Ratio of working-age adults to seniors is falling

An aging population brings new challenges to the economy. In the U.S., the number of working-age adults relative to the retirement age population, called the old-age dependency ratio, is shrinking. In 1950, there were 7.5 working-age adults for every adult age 65 and over. In 2024, there were just 3.4 working-age adults for every senior. Census projections expect that the U.S. will have less than two working-age adults for every senior by 2100. With so many government programs fiscally dependent on a sizeable working population, low birth rates could spell trouble for the economy.

by Grant Bailey