Big Increase in Number of Householders 55-Plus

Between 2000 and 2021, the number of households headed by older Americans (people aged 55 or older) grew by an enormous 65 percent, according to the Census Bureau. This was more than double the 24 percent rise in total households during those years. In contrast, the number of households headed by the middle-aged (people aged 35 to 54) fell 3 percent, largely due to the small Generation X filling the age group. The number of households headed by young adults (people under age 35) increased 9 percent during those years.

Number of households by age of householder, 2021 and 2000 (numbers in 000s)

	2021	2000	% change
Total households	129,931	104,705	24.1%
Young adults (under 35)	26,139	24,487	9.5%
Middle aged (35-54	43,769	44,882	-3.2%
Older (55-plus)	60,024	35,336	65.1%

Today, older Americans head nearly half (46 percent) of the nation's households, up from about one-third of households (34 percent) in 2000. 

Percent distribution of households by age of householder, 2021 and 2000

	2021	2000	pp change
Total households	100.0%	100.0%	—
Young adults (under 35)	20.1	23.4	-3.3
Middle-aged (35-54)	33.7	42.9	-9.2
Older (55-plus)	46.2	33.7	12.5

Source: Demo Memo analysis of the Census Bureau's Historical Households Tables 

Young Republicans Least Likely to be Vaccinated

The 73 percent majority of Americans have received at least one dose of a Covid vaccine, according to a Pew Research Center survey fielded August 23-29. Democrats (86 percent) are more likely than Republicans (60 percent) to be vaccinated. Among adults by age, people 65-plus are most likely to have gotten the vaccine (86 percent) and 18-to-29-year-olds least likely (66 percent). 

According to Pew's analysis of the numbers by age and political party affiliation, young Republicans (aged 18 to 29) are least likely to be vaccinated. Only 45 percent have received at least one dose of a Covid vaccine...

Percent with at least one dose of a Covid vaccine by age and political party affiliation

	Democrat	Republican
Total 18-plus	86%	60%
Aged 18 to 29	81	45
Aged 30 to 49	82	53
Aged 50 to 64	89	56
Aged 65-plus	94	80

The unvaccinated are hurting the country, according to the 60 percent majority of Americans. But the unvaccinated disagree. When Pew asked survey respondents how well this statement describes how they feel—"people who choose not to get a Covid-19 vaccine are hurting the country"—77 percent of the vaccinated said it describes how they feel. Among the unvaccinated, 87 percent said the statement does not describe how they feel.

Source: Pew Research Center, 10 Facts about Americans and Coronavirus Vaccines

Born in 1970? Have We Got News for You

Who is the longest-lived human being on record? Her name was Jeanne Calment. She was born in Arles, France in 1875. She died 122 years and 164 days later in 1997. She currently holds the record for what is called the "maximum reported age at death."

How long will her record stand? That's what a study published in Demographic Research wanted to determine. Researchers Michael Pearce and Adrian E. Raftery of the University of Washington calculated the probabilities that the record would be broken by 2100. The chances are very good that Jeanne Calment's record will be broken by then. In fact, there's a 99 percent probability that someone will have lived more than 122 years 164 days by 2100, the researchers report. 

Pearce and Raftery also calculated the probability that the record would rise to 126, 128, and 130 years by 2100. There is an excellent (89 percent) chance that someone will live to be at least age 126 by 2100, they calculate. The probability is pretty good (44 percent) that someone will live to be at least age 128 by 2100. 

The probability is a smaller but still significant 13 percent that someone will live to be at least 130 by 2100. If you were born in 1970, we're looking at you. You might be the one who is still around in 2100 to celebrate your 130th birthday.

Source: Demographic Research, Probabilistic Forecasting of Maximum Human Lifespan by 2100 Using Bayesian Population Projections 

62% of Adults Are Cellphone Only

When Steve Jobs unveiled the first Apple iPhone on January 29, 2007, only 13 percent of adults lived in a "wireless-only" household—meaning a household with only cellphones and no landline phone. Today, wireless-only households are by far the norm. In January-June 2020, the 62 percent majority of adults aged 18 or older lived in a household with cellphones and no landline phone, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Here are the percentages of adults who lived in a wireless-only household in January-June 2020 (versus 2007)...

