POP2 Children as a percentage of the population: Persons in selected age groups as a percentage of the total U.S. population and children ages 0–17 as a percentage of the dependent population, 1950–2021 and projected 2022–2050
| Age | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of total population | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Ages 0–17 | 31.0 | 32.0 | 32.0 | 33.0 | 33.0 | 34.0 | 34.0 | 35.0 | 35.0 | 35.0 | 36.0 | 36.0 | 36.0 | 36.0 | 36.0 | 36.0 | 36.0 | 35.0 | 35.0 | 35.0 |
| Ages 18–64 | 61.0 | 60.0 | 60.0 | 59.0 | 58.0 | 58.0 | 57.0 | 56.0 | 56.0 | 55.0 | 55.0 | 55.0 | 54.0 | 54.0 | 54.0 | 54.0 | 55.0 | 55.0 | 55.0 | 56.0 |
| Age 65 and older | 8.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 10.0 |
| Children ages 0–17 as a percentage of the dependent populationa | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Ages 0–17 | 79.0 | 79.0 | 79.0 | 79.0 | 79.0 | 79.0 | 79.0 | 79.0 | 80.0 | 80.0 | 79.0 | 79.0 | 79.0 | 79.0 | 79.0 | 79.0 | 79.0 | 79.0 | 78.0 | 78.0 |
| Age | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 |
| Percentage of total population | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Ages 0–17 | 34.0 | 34.0 | 33.0 | 33.0 | 32.0 | 31.0 | 30.0 | 30.0 | 29.0 | 29.0 | 28.0 | 27.5 | 27.1 | 26.8 | 26.5 | 26.3 | 26.2 | 26.0 | 25.9 | 25.7 |
| Ages 18–64 | 56.0 | 56.0 | 57.0 | 57.0 | 58.0 | 58.0 | 59.0 | 59.0 | 60.0 | 60.0 | 60.7 | 61.0 | 61.3 | 61.5 | 61.7 | 61.7 | 61.7 | 61.7 | 61.8 | 61.9 |
| Age 65 and older | 10.0 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 11.0 | 11.0 | 11.0 | 11.0 | 11.0 | 11.3 | 11.4 | 11.6 | 11.7 | 11.8 | 11.9 | 12.1 | 12.2 | 12.3 | 12.4 |
| Children ages 0–17 as a percentage of the dependent populationa | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Ages 0–17 | 78.0 | 77.0 | 77.0 | 76.0 | 76.0 | 75.0 | 74.0 | 73.0 | 73.0 | 72.0 | 71.2 | 70.7 | 70.1 | 69.6 | 69.1 | 68.8 | 68.4 | 68.0 | 67.7 | 67.4 |
| Age | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
| Percentage of total population | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Ages 0–17 | 25.7 | 25.8 | 25.9 | 26.0 | 26.1 | 26.1 | 26.1 | 26.0 | 25.9 | 25.8 | 25.7 | 25.5 | 25.4 | 25.2 | 25.0 | 24.9 | 24.7 | 24.6 | 24.4 | 24.2 |
| Ages 18–64 | 61.8 | 61.6 | 61.5 | 61.3 | 61.2 | 61.2 | 61.3 | 61.4 | 61.6 | 61.7 | 61.9 | 62.1 | 62.3 | 62.4 | 62.6 | 62.7 | 62.8 | 62.9 | 62.9 | 62.9 |
| Age 65 and older | 12.5 | 12.6 | 12.6 | 12.7 | 12.7 | 12.7 | 12.7 | 12.6 | 12.5 | 12.5 | 12.4 | 12.4 | 12.4 | 12.4 | 12.4 | 12.4 | 12.5 | 12.6 | 12.8 | 12.9 |
| Children ages 0–17 as a percentage of the dependent populationa | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Ages 0–17 | 67.3 | 67.2 | 67.3 | 67.3 | 67.3 | 67.3 | 67.3 | 67.3 | 67.4 | 67.4 | 67.4 | 67.3 | 67.2 | 67.1 | 66.9 | 66.7 | 66.5 | 66.2 | 65.6 | 65.2 |
| Age | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 |
| Percentage of total population | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Ages 0–17 | 24.0 | 23.7 | 23.5 | 23.3 | 23.1 | 23.0 | 22.8 | 22.6 | 22.5 | 22.3 | 22.4 | 22.2 | 22.0 | 21.9 | 21.8 | 21.7 | 21.6 | 21.5 | 21.4 | 21.4 |
