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Population map shows oldest, youngest US states

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Population map shows oldest, youngest US states


A map of the youngest and oldest states in the country shows Utah as having the youngest population.

The demographic map, created by Newsweek using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, shows that Utah residents have a median age of 32.1 years old, which is younger than the median age of any other state in the union.

Although Utah is the youngest state, a recent report by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah found that the state’s population age is gradually increasing because of declining fertility rates and the aging of the adult population, trends also seen on the national level.

Texas, the second-youngest state, has a median age of 35.6, and 13.4 percent of its population is aged 65 and over. Alaska is the third-youngest state, with a median age of 35.9.

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With a median age of 45.1, Maine is the oldest state in the country, the Census Bureau data shows.

Utah’s youth can be explained by the state’s high birth rate. Mormons make up 42 percent of the population of Utah, a recent study published in the Journal of Religion and Demography found, and areas with high concentrations of Latter-day Saints historically have higher birth rates and larger household sizes.

However, data also shows that in the past 40 years, the percentage of state residents over 65 years of age has grown by a significant margin. In 1980, fewer than 8 percent of Utah residents were over the age of 65. In 2020, that figure had risen to almost 12 percent. By the year 2060, Utah’s retirement-age population is expected to be more than 20 percent, the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute reported.

A population map shows Utah has the youngest population in the U.S. A recent report has found that the state’s population age is gradually increasing.

Newsweek/US Census Bureau

In Maine, more than 22 percent of the population is aged 65 and over. Fewer jobs, lower wages and a lack of affordable housing mean younger people are seeking opportunities elsewhere in the country.

Over the past 20 years, the number of Mainers in the workforce has increased by 6 percent, which is significantly below the national workforce growth of 20 percent, said a 2023 report by the Maine Center for Economic Policy. The Maine Department of Labor estimates that over the next decade, the state’s workforce will decrease by tens of thousands of people compared to pre-pandemic levels.

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Overall, northwestern states have the oldest populations, the Census Bureau data shows. Neighboring New Hampshire has a median age of 43.3. Vermont, the third-oldest state, has a median age of 43.2, and 21.6 percent of its population is 65 and over.

Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about population data? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

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Popular Angels Landing Trail closed at Zion National Park

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Popular Angels Landing Trail closed at Zion National Park


SPRINGDALE, Utah — One of the most popular trails at Zion National Park in southern Utah has been closed for repairs just ahead of the busy summer season.

Angels Landing, which entices thousands to hike a trail many claim is one of the most dangerous inside the country’s national parks, was listed as closed on Thursday.

According to the National Park Service, the closure is due to damage to the chain section of the trail. Visitors use the chains to steady themselves while hiking up the steep and narrow path to the top.

There is no indication of when the trail will reopen, with the park service saying day-before lotteries for passes to gain trail access “may be canceled or delayed.” While Angels Landing will be closed, the trail up to Scout Lookout will remain open.

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Angels Landing has been the site of more than a dozen deaths since 2000, with the latest fatal fall occurring in April when a 68-year-old Texas man fell during an afternoon hike.





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Utah couple fights human-trafficking through Salt Lake-based nonprofit

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Utah couple fights human-trafficking through Salt Lake-based nonprofit


A Utah couple turned a heartbreaking experience into a mission — and now they’re rallying everyday people across every industry to fight back against human trafficking.

Krissi and Tommy Green had no roadmap when they were first pulled into the fight. It started when a young girl in Europe reached out for help — and ended up being trafficked.

“I thought we were going to help her while her family was falling apart, and she ended up being trafficked,” Krissi said.

MORE | Pay It Forward

It took a year to get her out. Tommy said she was found with fourteen other teenage girls.

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“She told us, ‘You have to keep sharing. There are many more like me,’” Krissi recalled.

That message became the title of Krissi’s book, “Many More Like Me,” and the origin of something much bigger.

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“You have to keep sharing. There are many more like me,” Krissi was told. That message became the title of Krissi’s book and the origin of something much bigger. (Photo: KUTV)

The Greens founded Against Trafficking Industries, a nonprofit focused on advocacy, education, prevention, and funding recovery and aftercare for survivors.

“It’s happening in Salt Lake City,” Tommy said. “It’s such a huge problem, so extensive, too big.”

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Their approach is different. Rather than asking people to take on the whole problem, they rally everyday people across music, business, and brands to chip in where they can.

“If you give twenty bucks a month and fifteen hundred people are doing that, we can fund these impact projects,” Tommy said.

And for those who feel overwhelmed by the scale of the problem, Krissi has a simple message:

“I can do this. I can be a part of somebody’s solution. I can be part of somebody’s new life and recovery.”

To honor their work, Mountain America Credit Union surprised the Greens with a gift through KUTV’s Pay It Forward program.

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To learn more about Against Trafficking Industries, click here.

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Utah conservation organization pledges $5.1M for wildlife recovery

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Utah conservation organization pledges .1M for wildlife recovery


Among the creatures benefiting from research funded by the Utah Species Protection Account is the Wilson’s phalarope. The migratory shorebird relies heavily on the shrinking ecosystem of the Great Salt Lake.

Some funds paid for the removal of the threatened Juke sucker from Utah Lake and its tributaries. Rare plant and insect programs at Utah State University also received funding.

The species protection account is administered by the state Division of Wildlife Services. It was established in 1997 toward species and projects that will proactively help to prevent Endangered Species Act listings.

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