Percent of adults in a cellphone-only household, January-June 2020 (and January-June 2007)

	2020	2007
Total, 18-plus	61.8%	12.6%
Aged 18 to 24	72.6	27.9
Aged 25 to 29	80.4	30.6
Aged 30 to 34	83.0	12.6*
Aged 35 to 44	74.5	12.6*
Aged 45 to 64	58.5	7.1
Aged 65-plus	35.0	2.0

* Age group in 2007 was 30-44. 

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Wireless Substitution: Early Release of Estimates from the National Health Interview Survey, January-June 2020 (PDF)

Obesity Is Rising in Every Age Group

Just ahead of the holiday festivities, the National Center for Health Statistics has issued a report on trends in obesity by age. Do you think this is just a coincidence? Yes, of course it is. Nevertheless, perhaps a review of the trends will rein in the temptation to overindulge in these final days of a difficult year. 

If obesity were a mystery to be solved, then the trends presented by the NCHS report provide an important clue. The clue is this: it's happening across the board. No age group is immune. Obesity is surging among the young, the middle-aged, and the old. Take a look...

Percent obese by age, 1988–94 to 2017–18

	total	20-39	40-59	60-plus
2017-18	42.4%	40.0%	44.8%	42.8%
2007-08	33.7	30.7	36.2	35.1
1999-00	30.5	26.0	33.5	33.5
1988-94	22.9	17.7	27.9	23.7

Note: Obesity is defined as a body mass index at or above 30.0 kg/m²

The data used to calculate these numbers are collected by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The survey doesn't simply ask Americans how much they weigh—those self-reports would fall far short of reality. NHANES quantifies reality by dispersing mobile examination units around the country, from which trained health technicians measure the height and weight of a representative sample of the public. Over the past three decades, the survey's measurements show a doubling in the percentage of Americans who are obese among 20-to-39-year olds, a 61 percent increase among 40-to-59-year-olds and an 81 percent rise among people aged 60 or older. That's a lot of overindulging.

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Prevalence of Overweight, Obesity, and Severe Obesity among Adults Aged 20 and Over: United States, 1960–1962 through 2017–2018

The Changing Demographics of Voters

The nation's electorate is changing in every way. It is getting older, becoming more diverse, and is increasingly educated. Pew Research Center recently analyzed the demographics of registered voters and compared the results to voters in the past...

Non-Hispanic whites as a share of registered voters

Total registered voters: 69%

Democratic/lean Democratic: 59%

Republican/lean Republican: 81%

In 1996, fully 85 percent of registered voters were non-Hispanic white—94 percent of Republicans and 76 percent of Democrats.

People aged 50-plus as a share of registered voters

Total registered voters: 52%

Democratic/lean Democratic: 50%

Republican/lean Republican: 56%

The 50-plus age group accounts for the majority of registered voters heading into the 2020 election. In 1996, voters aged 50 or older were just 41 percent of the electorate.

College graduates as a share of registered voters

Total registered voters: 36%

Democratic/lean Democratic: 38%

Republican/lean Republican: 29%

College graduates are a much larger share of the electorate in 2020 than they were in 1996. People with a college degree accounted for just 24 percent of all registered voters in 1996. Back then, college graduates were a larger share of Republicans (27 percent) than Democrats (22 percent). Today, college graduates are a much larger share of Democrats than Republicans.

Source: Pew Research Center, What the 2020 Electorate Looks Like by Party, Race and Ethnicity, Age, Education, and Religion

24% Expect to Lose Employment Income in Next Four Weeks

In the final week of September, nearly one in four Americans aged 18 or older expected that they or someone in their household would lose employment income in the next four weeks—before the November 3 presidential election. Nearly half (46 percent) had already experienced a loss of employment income in their household since March 13, 2020. These results are from the Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey, which is tracking the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the American public. The latest survey was fielded during the week of September 16-28. Here are the percentages who expected to lose income by age group...