| Ages 18–64 | 63.0 | 63.0 | 62.8 | 62.6 | 62.4 | 62.2 | 62.0 | 61.7 | 61.5 | 61.3 | 61.2 | 61.0 | 60.3 | 60.0 | 59.7 | 59.4 | 59.1 | 58.8 | 58.5 | 58.3 |
| Age 65 and older | 13.1 | 13.3 | 13.7 | 14.1 | 14.5 | 14.9 | 15.2 | 15.6 | 16.0 | 16.5 | 16.4 | 16.8 | 17.7 | 18.1 | 18.5 | 18.9 | 19.3 | 19.7 | 20.0 | 20.3 |
| Children ages 0–17 as a percentage of the dependent populationa | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Ages 0–17 | 64.7 | 64.1 | 63.1 | 62.2 | 61.5 | 60.7 | 60.0 | 59.2 | 58.4 | 57.5 | 57.7 | 56.8 | 55.4 | 54.7 | 54.1 | 53.4 | 52.7 | 52.2 | 51.7 | 51.2 |
| Age | 2030 | 2031 | 2032 | 2033 | 2034 | 2035 | 2036 | 2037 | 2038 | 2039 | 2040 | 2041 | 2042 | 2043 | 2044 | 2045 | 2046 | 2047 | 2048 | 2049 |
| Percentage of total population | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Ages 0–17 | 21.3 | 21.2 | 21.2 | 21.1 | 21.1 | 21.0 | 20.9 | 20.9 | 20.8 | 20.7 | 20.6 | 20.6 | 20.5 | 20.5 | 20.4 | 20.3 | 20.3 | 20.2 | 20.2 | 20.2 |
| Ages 18–64 | 58.1 | 58.0 | 57.9 | 57.8 | 57.7 | 57.6 | 57.5 | 57.5 | 57.6 | 57.7 | 57.7 | 57.8 | 57.9 | 57.9 | 58.0 | 57.9 | 57.9 | 57.9 | 57.9 | 57.9 |
| Age 65 and older | 20.6 | 20.8 | 20.9 | 21.1 | 21.2 | 21.4 | 21.5 | 21.6 | 21.6 | 21.6 | 21.6 | 21.6 | 21.6 | 21.6 | 21.6 | 21.7 | 21.8 | 21.8 | 21.9 | 21.9 |
| Children ages 0–17 as a percentage of the dependent populationa | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Ages 0–17 | 50.8 | 50.6 | 50.3 | 50.1 | 49.9 | 49.6 | 49.3 | 49.1 | 49.0 | 48.9 | 48.8 | 48.8 | 48.7 | 48.6 | 48.5 | 48.4 | 48.2 | 48.1 | 48.0 | 47.9 |
| Age | 2050 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Percentage of total population | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Ages 0–17 | 20.1 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ages 18–64 | 57.9 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Age 65 and older | 22.0 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Children ages 0–17 as a percentage of the dependent populationa | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Ages 0–17 | 47.7 | |||||||||||||||||||
| a The dependent population includes all persons age 17 and under and all persons age 65 and over. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Reports, Estimates of the population of the United States by single years of age, color, and sex: 1900 to 1959 (Series P-25, No. 311); Estimates of the population of the United States, by age, sex, and race: April 1, 1960, to July 1, 1973 (Series P-25, No. 519); Preliminary estimates of the population of the United States by age, sex, and race: 1970 to 1981 (Series P-25, No. 917); and Intercensal estimates for 1980–1989, 1990–1999, and 2000–2009. The data for 2010 to 2019 are based on the population estimates released for July 1, 2020. The data for 2020 to 2021 are based on the population estimates released for July 1, 2021. Data beyond 2021 are derived from the national population projections released in September 2018. Differences observed between 2019 and 2020 and between 2021 and 2022 may be due in part to the change in data sources and not necessarily reflective of trends in the data. Some estimates have been revised since previous publication in America's Children. | ||||||||||||||||||||