Data: U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 population estimates ; Chart: Russell Contreras/Axios America has a missing-middle problem — and this one is demographic. Why it matters: The shrinking 45-64 population could leave fewer experienced adults to run institutions, mentor younger workers and care for the fast-growing population behind them. - This is the Gen X-ish squeeze: The age group includes most of Generation X, plus younger baby boomers. - It also overlaps with the "sandwich generation" years, when many adults are juggling children, aging parents, careers and their own retirement worries. By the numbers: The U.S. population ages 45-64 fell by 2.68 million from April 1, 2020, to July 1, 2025, according to new Census Bureau…
Data: U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 population estimates; Chart: Russell Contreras/Axios America's child population fell by 1.8 million from 2020 to 2025 — with the under-18 population shrinking in every region but the South . Why it matters: Most of America is preparing for fewer students and young families, while the South faces the opposite problem: crowded classrooms, new housing pressure and rising political stakes. The big picture: The South had 303,969 more children in 2025 than in 2020, according to new Census Bureau Vintage 2025 estimates reviewed by Axios. - The West had the largest under-18 decline: down 1,015,068, or 5.7%. - Overall, the South's total population grew 6% from 2020 to 2025 — nearly double the nation's…
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 Population Estimates ; Chart: Russell Contreras/Axios California is losing people from suburbs year after year, revealing a deeper demographic shift reshaping America's most populous state. Why it matters: If California's commuter engines keep shrinking, the state risks losing the diverse workforce that powers its economy — while shifting political clout to the states where those families relocate. - The cities losing people generally aren't the ultra-wealthy coastal enclaves typically associated with California flight, but places that were supposed to be attainable. By the numbers: A new Axios analysis of Census Bureau estimates reveals widespread population losses across parts of the Golden…