Data: U.S. Census Bureau, International Database ; Chart: Noah Bressner/Axios People 65 and older now outnumber children ages 5 and younger worldwide for the first time in recorded history, according to a new report by the U.S. Census. Why it matters: A global plunge in fertility — demographers' term for the number of children being born — and increased longevity are creating a demographic inversion that's projected to deepen for decades. - It's a trend that's shifting the historic balance between working-age people and older adults . By the numbers: The scale and speed of the shift as the youngest Baby Boomers move toward their mid-60s are striking. They reflect the scope of the challenge in caring for the elderly and maintaining…
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…
Reproducted from AEI ; Chart: Axios Visuals Americans are spending more time at home, yet many have become strangers to their neighbors — especially young Americans , who are increasingly unlikely to socialize with those living feet away. Why it matters: Without casual conversations with neighbors — who are often from other races, or have different religions and political ideologies — people risk becoming more isolated and more dependent on superficial, algorithm-driven digital communities. By the numbers: In 2012, 51% of young Americans regularly engaged with neighbors, according to a new AEI report . Today, that number has plummeted to 25%. - By contrast, 56% of seniors socialize with neighbors, a seven-point drop since 2012. -…
More older Americans are falling into poverty in suburbs built for middle-class stability. Why it matters: Suburbs lack the transit, housing and services that help cushion poverty in cities, leaving millions of seniors at risk of isolation in the neighborhoods they helped build. - An Axios analysis of U.S. Census American Community Survey (ACS) data shows millions of older Americans are aging into poverty or near-poverty outside major city cores. - Suburban-heavy counties in Arizona, California, Florida and New York already report large populations aged 65+ that are below the poverty line. By the numbers: The U.S. has roughly 60 million people age 65+, per Census estimates — up 34% over the past decade, according to Harvard's Joint…
The city’s rapid expansion brought new jobs and investment, but decades of low wages and limited access to education and housing have kept many residents from reaching the middle class.
Wealthy buyers and tourism entrepreneurs are acquiring abandoned European villages — school, church and bar included.
AI:The global elite are moving beyond mere luxury real estate into the realm of total sovereignty, as wealthy investors and tourism moguls descend upon Europe to purchase entire abandoned villages in their entirety. This isn't just about property; it is about acquiring entire ecosystems—schools, churches, and local bars included—to create isolated retreats for the ultra-rich. While the masses struggle with a dwindling pool of buyers and economic instability, these titans are carving out private fiefdoms that operate entirely outside the reach of normal social structures.Open
In a stunning warning for the rapidly-aging U.S., poverty rose for seniors in more than 800 counties over the past five years, according to new Census Bureau estimates. Why it matters: America's post-pandemic rebound didn't flatten inequality — it rearranged it. The winners clustered in educated metro areas and owned homes outright. The losers are increasingly older, renting, rural — or all three. - The latest Census data also suggest the next phase of U.S. politics will be shaped less by a single national economy than by who benefited from growth and where they live. By the numbers: The U.S. median household income rose to $80,734, the 2020–2024 American Community Survey released Thursday and examined by Axios showed. - That's a…