October 2019 | Hudson Valley Out of Alignment Issue Brief
The Silver Tsunami
The population of the United States is getting older. Increased life expectancy from advances in medicine and technology is coinciding with the aging of baby boomers, one of the largest generations in American history, leading to an older country. This ongoing demographic shift has been colloquially dubbed “The Silver Tsunami.”
The median age in the United States has been steadily trending upwards since the 1970s and has increased every year for the last 10 years. The Mid-Hudson Valley mirrors this national demographic shift, and is home to an older population than the nation as a whole. In the United States, the median age is 38 years. With the exception of Orange County, every county in the study area has a median age above the national figure.
This project was funded by Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp., and completed by Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress.
