In our season 4 premier, we explore the factors behind the country’s declining population and their broad social, economic, and cultural implications. We discuss changing attitudes toward family, rising living costs, the prioritization of personal freedom, and how immigration and potential policy changes may affect population trends. Right now, the U.S. birth rate is lower than IT’S EVER BEEN BEFORE! This means that there are fewer babies being born per woman than at any point in the nation’s history. In addition to fewer babies, the percentage of folks over 65 has increased from 13% in 2011 to 17% in 2023.
the pandemic also plays a role in our declining population. Millions of people were affected by the pandemic: many died, others did not give birth, and still others could not migrate. . Another factor that is draining our population and labor forces is the Opioid crisis. Opioid-related deaths in the US led to an estimated 3.1 million years of life lost in 2022 (38 years per death), compared to 2.0 million years lost in 2011.
The United States does have a robust immigration pipeline capable of maintaining steady population growth. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are 335 million people in the country, of which 45 million (or 14%) are foreign-born. Notably, 77% of the approximately 45 million immigrants in the United States are of working age (18 to 64 years) – a much higher figure than the 59% of those born in the U.S.
Clearly, the impact of America’s declining population is a major challenge that we will be grappling with in the decades to come. We encourage you to tune into our Season 4 Premier – America’s Plunging Population Problem to find out more about how these dynamics shape not only the future of our workforce and economy, but also the very fabric of our communities.