Demography Is Destiny: Planning Care for a Changing Population
It’s Spring 2040, and the U.S. population has grown by 41 million people since 2020 to over 373 million, fueled primarily by migration and longevity. The nation is more ethnically and racially diverse than ever. Until 2030, the average annual increase in U.S. population growth remained at historical levels, but has declined throughout the last decade. The national median age has increased from 38.5 years in 2020 to 41.5 years in 2040, which sounds small until you realize that this represents nearly 22 million more persons ages 75 years or older now than then. The youngest baby boomers are now 76 years old, Gen Xers are 60 to 75 years old, Millennials are 44 to 59 years old, and the oldest Gen Zers are in their forties.