New U.S. Census Bureau data reveals that the population of Americans aged 65 and older increased by approximately 3.1% from 2023 to 2024, reaching around 61.2 million. This demographic shift continues a longer-term trend, with the share of the population aged 65 and above rising from 12.4% in 2004 to 18.0% in 2024, while the share of children under 18 declined from 25.0% to 21.5% during the same period. Between 2020 and 2024, the population aged 65 and older grew by 13%, whereas the population under 18 decreased by 1.7%. For the first time, seniors now outnumber children in 11 states, up from three states in 2020. Additionally, 45% of U.S. counties have more older adults than children. The median age in the U.S. reached a record high of 39.1 years in 2024, up from 38.5 in 2020. States such as Texas and Utah have seen particularly rapid growth in their senior populations since the start of the decade. This aging trend is influencing various sectors, including education, where some universities are exploring retirement communities as a strategy to adapt to declining student enrollment and a growing elderly population.