compared to 76.4 million residents who will be under the age of 18.
AARP Ohio says with people living longer and healthier lives they are contributing to their communities and fueling economic growth well past what was the traditional retirement age.
The aging population is evidenced by the rise in Ohio’s median age, which last year was 39.7 years old. The median means that half of the state’s population is older than that mark, while half is younger.
Median ages in the Miami Valley region range from 37.3 years in Butler County to 41.9 in Champaign County.
With aging populations, Ohio needs livable communities that have safe, walkable streets; diverse and affordable housing options; good access to important services; and opportunities for residents of all ages to take part in community life, says a statement from AARP Ohio.
“Empowering the 50-plus community is not optional — it’s essential,“ said Carlson, state director for AARP Ohio. ”Everyone, regardless of age, should be able to walk safely, cross streets confidently, bike freely and call their neighborhoods home for life."
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