Percent who expect a loss of employment income in household in next four weeks

Total 18-plus: 24.0%

Aged 18 to 24: 21.7%

Aged 25 to 39: 27.2%

Aged 40 to 54: 27.9%

Aged 55 to 64: 25.3%

Aged 65-plus: 15.1%

A substantial share of the population is expecting the axe to fall regardless of demographic characteristic. By education, the percentage of adults who say their household's employment income will decline in the next four weeks ranges from a high of 36 percent among those without a high school diploma to a still substantial 18 percent among people with a bachelor's degree. By household income, the figure ranges from a high of 35 percent among those with incomes below $25,000 to a significant 16 percent of those with household incomes of $100,000 or more. 

Such widespread financial distress is likely to be a big factor on election day. 

Source: Census Bureau, Week 15 Household Pulse Survey: September 16—September 28

Mental Health Problems Common before Coronavirus

The mental health of Americans has taken a beating during the coronavirus pandemic. But mental health wasn't all that great in 2019, either. According to results from the 2019 National Health Interview Survey, a substantial 18.5 percent of adults had experienced symptoms of depression in the past two weeks, and 15.6 percent had experienced symptoms of anxiety. Here are the numbers by age...

Percent with symptoms of depression in past two weeks by age, 2019

Aged 18 to 29: 21.0%

Aged 30 to 44: 16.8%

Aged 45 to 64: 18.4%

Aged 65-plus: 18.4%

Percent with symptoms of anxiety in past two weeks by age, 2019

Aged 18 to 29: 19.5%

Aged 30 to 44: 16.6%

Aged 45 to 64: 15.2%

Aged 65-plus: 11.2%

Millions of Americans are receiving treatment for their mental health problems—either they are taking medication and/or receiving counseling or therapy. Overall, 19.2 percent had received treatment for mental health problems in the past 12 months, according to 2019 survey results. Medication was being taken by 15.8 percent of adults, and 9.5 percent were receiving counseling/therapy. 

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Symptoms of Depression among Adults: United States, 2019; Symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder among Adults: United States, 2019; Mental Health Treatment among Adults: United States, 2019

Median Tenure with Employer: 4.1 Years

How long have you worked for your current employer? Among all wage and salary workers aged 16 or older, median tenure was 4.1 years as of January 2020. Among workers aged 25 or older, median tenure was 4.9 years.

The median tenure of workers aged 25 or older was slightly higher a decade ago in 2010, at 5.2 years. Tenure declined in every age group over the decade with one exception. Among workers aged 65 or older, median tenure grew from 9.9 years in 2010 to 10.3 years in 2020. One reason for the increase is the rising labor force participation of older Americans. 

Median years of tenure with current employer by age, 2020

Aged 25 to 34: 2.8

Aged 35 to 44: 4.9

Aged 45 to 54: 7.5

Aged 55 to 64: 9.9

Aged 65-plus: 10.3

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employee Tenure in 2020

Water Accounts for 51% of Nonalcoholic Beverage Consumption

Water accounts for just over half of what American adults drink on an average day (not counting alcoholic beverages). Water is 51.2 percent of nonalcoholic beverage consumption, according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. In second place among beverages is coffee (14.9 percent), followed by sweetened beverages (10.2 percent), tea, (8.7 percent), fruit beverages (5.6 percent), milk (5.5 percent), and diet beverages (3.8 percent). 

Water's share of beverage consumption declines with age while coffee's share increases. Among adults aged 60-plus, coffee accounts for 20.5 percent of daily beverage consumption. This is more than twice coffee's share among young adults...

Percent distribution of nonalcoholic beverage consumption by age, 2015–18

	total	20 to 39	40 to 59	60-plus
Water	51.2%	56.5%	49.3%	46.9%
Coffee	14.9	9.2	16.1	20.5
Sweetened beverages	10.2	13.5	10.4	5.9
Tea	8.7	6.7	9.6	10.3
Fruit beverages	5.6	6.5	5.1	5.2
Milk	5.5	5.0	5.2	6.4
Diet beverages	3.8	2.6	4.4	4.9

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Nonalcoholic Beverage Consumption among Adults: United States, 2015–2018

50% Increase in Householders Aged 65 to 74

The nation's households are increasingly top heavy. Between 2010 and 2019, the number of households headed by people aged 55 or older grew 28 percent. Households headed by people aged 65 to 74, an age group filling with Boomers, expanded by 50 percent...

