Are Americans Getting Older?

As baby boomers and their children have continued to grow older, the median age of people in the United States has continued to increase. Figures from the U.S. Census Bureau indicate that the median age of the population was 29.5 in 1960. As of 2010, the median age had risen to 37.2, an increase of 7.7 years over a 50-year span. Along with a reduction in birth rates, innovations in medical technology help to account for the population getting older.

More facts about the U.S. population:

• From 2000 to 2010, the number of U.S. citizens between the ages of 45 and 64 increased by 31.5 percent, the largest increase of any age group. By comparison, the number of citizens older than 65 increased by 15.1 percent.


• The overall increase in the median age from 2000 to 2010 (1.9) was slightly smaller than the increase from 1990 to 2000 (2.4).


• Data from the 2010 Census indicated that the median ages for residents of seven states are more than 40 years old. Those states are Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Florida, New Hampshire, West Virginia, Vermont and Maine.