As America Ages Out, Counties Are Winners And Losers
Category: Best Retirement Towns and States
May 20, 2018 — Maps can tell you a lot in a hurry. Comparing two demographic representations, one from the New York Times and one from the Wall St. Journal, can tell you a lot about America’s birth rates, aging patterns, and where retirement age people are moving. The maps represent different themes on the aging of America, much of which is proving to be a surprise to demographers, who are puzzled by an an unexpected decline in birth rates.
Counties where deaths exceed births
The New York Times map offers a fascinating moving image of areas of the country that are aging out – where more people die than are born. As you watch it the map changes: it starts out with the picture as it was in 1991, and eventually ends showing 2016. During this 25 year period you can see that massive parts of the country that now have negative natural population decreases. Although much of the Midwest and Appalachia have been in this
Comments on "As America Ages Out, Counties Are Winners And Losers"
Doug says:
The Census Bureau info and maps surely paint the picture of the overall aging of the USA population. Most counties are a darker shade of color in 2016 versus the previous map.
The real story underlying the New York Times maps is not overall aging. The real story is the exodus from rural counties to suburban and metropolitan counties. With the exception of Florida counties, Western Pennsylvania counties, Eastern Ohio counties, and Appalachian counties, most metropolitan and suburban counties remain white, not red. Most of the widespread newly acquired red counties occur in midwestern and plains states in rural areas.
This is a big problem for rural counties. For years they have tried creative ways to lure newly graduated medical professionals, business graduates, and trades people to work in rural America. Those efforts aren't working very well as evidenced by the Times map. The average age for farmers is nearing 70 years old if I remember correctly. This will impact all who eat in the USA and the rest of the world. Not good. The push to have all our children earn college degrees and get "good" jobs increases urbanization because the "good" jobs with higher pay and benefits are in the cities.
Louise says:
It does make you wonder what the future will hold if there are less taxpayers. What will become of our infrastructure? Bridges falling down and highways falling apart due to not enough taxes being paid to maintain anything.
Will the government offer incentives for people to increase family size?
Will the government be willing to bring in more immigrants and fast track them to citizenship?
JoannL says:
Here is an example of future tax payers.
Another article stating US needs more skilled trade labor. I hope the youth are listening and researching as they graduate from high school.