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Articles by Paul J. Mackun
Median Age in 192 Metro Areas Higher Than National Median of 39.1
Median Age in 192 Metro Areas Higher Than National Median of 39.1 The U.S. median age — the age at which half the population is aged above and the other half below — has increased by 0.6 years from April 2020 to July 2024 when it reached 39.1, according to U.S. Census Bureau population estimates released today. Between April 2020 and July 2024, the median age rose in 329 of the nation’s 387 metro areas.
Some Metro Areas’ Population Gains Reversed COVID-19 Era Trends
While the population in some metro areas has grown steadily this decade, others experienced a turnaround, as some metro areas that were declining are now growing. Take the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area, for example. It lost nearly 277,000 people during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021) but has since experienced growth that made it the nation’s largest-gaining metro area between 2023 and 2024, adding over 213,000 people for a total population of around 19.9 million.
While Number of People Age 65 and Older Increased in Almost All Metro Areas, Young Population Declined in Many Metro Areas From 2020 to 2023
The total number of U.S. children declined by 3.3% nationally, with around 80% (311) of U.S. metro areas, including some of the most populous, experiencing a decrease in the number of children from April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023.
Florida home to metro areas among top U.S. population gainers
Florida was home to four of the nation’s top five fastest-growing metropolitan statistical areas and three of the top 10 that gained the largest number of people from 2022 to 2023, reflecting continued population growth across the South. The increases in Florida — the nation’s third most populous state — were fueled by rapid growth in select metro areas in the state during that period (Figure 1).
Sunshine State Home to Metro Areas Among Top 10 U.S. Population Gainers From 2022 to 2023
U.S. migration patterns played a significant role in the South’s population growth. Many people moved to this region, contributing to its overall positive net domestic migration (more people moving in from the rest of the United States than moving out to other parts of the United States). From 2022 to 2023, 28 of the top 30 metro areas with the highest positive domestic migration were in the South.
More Than Half of U.S. Counties Were Smaller in 2020 Than in 2010
Over the last decade, the nation grew at its slowest rate since the 1930s, a slowdown broadly reflected in local area 2020 Census population counts released today. Less than half of the nation’s 3,143 counties or equivalents gained population from 2010 to 2020, while the populations of around four-fifths of metro areas grew during the time period. In 2020, 86% of the U.S. population lived in metropolitan statistical areas, up from 85% in 2010.
Fast Growth in the Desert Southwest Continues
This story is part of an occasional series highlighting population and regional trends in the United States. The Desert Southwest encompasses some of the country’s most arid territory and yet continues to be a fast-growing region of the United States. In 2016, approximately 14.6 million people lived in the Desert Southwest’s 40 counties in five states.
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