Don’t miss the full story, whose reporting from Mike Schneider at The Associated Press is the basis of this AI-assisted article.
The oldest baby boomers are turning 80 in 2026, marking a significant demographic shift as America rapidly ages with declining birth rates and longer life expectancies, putting pressure on the economy and social programs.
Some key facts:
• The oldest baby boomers, including Presidents Trump, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, turn 80 in 2026.
• Approximately 76 million births occurred between 1946 and 1964 during the baby boom generation.
• The share of senior citizens in the U.S. population will grow from 18.7% in 2025 to nearly 23% by 2050.
• Without immigration, the U.S. population will start shrinking in five years when deaths surpass births.
• The U.S. fertility rate has dropped from 2.08 during the Great Recession to 1.6 in 2025, well below the 2.1 replacement rate.
• The number of Americans aged 80 and older will double within the next 20 years.
• By 2055, there will be 50 seniors for every 100 working-age people, up from 34 per 100 in 2025.
• The declining birth rate has resulted in 11.8 million fewer births compared to what would have occurred at Great Recession fertility levels.
READ MORE: A look at aging baby boomers in the United States
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