New U.S. Census data show that the fountain of youth is in Utah, where 9.8% of the population is aged 5 and under (the highest of any state) and the median age is 28.8 (the youngest of any state), USA TODAY’s Haya El Nasser tells us.
Detailed population estimates for July 1, 2009, which were released this morning, show that Maine is the oldest state with a median age of 42.2, although Florida continues to have the highest share of elderly at 33.6%.
The figures also indicate that the recession may have taken a toll on making babies and on immigration, which attracts young workers.
Aging, in fact, is hitting every segment of the population — even Hispanics who typically are the youngest partly because they have more kids.
Births to whites and to Hispanics dropped, pushing up the nation’s median age to 36.8 from 36.7 in 2008. White births declined 2.4% and Hispanic births dropped 0.7%.
The median age for whites who are not Hispanics went from 41 in 2008 to 41.2 last year. Hispanics went from 27.2 to 27.4; blacks from 30.2 to 30.3; and Asians from 33.4 to 33.6.
“Whites still dominate births at 51.4% through both white and Hispanic fertility are down slightly as is immigration,” says William Frey, demographer at the Brookings Institution.
Other highlights:
- Multiracial Americans are the youngest by far, with a median age of 19.7.
- Counties with the highest percentage of 65 and older are Charlotte County, Fla., (34.3%) and La Paz County, Ariz. (33.1%).
The detailed estimates give the final glimpse of demographic changes this decade before results of the official 2010 Census — now being conducted — are released starting this December.
