Population Trends
Median Age by U.S. State: The Demographic Map of America
Maine and Florida are the oldest states. Utah is by far the youngest. Median age is one of the cleanest single signals of a state's demographic future.
By City Zip Compare Editorial · February 15, 2026 · 8 min read
The U.S. national median age is 38.9 (ACS5 2019–2023). The state spread runs from 31.4 (Utah) to 45.1 (Maine) — a 14-year gap. Median age is a remarkably reliable predictor of state-level housing demand, healthcare spending, school enrollment, and political behavior.
Why Utah is so young
Utah's median age of 31.4 is six full years below the national figure. The driver is family size: Utah has the highest fertility rate in the country, supported by the state's religious demography. Utah households have an average size of 3.06 people against a national average of 2.51.
Why Maine and Florida are so old
Maine and Florida are old for different reasons. Maine has aged in place — low fertility for two generations and significant outmigration of working-age residents. Florida has aged via in-migration of retirees from the Northeast and Midwest.
The implication: Maine's old population is poorer than Florida's old population. Maine's median income for households 65+ is below the national average; Florida's is at or above it because Florida's retirees brought retirement savings with them.
- Youngest states: Utah (31.4), Texas (35.2), Alaska (35.5)
- Oldest states: Maine (45.1), Florida (42.7), Vermont (43.0)
- National median: 38.9
- Spread: 14 years
Rank every U.S. state by median age and other demographic factors.
Check Median Age for Any State or ZIPWhat median age predicts about a place
Beyond the headline number, median age is one of the more useful leading indicators available in public data. Younger states tend to see rising school enrollment and stronger long-term labor force growth, while older states tend to see rising healthcare demand and slower housing turnover as older owners stay in place longer than younger, more mobile households. If you're evaluating a state or metro for a long-term business or relocation decision, median age trajectory — not just the current snapshot — is worth checking against the prior ACS5 release to see which direction it's moving.
Frequently asked
›Which U.S. state has the youngest population?
Utah, with a median age of roughly 31.4 — about six years below the national median of 38.9, driven primarily by the state's high fertility rate.
›Why is Florida's older population wealthier than Maine's?
Florida's older population skews wealthier largely because it grew through in-migration of retirees who brought retirement savings and pensions with them, while Maine's older population aged in place after decades of low fertility and outmigration of working-age residents.
›Does a state's median age change quickly?
No — median age shifts gradually over years, since it reflects long-term fertility and migration trends rather than short-term economic conditions.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Data: census.gov/programs-surveys/acs.