Number of households by age of householder, 2010 and 2019 (numbers in 000s)

	2019	2010	percent change
Total households	128,579	117,538	9.4%
Under age 35	26,810	25,490	5.2%
Aged 35 to 54	43,441	46,390	-6.4%
Aged 55 or older	58,328	45,657	27.8%
Aged 55 to 64	24,172	20,387	18.6%
Aged 65 to 74	19,681	13,164	49.5%
Aged 75 or older	14,475	12,106	19.6%

Between 2010 and 2019, the number of households headed by younger adults (under age 35) increased by just 5 percent. Households headed by the middle-aged (35 to 54) fell 6 percent because the small Generation X is in the age group.

Source: Census Bureau, 2019 Current Population Survey

Praying Away the Coronavirus

Most Americans say they are using prayer as a way to cope with the coronavirus pandemic. The 55 percent majority of the public reports praying at least weekly as a way to cope, according to a Pew Research Center survey. The percentage who say they pray daily as a coping mechanism (43 percent) far surpasses the percentage who say they never pray (31 percent). Older adults are most likely to use prayer to help them cope with the pandemic...

Percent who pray at least weekly to help cope with the coronavirus outbreak
Aged 18 to 29: 38%
Aged 30 to 49: 51%
Aged 50 to 64: 64%
Aged 65-plus: 67%

Younger adults are more likely to exercise than pray as a way to cope with the pandemic, with 61 to 62 percent of people under age 50 engaging in exercise as a coping mechanism at least once a week. Adults aged 50 or older depend on prayer and exercise about equally.

Regardless of age, watching TV is the number-one coping mechanism, followed by spending time outdoors. Fully 89 percent of the public reports watching TV or movies at least weekly to get through these strange days, and 84 percent report spending time outdoors.

Source: Pew Research Center, U.S. Adults Regularly Turn to a Variety of Activities to Help Cope with Coronavirus Outbreak

1.1 Million Fewer Children in the United States

The number of children in the United States fell by 1.5 percent between 2010 and 2019, according to the Census Bureau's population estimates, a decline of 1.1 million. Non-Hispanic whites were the only race and Hispanic origin group to experience a decline, however, with 7.8 percent fewer non-Hispanic white children in 2019 than in 2010. Among Blacks, the population under age 18 grew by just 0.9 percent during those years.

Percent change in population under age 18 by race and Hispanic origin, 2010–19

	percent change
Asians	15.7%
Blacks	0.9%
Hispanics	8.8%
Non-Hispanic whites	-7.8%

The non-Hispanic white share of the nation's children fell from 54 to 50 percent between 2010 and 2019.

Source: Demo Memo analysis of the Census Bureau's 2019 Population Estimates

Younger Adults Are Watching Less TV

The decline in television viewing among younger Americans continues, according to the 2019 American Time Use Survey. People under age 55 are spending less time watching TV, while those aged 55 or older are watching more.

Overall, Americans aged 15 or older spent 2.81 hours watching television on an average day in 2019, almost identical to the 2.82 hours they spent watching TV on an average day in 2009. The overall average has barely changed because of diverging trends by age.

Time spent watching TV as a primary activity, 2019 (and percent change since 2009)
Aged 15 to 19: 2.03 hours (-12.5%)
Aged 20 to 24: 2.22 hours (  -9.4%)
Aged 25 to 34: 1.99 hours (-16.4%)
Aged 35 to 44: 2.03 hours (-14.0%)
Aged 45 to 54: 2.44 hours (  -8.6%)
Aged 55 to 64: 3.24 hours (   0.6%)
Aged 65 plus: 4.59 hours  (  13.3%)

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Demo Memo analysis of unpublished tables from the American Time Use Survey

Feeling Nervous, Anxious, on Edge?

