Hot Springs is Wyoming's oldest county

The elderly population (age 65 and over) in the state grew 3.5 percent between July 2022 and July 2023, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates.  In comparison, Wyoming’s total population only grew 0.4 percent during the year. 

The state’s oldest county is Hot Springs.  With a median age of 49.5 years, 29.9 percent of its population was 65 and over in 2023.  Other counties with a higher proportion of elderly population (65 and over) were Johnson (27.8%), Platte (27.7%), and Niobrara (27.6%).  These counties also tend to have the smallest proportion of children population and their median ages were all higher than 45.0 years.

 The median age in Wyoming (half of the population is younger, and the other half older) rose 0.4 to 39.7 years, while it increased from 38.9 to 39.1 from 2022 to 2023 for the U.S.  The new data indicate that the aging of Wyoming’s population continued to be speedy, and the pace was the most rapid in the country.  “Though the impact from Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) aging was the main reason, outmigration of young people and decline in fertility rate also played roles,” said Dr. Wenlin Liu, Chief Economist with the State of Wyoming, Economic Analysis Division.  Since the initial Baby Boomer cohort reached the age of 65 in 2011, there has been a precipitous increase in the size of the older population.  With the quick aging, Wyoming’s median age increased to the 20th highest compared to other states in 2023, and eclipsed all neighboring states except Montana.     

 Wyoming has one of the highest proportions of the Baby Boom (age 59-77 in 2023) population, and one of the lowest proportions of Generation X (age 43 to 58 in 2023) in the country.  For example, the number of residents aged 50-59 was 12,400 (or 16.0%) less than the age 60-69 group.  “The state is facing a labor shortage as the number of resident workers is insufficient to fill the positions vacated by retiring Baby Boomers under normal economic circumstances,” Liu commented.  Wyoming’s demographic transition and labor market environment provides excellent opportunity and encouragement for unemployed residents who are looking for jobs within the state as many Baby Boomers are exiting the labor force.  Wyoming’s population age 65 and older increased from 99,769 in 2020 to 111,865 in 2023, or 12.1 percent, higher than the U.S. growth rate of 9.4 percent during the same period.  The share of the State’s elderly population (65 and over) grew to 19.2 percent in 2023, higher than the U.S. level of 17.7 percent.  “The population age 65 and older in Wyoming is expected to expand by 13.0 percent from 2023 to 2030, while the number of total residents is projected to increase only 2.6 percent during that period.”

Since 2020, the population under 18 years decreased 3.3 percent where pre-school children (under 5 years) declined 8.2 percent.  The age 18-64 group dropped slightly, -0.1 percent during the span.  Wyoming’s total minority population reached 98,872 in July 2023.  Minority is defined as any group other than single-race, Non-Hispanic White.  The annual growth of minorities was 1,428 persons, or 1.5 percent, compared with 0.4 percent increase for the State’s total population in 2023.  In fact, it’s the addition of the minority population that contributes most to the state’s population growth in recent years. Hispanic was the largest minority group with 62,798 in July 2023, an annual increase of 1.5 percent.  The Black or African-American population decreased 1.3 percent to 5,920.  Other minority races, such as American Indian and Two-or-More Races grew slightly, while Asian recorded 4.1 percent growth rate.  The majority, Non-Hispanic White, grew only 0.2 percent.  With 16.9 percent of the State’s total population, the proportion of minorities in Wyoming was still ranked the 8th lowest in the nation, while 41.6 percent of U.S. residents are minorities.  “The demographic makeup of the United States, as well as the state of Wyoming, is becoming increasingly diverse in terms of race and ethnicity,” said Dr. Liu.  

 The U.S. Census Bureau also released 2023 county population estimates by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin.  Complete population figures are available online at http://eadiv.state.wy.us/pop/