SALT LAKE CITY — Declining fertility rates and an aging population has led Utah, known as the youngest state in the nation, to get older.
A new report from the Kem. C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah shows that in a period of 40 years, state residents over 65 years of age grew by a large margin.
In 1980, less than 8 percent of Utah residents were over the age of 65, according to the report, but in 2020, that number had jumped to almost 12%. What's more, the institute believes Utah will only grow older through the years.
“Our projections indicate this trend will continue, and the current data shows that different stages of life relate to outcomes in education, economics, housing, and health," said Mallory Bateman, director of demographic research at the institute.
By the year 2060, Utah's retirement-age population is expected to be over 20 percent.
Despite the institute's new report, Utah still remains the youngest state in the U.S. with a median age of 31.1, well below Alaska, the second-youngest state (median age: 34.6).