How often have you felt nervous, anxious, or on edge during the past week? Chances are, you've felt that way on at least several days, according to the Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey fielded May 21-26. Only 37 percent of Americans aged 18 or older say they did not feel nervous, anxious, or on edge on any day that week. Another 34 percent said they had been bothered by anxiety on several days, and 28 percent had been bothered on most days or every day. The Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey is tracking the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on the well-being of the public, including mental health.

Not surprisingly, the demographics of those who are cool as a cucumber differ dramatically from those who are a quivering basket of nerves. One of the biggest differences is by age, with younger adults much more freaked out than their elders—and with good reason since younger adults are the ones being hit harder by job losses. Here are the extremes: the 61 percent majority of people aged 80 or older say they have not suffered from anxiety on even one day in the past week; among people aged 18 to 29, only 28 percent have nerves of steel. Keep in mind, the survey does not include the elderly living in nursing homes, who might be a lot more anxious than their peers in the community.

Days in past week when you felt nervous, anxious, or on edge, May 21-26

	none	several	most or every
Total 18-plus	37.3%	34.4%	28.3%
Aged 18 to 29	27.8	33.8	38.4
Aged 30 to 39	29.4	36.9	33.7
Aged 40 to 49	32.7	37.1	30.1
Aged 50 to 59	36.2	35.8	28.0
Aged 60 to 69	45.5	33.3	21.2
Aged 70 to 70	57.6	28.2	14.2
Aged 80-plus	60.9	23.1	16.1

Note that Wave 4 of the Household Pulse Survey was taken before the murder of George Floyd and the resulting protests and unrest across the country. 

Source: Census Bureau, Household Pulse Survey: May 21-May 26

Covid-19 Wreaks Economic Havoc

The enormous economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic is laid bare by the Census Bureau's new Household Pulse Survey, which is tracking the impact of the pandemic on the American public week by week. Among adults in households with children under age 18, the 55 percent majority say they or someone else in the household have experienced a loss of employment income since March 13, according to the May 14-19 wave of the survey. Among adults in households without children, 44 percent have experienced such a loss.

The percentage of Americans who report a loss of employment income since March 13 exceeds 50 percent in every age group under age 55...

Percent experiencing a loss of employment income for self or other household member
Total 18-plus: 48%
Aged 18 to 24: 58%
Aged 25 to 39: 54%
Aged 40 to 54: 56%
Aged 55 to 64: 49%
Aged 65-plus: 27%

By race and Hispanic origin, 60 percent of Hispanics have experienced a loss of employment income. The figure is 55 percent for Blacks, 47 percent for Asians, and 44 percent for non-Hispanic Whites.

Most adults with household incomes below $50,000 have experienced a loss of employment income since March 13. The figure falls as household income rises. But even among those in the most affluent households—with incomes of $200,000 or more—a substantial 31 percent have lost employment income during the pandemic.

Source: Census Bureau, Household Pulse Survey: May 14—May 19

Married Couples Peak in the 40-to-44 Age Group

Only 48 percent of the nation's 129 million households are headed by married couples, according to the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey. By age, the married-couple share of households first rises above the 50 percent threshold in the 35-to-39 age group, peaks at 58 percent in the 40-to-44 age group, and falls back below the 50 percent threshold in the 75-to-79 age group. Only 20 percent of households headed by people aged 85 or older are married couples.

Percent of households headed by married couples by age of householder, 2019
Total households: 48.2%
Under age 25: 14.5%
Aged 25 to 29: 32.6%
Aged 30 to 34: 49.4%
Aged 35 to 39: 56.9%
Aged 40 to 44: 58.1%
Aged 45 to 49: 57.3%
Aged 50 to 54: 54.7%
Aged 55 to 59: 52.8%
Aged 60 to 64: 52.4%
Aged 65 to 69: 51.5%
Aged 70 to 74: 51.0%
Aged 75 to 79: 44.3%
Aged 80 to 84: 37.4%
Aged 85-plus: 20.4%

The married-couple share of households was as high as 78.8 percent in 1949. The share fell below 70 percent in 1971, below 60 percent in 1981, and below 50 percent in 2010.

