Arkansas ages as youth population shrinks

Zoom in: The proportion of people under 18 in the state shrunk by 0.8% from about 707,600 in 2020 to about 701,800 in 2024. The proportion of people 65 and older increased by 9.4%, from about 514,400 to about 562,800.

Context: That's not quite as wide of a gap as the overall U.S. population, where people aged 65 and up grew by 13% between 2020 and 2024, while the number of those under 18 fell by 1.7%, the Census Bureau says.

• The U.S. median age hit a new record high of 39.1 in 2024, up from 38.5 in 2020.

The big picture: These latest figures continue a longstanding trend of an aging America.

• The share of the U.S. population 65 and up increased from 12.4% in 2004 to 18% in 2024, the bureau notes, while the share of children fell from 25% to 21.5%.

Zoom in: The number of people 65 and up increased in all states between 2020 and 2024, while that of people under 18 increased in only a handful, including Texas and Florida.

What they're saying: The gap between children and older adults "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 statement accompanying the new data.

• "In fact, the number of states and counties where older adults outnumber children is on the rise, especially in sparsely populated areas."

Between the lines: The latest findings could fuel "pronatalist" beliefs driven partially by fears of economic decline.

• Pronatalism — increasingly common especially in some right-wing circles — frames procreation as a patriotic act and civic duty.

Yes, but: Having kids is an expensive affair, especially for those who need full-time care, don't get parental leave, and so on.

• Policy changes can only do so much to fix that — and fewer Americans just straight-up don't want kids.

The bottom line: America's not getting any younger.