Source: Census Bureau, Age and Sex Composition in the United States: 2019

The Biggest Vapers Are Former Smokers

Before coronavirus began to dominate the news, another sort of epidemic was capturing our attention: vaping. Remember those days? Here is the latest data on the prevalence of vaping by age group...

Currently use (and ever-used) e-cigarettes by age, 2018
Total 18-plus: 3.2% (14.9%)
Aged 18 to 24: 7.6% (25.8%)
Aged 25 to 44: 4.3% (21.1%)
Aged 45 to 64: 2.1% (11.0%)
Aged 65-plus: 0.8% (4.7%)

Young adults are the biggest users of e-cigarettes, with about one in four 18-to-24-year-olds having ever used them. But age is not the biggest determinant of use. The biggest determinant is cigarette smoking status. Among people who never smoked, only 6.5 percent have ever used e-cigarettes. Among current cigarette smokers, the figure is 49.4 percent. And among former cigarette smokers who quit in the past year, fully 57.3 percent have ever used e-cigarettes and 25.2 percent currently use them. The evidence indicates that cigarette smokers are using e-cigarettes to help them kick the smoking habit.

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Electronic Cigarette Use among U.S. Adults, 2018

Nearly Half of American Adults Have Hypertension

If hypertension is a risk factor for Covid-19, then many Americans are at risk. Nearly half of adults in the United States have hypertension, according to the federal government's National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. This survey is carried out through mobile examination units that fan out across the country and take measurements of a nationally representative sample of Americans. You can't get better data than this...

Percent with hypertension, 2017–18
Total, 18-plus: 45.4%
Aged 18 to 39: 22.4%
Aged 40 to 59: 54.5%
Aged 60-plus: 74.5%

Note: Hypertension is defined as systolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 130 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 80 mmHg or currently taking medication to lower blood pressure.

Hypertension rises steeply with age, with three out of four people aged 65 or older having the condition. The prevalence is greater for men (51 percent) than for women (40 percent), and it's greater for Blacks (57 percent) than for non-Hispanic Whites (44 percent) or Hispanics (44 percent).

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Hypertension Prevalence among Adults Aged 18 and Over: United States, 2017–2018

The Generations in 2019

A Demo Memo analysis of the Census Bureau's 2019 population estimates by single-year of age reveals the ongoing decline of Gen X and older generations as deaths shrink their ranks. The Millennial generation and Gen Z continue to grow because of immigration.

Between 2018 and 2019, the number of Baby Boomers fell by 829,000, and the number of older Americans fell by 1.7 million. Generation X also lost members, with a population decline of 159,000. When the Census Bureau's 2020 population estimates are released next year, Covid-19 deaths will add to but not dwarf these pre-pandemic losses.

Between 2010 and 2019, the number of Americans born in 1945 or earlier fell by 39 percent, a loss of 16 million people. The Baby-boom generation shrank 7 percent, with nearly 6 million fewer Boomers in 2019 than in 2010. Generation X lost 544,000 members during those years. Meanwhile, the number of Millennials grew by almost 3 million and Gen Z by 2 million. Millennials and younger generations now account for the 55 percent majority of the U.S. population.

Size of generations in 2019 (and % of total population)
328,240,000 (100%): Total population
  39,773,000 (12%): Recession generation (aged 0 to 9)
  63,486,000 (19%): Generation Z (aged 10 to 24)
  79,778,000 (24%): Millennial generation (aged 25 to 42)  
  48,696,000 (15%): Generation X (aged 43 to 54)  
  71,649,000 (22%): Baby Boom generation (aged 55 to 73)  
  24,858,000 (  8%): Older Americans (aged 74-plus)  

Note: The Recession generation was born in 2010 or later; Generation Z was born from 1995 through 2009; the Millennial generation was born from 1977 through 1994; Generation X was born from 1965 through 1976; the Baby-Boom generation was born from 1946 through 1964; Older Americans were born in 1945 or earlier.

Source: Census Bureau, National Population by Characteristics: 2010–2019